After 10 years of celebrating Christmas in Canada, we decided to spend the holiday at our own house this time. Ross and Chris stayed with us for a few days, then we all drove up to Canada for the the last couple days of December and New Years.

We had an epic night for New Years Eve. Dinner, subways, and late dancing with Jacqueline, David, Amie, and Jason... super-fun!

Carol flew up for an awesome weekend visit, and we went to the Woodland Park Zoo.

Elliot got his own snowboard gear and took some runs down the hill behind our house after it snowed. A few weeks later, we got him a private lesson up at Snoqualmie Mountain.

Nicole and I also celebrated our 10th Anniversary, but that's another update comings soon!

-Rob and Nicole

Elliot confesses his deepest Christmas wishes to Santa Claus, while Lia decides if he's been "naughty" or "nice".

Ross and Chris cozy up on the couch while the presents are passed around.

Elliot sets up his new Lego powered train. Apparently Santa judged him "nice" instead of "naughty" this year.

Elliot got a new tool kit just like Dad's! (Well it's pretty close to real anyway). Lia finds the goggles.

Elliot and Lia cuddle on the sofa.

Lia and her mom hug after Christmas dinner at Paisley and Peter's house.

Ross, Lia, and Chris pose for a group shot after Christmas dinner at Paisley and Peter's house.

Lia starts to feel a little tired after dinner, and after being passed around a bit much.

Carol paid us an awesome visit just after Christmas. Here she is on the couch with Elliot and Lia.

Elliot gazes across the fields, waiting for a train he's sure will come eventually.

Lia and Elliot take a few spins in the tire swing.

Here's a video of the first time Elliot rides a snowboard... it's cool check it out!

We took Carol to the Woodland Park Zoo, where it's never winter apparently.

Sometimes it seems like a good idea to "throw the goat", but later you wonder "why?"...

Steppin' out in Vancouver for dinner, subways rides, and then some insane dancing insanity... in the dark.

Jacqueline and David at Provence in Yale Town, Vancouver.

Amie and Jason at dinner in Yale Town.

Nicole and her man wait patiently for the next subway train.

Taking a break from "crazy dancing", Amie, Nicole, and Jacqueline blow kisses at the camera dude.

We finally have our own Christmas tree this year!

Lia snuggles her new fairy doll we found on our recent trip to Portland.

Lia looks up from her fairy house.

Elliot can't decide which tool to use first on the furniture.

Cora, Nicole, Haley, and Paisley get cozied up on the couch after Christmas dinner.

Lia and mom.

Lia, Nicole, and Elliot manage to all be smiling and have their eyes open for this one. Sometimes the simplest things can still be miracles.

Elliot beholds the cold power of the icicle sword...

Ross and his granddaughter.

Elliot leads his sister safely across the playground. What an awesome big-brother!

Elliot has a private lesson at Snoqualmie Pass.

Elliot takes a break from snowboard lessons to build a snowman.

This tropical bird just sits in his warm, humid jungle world, inside the Woodland Park Zoo, oblivious to the icy Seattle weather just outside the glass. I begin to wonder who's truly caged... me or the BIRD!

Nicole and Jacqueline practice some of their latest experimental Tango "technique" at the subway platform in Vancouver.

The lovey couple at dinner in Vancouver.

Pierre Le Crabbe adjusts his beautiful orange baret before painting some lovely landscapes by the dinner table. Later, he tried to street-mime and had to be held down for safety reasons.

Pierre manages to put me in some kind of European lover's hold and lays down some inappropriate smooches. Luckily the smooches aren't "French". Jason appears to enjoy the whole thing even though he's clearly free to move about on his own.