My two new friends

Playing twister....

....is a great way to spend New Year's eve. Ingredients: great people, fun games, and a bit of music and dancing. Perfect New Year's Eve - voila! Thanks to Danielle and Sandra and Neil and Will and Matt and Kevin and Kristin and many others...

Clear Lake Butte Lookout

What a great way to start off the new year..... Here we are at Clear Lake Butte Lookout on Mt. Hood.


A couple favorite photos:



The fire lookout itself:





And what is all the hype about? Well, for one, the view. Wow, this is great to wake up to in the morning....

Brothers....

I missed my family yesterday on Christmas, and our particular traditions. Even the ones that annoy me. Something about having it all - the good and beautiful and the challenging - that makes it family and feel real. And therefore also meaningful.

I especially missed my brother and sister as I saw Brian having fun with his two brothers. I just have this particular relationship with Cameron that I can't have with anyone else. And with Megan that I can't have with anyone else. Something super cool about sibling.

Brian and his two brothers, Kevin and Matt, are pretty hilarious and wonderful to witness together. They look to each other for support, validation, jokes, for a particular kind of play that I think only they can have, and to totally dork out unrestrained. The two part picture series (above) gives you at least a window into their brotherly love world...