Wed, Dec 21: I don't think we got up very early. By the time we were done with breakfast, it was after noon. Went for a long, round-trip ferry ride at my Mom's suggestion. Mike & I drove a little northwest to Edmonds for the 30-minute Kingston Ferry (with magnificent views), then drove south on the peninsula to Bremerton for the 45-minute ferry ride back to downtown Seattle (and then over the 520 floating bridge to Kirkland and home). We had an hour in Bremerton though, so we had clam chowder (and I had an incredible salad) at Anthony's on the dock. There was leftovers and our advent traditions back at home.
Thur, Dec 22: Another lazy morning, and probably another dog-walking. That afternoon we had an appointment to meet with the people at Chan's place to settle the setup and dinner for our little wedding celebration. It looked like it would work out beautifully. Right away then, Mom, Mike & I headed out for our own little evening: Mom treated us to a lavish dinner at Red Lobster in Lynnwood, then to a performance in downtown Seattle of the PNB's fabulous Nutcracker. Stopped at Shari's for dessert on the way home. People were still up when we got home, so we did advent still.
Fri, Dec 23: Of note, we went shopping at Safeway for coffee creamer (& eggs & milk), then continued on to downtown Woodinville to buy a couple replacement squeakies for Charlie's ripped up hedgehog toys. Later on in the visit, Mom sewed them up again, using all 8 squeakies in the 3 toys. And as we noticed there was a ray of sunshine, we kept going on SR 522 to the Bothell Landing (where we became engaged last year) to sit on our bench together, watch the ducks and the sky as it gradually grew clearer and sunnier overhead between masses of clouds above the lovely fir trees. It was a perfect re-enactment! :) That night, after dinner, we watched the "Muppet Christmas Carol" for another tradition. I was well pleased at how many times it made Michael laugh.
Sat, Dec 24: We slept in past noon! Mom took Mike to the store for some stomach meds while I finished up my shower. A big change to eating habits is never easy. Thankfully, he rested on the couch while I wrapped up some presents and helped Mom with a few sugar cookies before we took off for the annual dinner with the Hertzbergs at a Mexican restaurant. Mike had a couple scrambled eggs at home before and after to tide him over. Mexican + upset stomach = problem. Poor Darling! But I had some with him afterwords and we were able to share a quiet candle-lit moment in the kitchen before joining the whole gang in the living room for a marathon Christmas song sing-a-long. So much fun! Almost my favorite part of the holiday. But between the restaurant and home, there was the Candlelight Christmas Eve Service at Canyon Hills Church, just like last year. Wonderful time!
Sun, Christmas Day: It was a very normal Christmas: fun, pleasant, and drawn out. Got up at 7:30 to help set up... Big breakfast at 9, stockings and presents one-by-one until the early afternoon. Zac even called during breakfast, and we all got a turn to talk to him, which made his absence a little more bearable. After most had trickled away, Mike and I went downstairs to our room to take an hour or two's nap. Then upstairs we watched "The Snowman" and Baryshnikov's "Nutcracker" from our taped-off-PBS VHS tape that we watched so often as kids... but that Mike had never seen before. Later we looked through his mom's album from the 1940's, had clam chowder and grilled cheese sandwiches, watched a Christmas episode of "The Shari Lewis Show" from 1960, and two episodes of the Tintin TV collection Michael gave me... "The Crab With the Golden Claws". And I think there was a Backgammon game with Dad too...
Mon, Dec 26: When I wrote this down, I had it completely wrong... and how could I, too?! On the anniversary of our own private New Year's Eve celebration! I did start packing up my room this day, getting up a little earlier than Mike. I gathered our things from all over the house and organized it a bit. Later on, after breakfast, I started working on my room, like Dad wanted. Took down my posters and put them all together (it was an accomplishment). We watched another Sheri Lewis episode, and then Meg & Jason, Mike & I went over to our friend's the Foxes to visit, but they weren't all there. Later that evening, Rita and Chelsea came over and visited us (as Meg set up) and even gave us a wedding present. When they left, Mike & I left too, heading to Ivar's downtown for a fancy dinner, like last year. I had "Wild Alaska Lingcod" with delicious roasted baby Yukon potatoes and squash. Mmm!!! Michael had the "Seafood Fettuccine" which was also very good. A beautiful evening! Then he bought himself a Seattle sweatshirt, and I, cunningly, bought him a Seattle Ferry magnet and a postcard that I sent for him to find when he got home. :) When we got back, we stayed up and picked out the pictures that we wanted to put on the display boards at our wedding. Whew! Even finished by midnight, like I promised Mom! :)
Tue, Dec 27: In the morning, Mom and I went to Fred's to print the pictures and buy some very nice chicken breasts and portobello mushrooms for a fabulous dinner at home that night. After another late breakfast, Michael and I went to the Seattle Zoo in Woodland Park. It started raining half-way through our visit, just as we visited the new, fabulous Humboldt penguin exhibit. For a few dollars we were able to hand feed a couple penguins ourselves! And the enclosure allowed for close encounters! The penguins swimming next to the glass followed our fingers as we traced them in figure-eights. Of course we saw bears, tigers, lions (hehe), gorillas, Komodo dragons, hippos, giraffes, a giant python, and many others kinds... so much fun to show him my zoo after seeing his three times. :) From there we went a little further north to the Northgate Mall to meet up with Julie! She was a little late (meeting with another friend) so we took the opportunity to eat a little lunch at Panera Bread. Julie met us there, and then we drove back to Kirkland. She had wanted to watch "Midnight in Paris" the other day, but never got around to it... so she rented it again and we all got to see it (I had caught it in the theater in SD). After the lovely chicken dinner Mom prepared (including my favorite noodles too) that we all helped with, we watched "Ocean's 11" on Netflix, since it's a good New Year's movie (and a few of us hadn't seen it before). Mike and I drove Julie back to Seattle and we got to bed late again. :)
Wed, Dec 28: To be married again! Just toast for breakfast... at 1pm we were having another ceremony, then a very large Chinese feast at our favorite local Chinese restaurant, Chan's Place, in Kirkland. There were 23 guests... Michael, myself, Julie, Christina, Mom, Dad, Jackie (Julie's Mom), Tom Hertzberg, Andie, Nathan, Beckie, Micah, Meg, Jason, Gayle & Bethany (Jason's mom & sister), Aunt Penny, Uncle Don, Gramma Payne, and Susan Mayfield with daughters Andrea & Stephanie (with her daughter Madeline. We took up six tables in a back room part of the restaurant. They even shut off their piped music for us and we were able to play a couple tracks for the ceremony and a little dancing afterwords. Dad did the ceremony, and Meg the reading; Andie baked the lemon cake and Mom did most of the decorations. The cake, the candles we got at our first wedding and the picture boards were all at one table on the side. The food was delicious... and Jason took about 500 pictures total. It'll make for a bit of work to put them on FB. We got a few presents again! And Michael started the dancing after dinner. :) All in all, it took about 2 hours.
When we got home we watched the dvd slideshow of our first wedding and honeymoon pictures that our friend Bette Hertzberg made. Twice actually, again after we watched Meg & Jason's slideshow from the same friend. A perfect way to follow up a wedding! After all this was over, Michael and I had another little date... went to Ivar's in Bellevue for fish & chips (which we didn't get to have in downtown Seattle - one can only eat so much) and then found Lincoln Square Cinema in downtown Bellevue to see "The Artist"... a wonderful silent film (new this year) about a silent film actor and his dog in the '20s & '30s... how the change affected him and a up-and-coming actress who adored him. Four stars, if you ask me. And as I told a few people already, this was literally the best day of my life so far. It'll be hard to top.
Thur, Dec 29: Still five days to go! When last year, this is when we parted. It was a little of a letdown from the previous day... but it had to be. I did more packing in my room... in the afternoon Mom, Dad, Mike & I took a drive a half-hour east to Monroe to visit my Gramma Payne for a little while. We had a lovely little chat all together before we went back home. That night, Michael and I went out to our neighborhood Pizza Bank for a wonderful home-style-cooked Italian dinner... spaghetti and a little pepperoni & mushroom pizza to share. The Washington Huskies bowl game had already started, but I was a little afraid to stay and watch. For good reason... they ended up losing to Baylor, 67-56... which broke several records for points scored and yards gained in a bowl game. While part of this fiasco was going on, we took the dog for a walk.
I think it was later this evening that Meg, Mike & I went to Redmond for a little shopping. We stopped in our usual places: Tree Top Toys (where a Carnegie Dinosaur had to be returned from Christmas - because I already had it - and where we found another that I didn't have), Half-Price Books (where I found a cheap copy of Heroes Season 1 and Cinderella Man - and where I looked in the vinyl records and national geographic magazines for the first time - because of Michael). Meg needed to stop in at REI as well for something for her upcoming trip to Thailand. Mike and I found our favorite snack bars, and loaded up a little. :) Back at home, we watched "Portrait of Jennie"... one of Mike's favorites... and I liked it very much. But by that point, I was wiped out.
Fri, Dec 30: Played Backgammon with Dad during breakfast... and afterwords Mike & I walked the dog. I may have forgotten a few of those dog-walks... they were all so nice. In the early afternoon we all met up at Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood to see Tintin: the Secret of the Unicorn on the big screen. I can't say how pleased I was with it! It was marvelous. Loved the little touches... like the birds flying around the guy's head when he ran into the lady with the birdcage. LOL! They did a lovely job of mixing the two stories for a fabulous film.
This was also my brother-in-law Nathan's birthday, so after taking Meg and Jason out to Thai Kitchen for a Christmas present, we all celebrated back home with cherry pie and cake. After everyone left, Mom & Dad & Mike & I watched "A Hard Day's Night" on Netflix, since a scene from "Portrait of Jennie" brought it to Mike's mind while we were walking the dog that morning.
Sat, Dec 31: Maybe "late breakfast and a walk with the dog" can be assumed by this point. :) On our way to the Seattle Aquarium that early afternoon we listened to a BBC broadcast of Tintin's "Red Rackham's Treasure" to bookend the previous day's film. Mike had found ten stories online and made copies for me - what a Sweetheart! As for the aquarium, we arrived just as the divers were feeding the fish in the big dome tank. And along with all the regular stuff, we had a great view of the two river otters and two sea otters... all very active and right up close to the glass. And another great view of the mountains across the Sound too! Since we stayed so long, by 3pm it was time for the Giant Pacific Octopus feeding as well. We got an up-front view of this too and saw the octopus change colors when the shrimp was lowered into the tank! Wow! Still along the waterfront on the neighboring pier, we had dinner at The Crab Pot. Can you believe it? we were tired of clam chowder! I had a crab sandwich and Mike had a big burger.
Straight from there we picked up Mom and Dad at home, then headed over to Jason's family's house, about 15 minutes away for a New Year's Eve party with snacks and games. It was a marvelous time! Lots of chatting and relaxation... and then we played telephone pictionary with hilarious results and then some wii sports... like the ski jump, hula hooping, soccer, boxing, and an obstacle course. Whew! What fun! And that's how we brought in the new year... that and a very sad excuse for a fireworks show at the Space Needle on TV. They even quit the countdown before it was time! But we had a round of toasts with sparkling cider (and apple juice for me)... and here we are in 2012!
Sun, Jan 1, 2012: We went to Meg and Jason's church in the morning because they were getting commissioned for their mission trip to Thailand starting January 4th. But before Mom, Mike & I could get out the door and join everyone else there, Zac called again and we talked with him for a bit while Michael made us all some breakfast. The commissioning was very nice, they answered questions and the pastor challenged the congregation that they could do something like this too. :)
Directly afterwords, Mom, Mike and I got in the car and headed an hour and a half north to Anacortes (listening to more BBC Tintin), to catch the hour-long ferry to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands, like we did on our last day last year. The point was to just enjoy the ride. Every few minutes Michael rushed out into the open air to get a blast of biting cold freshness. :) We had such fun! And it was so clear out, we could see all the mountains! We've had good luck this year that way! We had lunch together on the waterfront in Friday Harbor... we all had cups of chowder... and I think I had another crab sandwich. Mom traded me her green beans for my cole slaw... a good deal! Come to think of it, Mike had fish and chips again too... we are creatures of habit! :) Mom had the crab cakes. We talked for a good long while in the restaurant, then took some pictures of each other on the waterfront, then boarded the return ferry. I got sleepy when the sun went down during the voyage... and Mike was a Darling and drove us all home. I loved listening to him and Mom talking as I rested in the back seat.
When we did get home, we went out for our Outback dinner together, since that's what Don & Penny gave everyone for Christmas. Mike and I both got steak & shrimp combos and desserts to boot.... carrot cake for him, cheesecake for me... just like we had after the Nutcracker.
Back at home we watched "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians", another MST3000 gem from Mike's collection. :) Another late night and our last.
Mon, Jan 2: We woke early (7:30, as on Christmas) to pack up our bags, and for me to finish packing up my room for my parents. Unbelievably, we got everything done. Dad helped me wrap up my dinosaurs... then we had a big breakfast with everyone, and another last walk with the dog. Played Dad 2 games of Backgammon, which we split. We finished up the packing with about a half-hour to spare... so it worked out well. Had to leave at 1pm. Meg came with my parents to drop us off. I was able to check two of my three bags for free (yay, military!) and then re-join Mike in the much longer Southwest line. We went through security together, had bagels for lunch together, then parted with a final kiss after he had his ticket scanned. I stayed and watched his plane taxi and take off into the soup of clouds covering the area. There were a few hours before my flight took off. Everything went just fine on my direct flight, except for the dense fog covering San Diego. They diverted us a half-hour north to Ontario, CA, after circling SD for a half-hour or so, waiting for it to dissipate, while it only got thicker. I was blessed to get on the first of the charter buses to drive us nearly two-hours back to SD on I-15. I got home a little after midnight.
Lord, God, thank you for everything. What a blessed time with my husband and family.
Jw
PS... wow... what stats... it only took 3.5 hours to write.
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