Portland is the Land of Ice and Snow

And we are making the best of it. We have had an amazing past couple of days, filled with lots of things winter and Christmas.

SATURDAY
Saturday we headed to the North Pole, or Pioneer Place Mall as the locals call it, to meet Santa for the very first time. Liam reacted as we expected he would, OK while we waited



and then terror once we got too close

Is it mean to hope that we would get this reaction? I mean, there is something about a picture of a kid crying on Santa's lap, am I right??

After Santa we decided to take advantage of the very few people out downtown and walk around. We went to Pioneer Square Mall to see the big tree

and walked around a little before Liam turned into a little Popsicle.

SUNDAY
We woke up and realized it had snowed all night so we were not going anywhere. The news said that we had about 8 inches in Portland and I don't think there has ever been the much while I have lived here (13 years). The good news is that there is a perfect hill for sledding one block up. So we bundled up Liam
and headed off.

Sean took the first run with Liam

After three sled runs and some walking around it was time to head home

Now to prepare for Christmas, let's hope the weather allows for us to pick up our last couple of things for dinner and that Grams and Gramps Taylor make it in from Colorado Springs.

In the meantime....

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE TAYLORS!!!!

Long Time No Blog

I apologize if this post seems a little random, only because if something we have done lately pops into my head I want to get it down on paper. Only, nothing is coming to me right now......

Portland has been hit by an arctic blast. For those of you in MI, it's a typical winter day. But Portland is not used to that so better to close things down than trust people driving. So that is what happens. Portland goes silent until the storm passes. We are supposed to get hit with 2-4 inches Wed evening. Again, let me preface, that is BIGTIME here, in a city that uses dirt for traction, not salt.

Sean was in Breckenridge last weekend. He was meeting up with Adam and Jay, some close friends from UofM. Jay had to back out last minute, he is some high hifalutin banker guy but Adam was still in so off Liam and I sent Sean. Sounds like they had a great time skiing.

In the meantime Liam and I ran errands on Saturday and took a nice walk. Sunday was when the storm started so we were house bound the entire day. See, I bought boots for Liam but he SCREAMED whenever I put them on. His way of telling me that that ain't gonna happen!

The company I work for had some layoffs and benefit cuts but the good news is I still have a job!! I am very thankful for that.

Liam is not talking yet but loves to point at something and say that. He recently had started to spin in circles in the living room and laugh when he realizes he is dizzy. Liam and Emmett are getting along great now that Liam lets Emmett lick the food off his face. And Liam LOVES LOVES LOVES books!! YEAH!

We have Grams and Gramps Taylor coming in to spend Christmas with us so we are very much looking forward to that. Sean is busy planning the menu and I follow Liam around making sure he isn't destroying the house. I wish I had more to tell ya but as a rabbit once said. "That's all folks". For now.

Tennis Anyone?

Thanksgiving is a distant memory, it's below freezing outside and you have plenty of energy - what do you do? Tennis of course. Liam found an open court (imagine that) when we spent the holiday at Black Butte Ranch in central Oregon.

Channeling the raw fury of Boris Becker and the relentlessness of Ivan Lendl, Liam quickly had his da-da running all over the court just trying to stay in the game. There were many calls that the two of us didn't agree upon, sometimes generating long discussions on the rules of tennis.




But as everyone knows its best to respect your fellow opponent and as the match progressed we saw evidence of this, including small exchanges of pleasantries at the net.



All in all, it was a great game. Who says you can't play tennis in November.