Updates...

CHRISTMAS:
Well, so much for getting my "Christmas" update on here in a timely fashion!! :)

We had a wonderful Christmas...the "usual" activities, but we always really look forward to it and have a great time.  Christmas Eve was spent reconnecting with family and friends we hadn't seen in a while.  The boys got to open one package that night...matching Christmas jammies.  Ryan has always been into "matching" with his brother.  I know that this won't last long, soon they'll be fighting if we even "coordinate" their clothes for a family photo or something...but for now, we enjoy it.  Christmas morning the boys woke up, and Santa had enjoyed his traditional crackers and root beer.  For those who may not remember...we failed to save a few cookies for Santa last year, so we "improvised" and let Ryan pick something he liked.  It has stuck, and thankfully we had crackers and root beer when we got home from the Christmas Eve party to match Ryan's expectations.  Presents were opened, and we enjoyed more time with family throughout the day.

DARNDEST THINGS:

The last weekend of January we went on our annual ski trip to Mt. Bachelor with some friends.  Since the beginning of January (and perhaps even earlier), Ryan has been begging to go skiing again, so while there we enrolled him in another ski lesson.  The following week, he was at Grammie & Papa's house after school and was explaining the finer art of the "snow plow" to Papa.  This is his rendition of how its done:

"You leave the back door open…make a volcano in front...and it will slow you down.  Once I even stopped!"

WHAT A SIGHT:

This happened just this past week.  Ryan and I were in the car heading towards Hwy 14 on Brady Road.  We were approaching the section of Brady Rd. that heads more steeply downhill, is curvy, and passes under the canopy of trees that line the street.  I saw in front of me a very large bird, the sun filtering through his wings, backlighting him such that I could make out each feather.  He was literally in front of me...not above me.  I pointed the bird out to Ryan...assuming it to be a large blue heron given its size and it appeared to have long legs hanging below his body.  As we got closer to each other, the bird flapped his wings even more deliberately in an attempt to gain altitude.  He was flying uphill, and I was driving downhill...so he not only had to rise up to go up the hill, but now had to adjust so as to avoid hitting me.  Suddenly, what I thought were legs dropped, and I watched as what I now knew to be a rabbit carcas hit the yellow line of the pavement.  As we passed each other, at eye level with him in the oncoming lane...I came to the sudden realization that this was actually a large, mature bald eagle...and I had just ruined his lunch!  I swear we made eye contact as he swooped into the trees beside the road...I'm sure cursing me the whole way.

I had my point and shoot camera in my purse beside me, but even if it had been in my hand and on...I don't believe I could have gotten that shot.  Even though I can still see each image in slow motion, in my head...in reality it was a matter of seconds.  It was an amazing sight, and one that I will keep with me...the snapshot ingrained in my head.