EMP/Science Fiction Museum

A while ago I Grouponed coupons to the EMP/Science Fiction Museum. We had been to the EMP years ago when it first opened, but have never been to the SF Museum. Hmmm.... glad it was a Groupon deal! SO NOT WORTH FULL PRICE! I was extremely disappointed for sure. I remember there being SO much more stuff in the EMP, and the SF part - not much. They did have a few really cool things, but on a whole, not great.

However, we were there with Alison and Paul so we did have a great afternoon hanging out and being together. For that, totally worth it. And, we didn't pay full price so all is well. Just a tip, don't go if you are paying full price!

Afterwards we went out to dinner and sat in the restaurant for hours just talking. A very enjoyable afternoon all in all! A good way to spend one of our days of vacation.

Actual Star Trek Paraphernalia
The captains chair from the original set
Captain Kirk's actual uniform shirt along with Spock's.
Good ol' Star Trek!

Storm Trouper!!!

R2D2 of course

I Love the terminator! One of my favorite movies!

Christmas!

We kept Christmas very simple this year and enjoyed it immensely. It was a nice quiet morning with just our family. We even kept the gift giving to a minimum, but got a few super fun things to keep us busy on Christmas day. Our favorite Christmas toy? Nano Bugs! We had a blast racing and fighting them.

Jess got some great warm attire for college next year. I got her a down coat and Aaron got her some boots, gloves and slippers. Jeff got her a book - you can never go wrong with books for Jess ;o)

Aaron and I decided to not exchange gifts this year. Too many other things we want to do - home remolding, band gear.... so we just did stockings and that was enough. I did get some great running pants in my stocking though (pretty expensive stocking stuffer Aaron!). The kids got me a drum mount tambourine as well. Now "Mony Mony" is going to sound AWESOME!

Jeff was so cute playing with his Darth Vader Action Figure. He got some super fun Star Wars paraphernalia in his stocking including Light Sabre Chop Sticks (thanks to Ben for posting those on FB a while ago and giving me the idea ;o) and a light up Light Sabre Key Chain Chap Stick. He also got The LOTR trilogy and a collectible Princes of Mars book. Jess got him the Alterbridge CD.

Aaron has been looking for this album forever! Jess found it on Amazon so the kids went in together and got it for him. It is in total mint condition. Good job guys! He also got some great telescope accessories in his stocking. Can't wait till clear summer nights to see the heavens!

The rest of the day? Momma Smout came over and had breakfast with us and spent the day. Then around 2:00p.m. Alex came over and we all headed over to Teresa's house for dinner and games.

It was a great day. I was so thankful that Jeff didn't have to work and we could spend the day together. I love being with my family!! The only thing that would have made it a better day would have been to have the rest of our siblings with us. It's hard when everyone is so spread out and we cannot be together. Thank goodness for the summer!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a very quite and enjoyable evening. Both grandma's came over for dinner of Monte Cristo Sandwiches and homemade clam chowder - yum! We just spent the night eating, playing games and watching movies. A great night.

Christmas reverts my adult children back to childhood!
They look like 5 year olds looking at all the presents the grandmas brought.

Aaron and I got a great genealogy book from mom Smout
and Family pics from mom Taylor

Mom Taylor got a Shutterfly book of our fam pics

Mom Smout got a bird feeder, humming bird feeder and a stand for both
from our family and the Hamblin's

All Jess wanted was College Stuff.
At the top of the list: A popcorn popper :o)

Jeff got a new TV and some great books he's been wanting

Alex came over for a few minutes and took Jess with him to his family festivities. We exchanged gifts with him as well. He pretty much is a part of the family now.

Alex got Jeff an "Elite" action figure

Cheers and Beers

We had a great time last night celebrating Christmas Cheer with friends. We started out at the Jensen's for a fun "Christmas Spirit" party. Hanging out and eating cookies. Who could ask for more?

Jess has on a Grinch shirt, and played the part well ;o)

We took off a little early from the Jensen's party to head to downtown Renton's Whistle Stop Family Pub for "Christmas with Beer". We have a couple of friends that every year they put out a Christmas CD with parodies and goofy Christmas songs. Then they do just one performance, and this was it. Too fun!

I'm so glad I'm not the only one around here that knows how to let my hair down and have fun! LOL!!! What crazy guys! Well, it was Christmas with Beer ;o).

WET RUN!

It's been raining around here a lot to say the least. I guess Alison and I should have worn our swimsuits on our run this morning! I was wet up to the thigh when I got home.

Puttin' Up The Tree

I got a little anxious this year to put up the tree for some reason. Probably because I just finished up my Christmas shopping so was super in the Christmas mood at the moment. Plus, we just rearranged our living room, so the tree can now be put up without invading on our space too much.

It's gonna take a few days to actually get the house decked out Christmasy. We got the tree up and decorated and that was all the time we had. Oh well, Friday and Saturday can be spent decorating and wrapping. I like it.

Oh my gosh my husband is such a dork!

Jeff did our topper this year. FUNNY!! And I love it!

Jeff and Jackson

Kristina posted a picture of Jackson a while ago on FB, and I thought he looked so much like Jeff. Well, today I pulled out a box of pictures to get ready scan some stuff ;o), and I found the picture of Jeff I was looking for.

Just look at these two! You can definitely tell they are related! With Jeff moving over there this Spring, I think it will be fun for him to watch these guys grow up too, and have a relationship with them. I AM JEALOUS!!!

Black Friday

Jess and I, of course, had our annual Black Friday outing. By mid day on Thanksgiving, things started warming up and it started to rain. So, by the time Friday morning came, the roads were pretty much clear. Yea!

We are not 3:00 a.m. crazies. We leave the house around 6:30 a.m. It's perfect, because you still get all of the sales but the craziness of the crowds are gone. We usually aren't after the sales anyway. We just like to have our annual date together. We finish up most of our Christmas shopping, get some breakfast and take our picture with Santa. We go to the same place every year for said picture (The Supermall) so it's the same Santa every year. Too fun!

Black Friday is one of my favorite days of the year!

Breakfast at IHop - our traditional place

Gettin' in line for Santa picture

Actually, we are always there early enough that there is really never a line. This year we just walked right up. No little kids in our way ;o)!

I LOVE Black Friday!

Thanksgiving

What a different Thanksgiving this year! We woke up to a very peaceful snowfall. I love it when it's snowing! Especially when no one has anywhere to go, and my family is all snug at home. It was very beautiful. Snow on Thanksgiving around her is extremely rare. I can't remember a white Thanksgiving before, especially this much white.

The down side? The grandma's were to afraid to drive in it, so they didn't come over. The other down side to the day.... Aaron woke up sick. We made the best of it though and had a very good day. Jess helped me cook our humble dinner for four, we played games, watched football and movies and just enjoyed being together. That is extremely rare as well these days.

We had a great Thanksgiving.

Winter Humming Bird

Jess caught a picture of this little guy yesterday while at her friend Tori's house. We have been noticing A LOT of humming birds in our neck of the woods lately. I think I really want to get a humming bird feeder! (Good Christmas idea ;o)

HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY JESS!

18 years old today! Man, how time flies!!! Now my legal obligation to my children is officially over ;o). We had a great weekend celebrating Jess's birthday.

On Friday her and I went out for a girls day, lunch and massages. Relaxing!!! Saturday she got to go out with Alex to dinner and a movie, Mega Mind. Sunday it was out with the family for another movie, Harry Potter, and dinner. Then it was home for games, presents and cake and ice cream.

Jess had a friend bake her a cake from school
She even got a divine present from up above: SNOW!

Dad got her a couple of books.
You can never go wrong with books for Jess!

Jeff got her the movie How to Train Your Dragon.

Alex got her a new camera, since she dropped and broke the one I bought her for Christmas! She is quite spoiled that one!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS. We love you a lot!

First Snow

I don't think that Jess has ever had snow for her birthday before, or that we have ever had this much snow before Thanksgiving. Thank goodness for global warming.

Couldn't resist! Just had to go for a run in the snow.
It was a great run.

Family Pictures

We got together with my family last weekend and had Alison do some family pictures for us. The weather was sketchy, so we weren't sure how it was going to go but we forged forward anyway. We ended up getting about 45 minutes clear. Poor Jess was super sick, but when you have this many peoples schedules you are trying to work with, you do the best you can. All things considering, they turned out great. We even got Jess to smile in a few.