The Holiday Letter

THE MOUNTAIN TIMES

By now, I suspect those of you who were going to receive the Christmas card have received it. If you didn't, apologies, you really missed out. I always feel like our cards should come with a newsletter, because I find those brilliantly entertaining. So here it is, the recap of our year. I'll try not to bore you to tears. 

PS: I chose The Mountain Times because our last names put together makes us The Mountains. This has caught on with some people, and it tickles me to no end. 

So anyway, it's been almost a year since we moved to our new house in Eugene. Eugene is a strangely unique place, a big(ish) city with small-town charm. A nice mixture of hippies, hipsters, and down-home Oregon folk. People talk to you like they know you, customer service is generally on point, and on Game Day, you're part of a large family if you're sporting green and yellow. Go Ducks! galore. Here are the Top 3 Most Eugene Things that have happened to me thus far:

1. I witnessed a biker get taken out...by a Smart Car. Not sure who was hurt worse.
2. I went to parent orientation night at Trinity's preschool and was immediately spritzed in the face by lavender water. "It's refreshing AND calming!"
3. I was hit on at a bar with the pickup line, "You look like you eat pretty healthy. Do you eat all organic?"

I treasure each of these memories and hope I will continue recognizing and appreciating these uniquely Eugene experiences as the years go by. 

After Snowmageddon 2014 in February when we couldn't leave our house for 4 days, we bought a brand new Subaru Forester. Something also very Eugene. We love this car. It goes everywhere and does everything and makes our late '90s Accord feel like an early '70s Pinto. What ever did we do without heated seats, Bluetooth, and XM Radio? 

We've only had one scare with it, and that was when Travis attempted an oil change, and instead of draining the oil, he siphoned out all the transmission fluid, leaving it immobile. It took me a few Google searches to realize this somewhat common mistake, so we had it towed to the dealer for the most expensive oil change/transmission fluid fill of all time. No more DIY oil changes.

The highlights of our summer consist of our annual Cultus Lake trip, a new paddle board, the Willamette Country Music Festival , and my 10-year reunion (ugh I'm so old.) The memories I glean from these all kind of run together in an alcohol-induced slideshow that include late night boat rides, shooting stars, midnight burpees, paddle board yoga, endless lines, beer garden shenanigans, and watching the sun come up over the water. Good times indeed. Let's see it in color

Trinity started school in the fall. It's really her first time being around a lot of other children on a daily basis, so I was afraid she would be socially awkward. While she does tend to do more observing than participating, she fits in really well and seems genuinely loved by both the kids and adults at the school. Her French is coming along splendidly, and I suspect she knows a lot more than she lets on. Her school recently hosted a Winter Celebration where the kids sang, danced, and put on a little play. The adults in the crowd recorded this on their phones and looked on with pride, all while having absolutely no idea what the kids were dancing and singing about. It was amazing. 

As expected, Trinity's health has been less than ideal since starting school. She washes her hands regularly, sleeps well, and eats balanced meals (as balanced as you get with a 3 year old), so I found myself wondering how she could keep getting so sick. Then Trinity tells me in the car the other day, "Rosie and I were holding hands, and then Rosie used my hand to wipe her nose." I guess that's my answer. Sorry kid, no coming back from that. 

I am forever amused by the crazy things that come out of her mouth. She's incredibly perceptive and grounded for her age. I still maintain she's an old soul. The other night after getting out of bed a few times, I put her back and tell her that she really needs to go to sleep. "I'd rather go to Applebees," she says. Me too, kid. Me too. 

*obligatory work-related update*

Travis and I continue to work our lives away. He's been enjoying all the travel experiences his job requires, and I'm thankful that mine allows me to work from home. We are both lucky to work with some amazing people, and I'm especially excited about what the new year will bring for me professionally. ;) More on that later. 

Trinity is especially excited for Christmas this year, and the giddiness is contagious. Without meaning to, we may have gone a bit overboard on the gifts. Hopefully she doesn't get too overwhelmed. I don't feel too bad, since I really try to focus on providing experiences, not toys throughout the year. 

I hope this Christmas finds you extremely merry and your New Year is the happiest yet!  Happy Holidays from the Mountains!