Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

To all our loved ones near and far, we wish you a wonderful holiday season and a bright, healthy and adventurous New Year. We hope to see you all of you sometime in 2011.

Christmas in Crouch (Part 1 with Nana)

Dec. 10 - 12, we had an early Christmas with Nana, Uncle Matt, Aunt Lindsey and cousin Beckett in Crouch, Idaho . Eliana also met her great aunts (3 of them!) and was exposed to lots of Camp Pittenger-style singing. We all had a wonderful time at the rental cabin in Crouch; playing with the babies and celebrating an early Christmas with Nana.


All ready for my Idaho Christmas, Mom!


On the train to the airport; Elle Belle loved looking out the window


Hi, Becks!! I've missed you


Beckett looked dapper in his button down shirt


Aunt Lindsey and Elle Belle


Thanks to Beth and Barbara for hosting us both for dinner and the night. We had a great time! The Ambrose sisters with Eliana and Beckett. From left to right: Beth, Polly, Nana, Elle Belle, Becks, Judy


Barbara, get in the picture!


Nana is pumped to get the fire started



Elle Belle and Becks kickin' it on the couch


Elle Belle taking Beckett's bib away and Becks is wondering how to get it back


Eliana vs. the bear


Happy family (and a maraca)


Nana, Becks, Elle Belle


Loved this picture of Nana and the babes - pure joy


Proud Papas


Lindsey and Beckett, Eliana and Mom


Our family


Lindsey, Matt, Beckett


Reading with Nana


Time for singing


Matt, Linds and Beckett


Eating with Nana


Pull up time with Uncle Matt


Bath time with Becks (Eliana on the left, Beckett on the right)





Elle Belle is about to show Becks how to splash two-handed


Matching cousin PJ's (thanks, Nonna and Grandpa!)











Cozy in the cabin





Nate and Matt's 'Darcy the Dragon' performance


Our 'tree' with presents


Out for a walk in the snow


Nana and Elle Belle


Christmas cookie time


Uncle Matt





Trying out my Christmas dress

O' Christmas Tree

It wasn't quite the National Lampoon's Christmas vacation experience, but we did (well, Nate did) cut our own tree.

The Wave

This is the closest we've come to documenting the wave. I think it's one of the cutest things EVER. The timing is not quite down yet and we can't get enough of it. Eliana was obviously enjoying her Grandma feeding her.

A Nice Birthday Treat

Nate and I celebrated my birthday a couple days early by staying our first night away in downtown Seattle. Amy and my parents watched Elle Belle (only one wake up from 11:00pm - 12:00 am) and we had a nice dinner out and a very good night's sleep:)
Thanks, Amy, Mom and Dad - what a great birthday treat.

Seattle Half Marathon

On Sunday, November 28, Nate, Amy and I ran the Seattle Half Marathon. It was a beautiful day for the run; no rain and very brisk and we were lucky to have my parents watch Eliana during the race. Nate and I beat our goal time, which was 2 hours. We ran it in 1 hr 48 minutes, the same time I got when I ran my very first half marathon in Uozu, Japan. That was 7 years ago. Yikes! The only reason I'm writing this down is because one day Eliana won't believe that her Mom and Dad actually ran and this is our proof:) Anyway, thanks to Mom and Dad for both watching Elle Belle and then treating us to Top Pot donuts post race. Thanks to Nate and Amy for making it a very fun morning.