2008 Revisited

Last year was jam-packed. Overall, I think we did a good job. I hope we'll do even better in 2009. Here are some highlights in pictures...

Olive & Xander hiking in the Columbia Gorge.

NCAA Men's Basketball March Madness in Denver with Carrie, Daisy, Weems.
The games at our site were a little weak this year (highlighted by the fact that our most memorable game-viewing was on TVs in front of the Pepsi Center food vendors), but the event is always worthwhile. Staying with Carrie and Amanda, as well as visiting with Don and Brandy (good friends from college whom I don't get to see often enough) made the location great for non-roundball enjoyment.

Olive's first trip to the beach.

Olive & Xander skiing near Mt. Hood.

April game night (Power Grid) with Barto, Lars, MJ and Nora.
Matt and Nora have been hosting a gamenight every few Saturday night during the winter since their twins were born two years ago. Its a great way to be social with friends who have made the plunge into (double-)parenthood.

A dog walk in Bellingham. We were there for Migo's (successful, emergency) triple-bipass. Our younger niece walks Xander because "He's less risky."

In May, Xander passed away. It was sudden and completely unexpected.
He was an outstanding pup and will be missed.

Although I didn't play much ultimate this year, the beach ultimate tournament in Seaside is still a must. "Spirit This!" was a reunion/cross-section of outstanding friends from Corvallis and Portland. We took our wily selves to finals. Well played!

Even before Xander was gone, Olive found herself a BFF, Oscar, at the neighborhood dog park. Oscar's parents, Erin and Aaron, have become good friends of ours as well. Everybody wins!

As shared in an earlier posting, we purchased a new house in May to live closer to our core group of friends and generally live a life more in line with our dreamy visions. Even though it's a few months out of sequence, this seems a good spot to share my favorite picture of our house, shot during from the December snow storms...

In August, our best friends, Matt & Sara, were married.
The monumental week kicked off with a 48-hour+ bachelor party.

Our reception toast, despite incriminating testimony, was well-received.

...and the location proved to be the star later in the evening,
as the best outdoor wedding dance party ever lasted until the wee hours.

Our intention when we added Olive to the family was that two dogs would play and wrestle and generally keep each other company better than we could ourselves, so it certainly made sense that for Olive's first birthday, we should get her a lil' brudder, Oz(ymandias). We shared some good shots from the first weeks in some other postings, but I'll pepper in others here and there...

Oz & Olive napping in early November.

Spider and Oz have mostly worked through the differences between cats and dogs.
(Summary: Cats rule. Dogs drool.)

Although we had the exterior of the house renovated, we hired someone to do the work. The two big projects we actually tackled ourselves were...

...replacing all of the original (100 year old!) single-pane double-hung windows...

...and building a shed from scratch (with much help from my friend Duncan).
...which will be finished and painted some time in 2009.

We hosted our first Thanksgiving!
(Highlighted by a perfect bacon-covered turkey. Mmmmm bacon.)

Oz + Olive = too much cute

Personal space? Whassat?

Tree hunting for our first Christmas at home (with Raminta's family).

One of our favorite things about the new house is that it hosts so well. We had an impromptu dinner party with family and neighborhood friends during one December evening when Portland was snowbound.

Christmas with the Biciunas clan.

Our version of "Don't ask. Don't tell."

Happy 2009.
Come over and visit us anytime.
:)