Christmas Photos

Click here to see the full slideshow. Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

Go Tell It on the Mountain (video)

This year Keenan was invited to play his ukelele in a Christmas band along with Christie on vocals and Sean on percussion (among other friends). It was fun for all of us because it meant we were constantly singing Christmas carols at home, and we really got into the holiday spirit. The name of the band is Pokey Twig and the Yuletide Kindling. (Pokey is the founder, and they've been doing this for eight years.) Below are some clips I put together of a few songs at one of their performances.

Disclaimer: Please pardon the poor quality of the video and audio. Sometimes I had to shoot holding the camera in one hand while balancing a 2-year-old on my lap. (Oh, and they are just acting drunk in the first song. Really! ;-)

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Merry Christmas to our dear friends and family near and far. We are thinking of you tonight.

Flavor Country

Just a quick post to share photos from our non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner: Seafood Paella followed by delicious desserts (dark chocolate torte and coconut cake). It was truly a team effort! For the full "play-by-play" (and an introduction to The Welshes adorable new puppy, Penny), you can view Christie's slideshow here.

Hello Christmas

We never get our Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend, but this year our tree came to us! A neighbor of ours who is a Boy Scout came knocking at our front door last night saying that he and his dad went to a Christmas tree farm this weekend and brought back some trees. He offered to sell us one for $10. It was a Christmas miracle! ;-) Keenan walked three houses down and brought us back a six-foot tree. Needless to say, Mia was very excited to help decorate it! The first ornament? Hello Kitty, of course!

Welcome Baby Boy Douglass

Congratulations to our friends Troy and Sarah, who today welcomed a beautiful baby boy! He was two weeks past his due date, and it shows: 9 lbs. 3 oz! They haven't settled on a name just yet, but Mia can't wait to meet her new little friend (and neither can we). Best wishes to the new family!

Mia in MIA

It's 49F and raining in Portland today, but just a couple weeks ago we were in sunny, hot Miami. It was Mia's first time in the "pantano," and  she got to visit with her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and close family friends. She also got to taste a lot of yummy Cuban food. She was very excited to meet everyone (and to go swimming!). Tia Ale even flew all the way from Spain for the occasion! Of course, we took tons of photos :-) The full slideshow is posted here.

Los extranamos muchisimo!

Un abrazo fuerte!