iPhoneography and the joys of middle age

downtown Portland, in all its moody glory

Portland Art Museum had a special show of Japanese woodblock prints, the passion of my parents, so I asked for a quick city getaway for my birthday. We did  a whirlwind tour there, went to the history museum, hit Powells and wandered the downtown streets. It was nice and quiet and fun. Good way to celebrate getting old.
I experimented with the idea of smartphone photography by leaving all other cameras at home. For this trip, it worked. I had fun with all the apps, played and enjoyed the lighter pockets.

the Willamette River

Ring in the new year

Redmond's Starlight Parade 

 Everyone was there for the annual Christmas parade, a string of lit trucks, kids and horses marching through downtown in often freezing temperatures. It was fun but went on waaaayyyy too long. After the fourth life insurance agent drove by with a wreath hung on his radiator, we're were ready to call it. 

Josh and Brian with the Not So Little Tree That Could

Jess and Leslie were sick on the only available weekend to harvest a Christmas tree so Josh and B were on their own. They decided to try a new area this year since we had no snow. Nearly eight hours later they stumbled home, with a huge-ass fir tree and a story a mile long. There was no bear involved, or crazed mountain man with a gun but there was a bit of....misdirection involved but don't worry. They didn't get lost. Perish the thought. 

They just took the scenic route.

Boo and Bug (tying Christmas ribbon in their hair)

It was great having the girls for the holidays, especially since we didn't see them at Thanksgiving. Sarah stayed for five  days and Kristin for three. We hung out, played games, went shopping, cooked, ate -- a lot -- and drank -- a moderate amount, of course.  

Kristin introduced a new game, because we don't have enough of those. And Sarah asked to learn to can some food, 'research' for her senior thesis on sustainable restaurants. 

Sarah trying her hand at canning

We took vacation from work in the post-Christmas days and spent them hanging out with Josh and Jess, who arrived Dec. 26. They all got multiple days of skiing in and finished the week off sore but happy.

TJ and Brian, Christmas Day