A new blog to check out!

Hey friends! Just wanted to let you know that Liz Shepard finally has a blog, and would love for everyone to keep up with her family and life and be able to view it...so i am helping her a little! Her blog address is:

http://pickseedust1.blogspot.com/

Check it out!!

Happy New Year all!

Curry Christmas 2008

We had a wonderfully, cold, snowy, calm Christmas this year, mixed with a little boredom and many, many cookies and then of course family. We enjoyed a small family Christmas with our family, Andi (Chris' sister), and Chris' dad and stepmom from San Diego, who were on one of the lucky flights that made it into PDX. We enjoyed capturing some of this crazy snowstorm and our white Christmas on camera, so I put together a little slideshow for you......

The Nutcracker

Posing like the little ballerina she wants to be
Annabelle and Gabrielle

Zonked out in the car 2 minutes after we got in and were on our way home

TOSP for dinner

All dressed up for our evening out!

Annabelle and I had a date last night with Aunt Andi to George Balanchine's Nutcracker performance in downtown Portland at the Keller Auditorium. It was such a magical night for Annabelle and for me. Annabelle did a lot of waiting for the Nutcracker....counting down the days on the calendar, then going out to dinner beforehand, then waiting for them to open the doors, then waiting for the curtain to open...she had so much built up anticipation she let out a little scream when they started the show! Krisitina and Gabrielle Thom joined us, so Annabelle had a friend to enjoy it with. We couldn't take any pics inside the theatre, so we took one in the lobby in front of one of the ballerina costumes they had on display. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance...the dancing, and my daughters reactions to the performance. She said her favorite part was the dancing mice and when they shot cheese at the mice to get rid of them. Hopefully this is something we will continue to do together throughout the years.

Snow days

Addy and Ella taking a sled ride down a small hill in our neighborhood
Annabelle, Katrina and Emma enjoying the elements...finally enough snow to play in!

Watching the snow fall in wonder and amazement

Beauty

It has been a week of crazy weather here in the Great Northwest, breaking all sorts of records. We have had snow in years past, just not this much for such an extended time. But it has made all sorts of children happy as they have recieved a third week of Christmas vacation....and teachers not so happy as some will have to make up the snow days at the end of the year! In any case...me and my little pre-school ducklings have been trying to enjoy the snow.....here are a few fun pics.

'Twas Two Weeks Before Christmas....

The finished room, and the finished husband!

Annabelle and Chris do a little "were finished decorating" dance!

Chris and I string the lights, and Annabelle photographs

Annabelle helping Chris hang the stockings over the fireplace with care.

The tree lot we found where the proceeds went to orphans in Russia!


Chris took Friday off and we spent the day getting our tree and decorating our house. It was a great day with the fam. Although poor Ella, was afraid of the trees at the Christmas tree lot, and then took a nap during most of the decorating....maybe she'll show up in some pictures later on this season:-)

The Classics

Popcorn, hot chocolate and "A Charlie Brown Christmas Special"....what more do you need?

We are thankful for...

We have chosen our family focus this holiday season to be thankfulness amidst the materialism that has become Christmas. We are going to embrace all the holiday traditions, but as we do that, remember how God has blessed us throughout a difficult year. Here are some things that the Curry's are thankful for in 2008:

1. God's continued financial provision allowing me to stay home
2. Friendships gained/enriched at our church
3. Compass Mom's group
4. Our lifegroup lead out of our home
5. Big sister hand me downs for Ella
6. A mostly credit card free year!
7. Chris' homemade salsa
8. Thursday nights with Aunt Andi
9. Paint on our walls
10. Safety and provision as Chris' Mom, stepdad& grandma moved to North Africa
11. The dropping gas prices
12. Annabelle is most thankful for: "plants....daisies are pretty"
13. Ella is most thankful for: "blankie and paci"

Thankfulness

Silly family pic

Making Varenyky


Annabelle's favorite part....PIE

The meltdown, right as we all sat down to eat!

Mom and Ian checkin' Mr. Turkey

We are so very thankful for our family, and that we got to spend time with some of them for the Thanksgiving holiday in Santa Rosa, Ca. We drove down this year, and were very thankful for the low gas prices, and two little girls who travel well. We ate Turkey and such with family, then made and pigged out on Varenyky....a Mallie family holiday tradition (yummy homemade Russian raviolis, which we filled with cheese, potato and some with squash), we hot tubbed, had lots of pie, sang a little Karaoke (karaoke revolution), and just got fatter by the minute. Here are some pics of our time at mom's house.