A White Christmas

After 30 Christmases in my life, finally I had myself a true white Christmas!

We've been in Spokane for our first Jayne family Christmas. A very nice time filled with family and fun in the snow. It first snowed the day we got here and then again
Christmas night. And since then, many more inches of glittery white have piled on the ground.

Yay for snow on our first day!

So happy together...

Snow falling Christmas night. A true white Christmas!

Celebrating my first white Christmas.

We've sang, played games, laughed, froze our toes, went sledding, and even walked on a frozen lake - my first ever. True highlights include Grandma playing Wii, Bryan's nephew Cameron completely complexed as to why we weren't married like all the other couples in the family, duo-sledding, measuring the ice on the lake, a rousing game of Pictionary in which I was on the winning team, and the $100 bill I found on Christmas Eve - which we then donated to the Salvation Army.

Winter wonderland in Bryan's parents' yard.

Making a snow angel at the lake.

Bryan with niece and nephew on the frozen lake.

The frozen lake - more than seven inches thick and we walked along it!

Tomorrow we fly back to Hawaii and then immediately take off to Maui for New Years with good friends. I know my toes will welcome the warm air but I'm sad to be wondering when I'll next see snow.

Over the River, and Through the Woods...

Or rather, over the ocean and through the airports, to the Jayne house we go. And there should be snow. Which will be very exciting.

This morning we left the house and saw this:

I feel very, very lucky to be able to experience rainbows and snow within 48 hours of each other. You don't get that everyday!

Merry Christmas to all!

Sick, Like for Real

I'm sick. I've been sick for days. I stayed home from work on Friday and had to take a sick day for a day that was basically a play day in the office. They got bonuses and had a holiday thing, and I was in tears from a fever of 103.

Anyhow, turns out I have strep throat for the first time in my life. Let me tell you, it hurts!

I was sick on Saturday and Sunday but still gathered all my energy for a trip to Hilo to see my parents and extended family. Good times, even if I did need a nap. Family is good for being sick around, you don't need to be too nice or entertaining and they have to take you as you are. Unfortunately, it's not as easy with friends. For that reason, I think I have to bail on a birthday celebration tonight. Bummer.

Just because I'm sick, doesn't mean you need to be bummed out too. And for that reason, I've included these ridiculous pictures from our holiday party. Check out possessed Jenni and freaky-dancer Bryan.

It's a Small Town

On Friday I joined a few friends for a few drinks at two select parties downtown. A good time was had by all and in the span of three hours I ran into roughly 25% of the people I know in Hawaii.

I saw a friend of a friend who I had met once or twice.
I recognized a girl and her husband from a party we attended around this time last year in Lanikai.
I ran into my yoga teacher, cheek-kissed hello and introduced him to my friends.
We chatted it up with a friend's roommate named Chip.
I spotted a guy I met floating through the ocean during Flotilla.

Then we changed venues to go to an ad party. And there, I encountered half of our men's paddling team. Plus an old co-worker or two.

Needless to say, I felt popular and very in it. Yay!

A Tree for All Seasons

On Sunday evening we went to the grocery store to pick out our Christmas tree. While we won't be here for Christmas itself, I felt adamant that we should have a tree. First off, we invested in about $30 worth of decorations last year and I certainly don't plan for them to sit in the closet for 11 months for no good reason. Second, a tree just makes it feel more seasonal. So we had to have a tree.

After great consideration, we decided on a living tree. It's just nicer to think about rather than a cut-down one that spent the last month in a refrigerated container sailing from Oregon to Honolulu. The living trees they have around here are mostly Norfolk Pines and I find them adorable. Plus, plus... they're from the South Pacific. So it's like a Christmas tree that actually belongs in the islands.

Bryan and I don't make any decisions lightly. It only makes sense that our tree selection process was indepth and full of education. We inspected all of the Norfolk Pines, pondered which were healthier than others, estimated which height would look right in our apartment, and guessed as to how much they might grow. Finally, we were referred to a tree expert name Albert. Albert gathered his knowledge of plants and trees while growing "stuff" for his uncle. You know what sort of stuff. Albert works in the nursery at the grocery store and answered every single one of our Norfolk Pine questions with patience and knowledge.

That is how we came to have this delightful tree to decorate and keep all year round. I've named it Albert, Al for short, in honor of the plant guy that started out growing "stuff."

Umm, Okay

I kid you not, this is the weather forecast today in Honolulu. I know we don't have the extreme weather much of the country is facing but have you ever seen such dramatic shifts exactly on the two hour mark?