Explorations of Jackie & Joe

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Snowman

February 9, 2014

2" inches of great packable snow fell in Mill Creek. Jackie taught Joe how to make a proper snowman!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

This Wednesday was the Seattle Seahawks Superbowl XLVII Parade.
#Celebrate48

It took almost 2 hours by bus to get into Seattle from Mill Creek and it was PACKED! Standing room only once we got to McCollum Park ‘n Ride.
My bus route gets off I-5 at James and goes down 4th Ave, where the parade was taking place. Our bus instead of stating the route information digitally, said: “GO SEAHAWKS!” Those people already lining the streets screamed with excitement like we were part of the parade already!

After going into work for a bit, we hiked up the hill to 4th Ave to wait for the parade to arrive. Waiting for the parade to begin on a windy 22 degree clear day on 4th Ave & University St, 3 blocks from my office

4th & University

Marshawn Lynch tossing Skittles to the crowd from on top of Ride the Ducks!

Back of Coach Pete Carroll's head

Quarterback Russell Wilson hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy

Linebackers

Richard Sherman & the Legion of Boom

The parade crowd dispersing from 4th Ave down University St. 700,000+ at the parade, well over the population of Seattle

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Superbowl XLVIII

February 2, 2014

GO SEAHAWKS! Yes I may have jumped on the 12th Man bandwagon this season for my 2nd team (I will always be part of Titletown's Packer Nation first and foremost), but Seattle pride is infectious! Go Russell Wilson, Steven Hauschka & J.R. Sweezy, all NCSU alum!

Ribs are in the smoker and the sun is shining. I'm feeling good about the Super Bowl. Go Seahawks and Russell Wilson!

No one could have expected the outcome of this game. Seahawks were on the top of their game against the Denver Broncos!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Skyline Lake Snowshoe Trail

January 19, 2014

Today Jackie went snowshoeing at Steven’s Pass with friends Jamie and Jason. They stopped at REI on the way up for rental snowshoes. We then head to Steven’s Pass to snowshoe up Skyline Lake Trail on the north side of the ski resort. The entire summit parking lots were full when we arrived around 12:30pm. We parked in a lower parking lot and caught the shuttle back up to the summit.

Jamie and Jason ready to start snowshoeing at the trailhead.

Looking back down the trail

Trees on the mountainside

There was a woman snowshoeing down the mountain in a tank top. I was so hot at that point from climbing that I think she may have had the right idea.

Stevens Pass Ski Resort from the Skyline Lake Trail

Jamie and Jason on a break on the trail

We climbed over 1100 feet over 1.5 miles! In snowshoes! But the view was completing worth it!

Jason getting close to the top

Skyline Lake (iced over underneath the snow where there are no trees)

Jason says, “I wanna climb that!”

“Hell, why not” says Jamie. That is why he married her apparently.

Walking across water…frozen lake covered in snow that is

Looking back at Skyline Lake

Cascade Mountains to the north of the Skyline Ridge

Looking south at Cascades

Steven’s Pass Ski Resort from Skyline Ridge

The snow formations on the rocks like Dr. Suess’s Whoville.

View south from Skyline Ridge peak where we stopped

View north from Skyline Ridge peak where we stopped

Snowshoe break to have a bite to eat on top of the mountain

Jason has success to the peak!

Tibetian flags near the top

It was much easier going back down the mountain.

At one point I told Jason he better take the sliding path down the mountain instead of going down a steep area with snowshoes on. He took it. See that little orange dot at the bottom. I was quick to follow.

The dusk light hitting the mountain at the parking lot as we head home

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Carolinas Christmas

December 16-31, 2013

We may have killed the Christmas tree already by December 15. Note the pile of fallen needles. We’ve have never had a tree lose needles this quickly. I guess it was too much of a shock going from cut down atop a mountain to inside our warm house. At least it was only $10 & we will be in NC for the Holidays soon.

We flew into Greensboro in time to spend the day with Chrissi for her birthday!

Uncle Joe & Ryan playing games on the iPad

We went to Bonefish Grill as a family for Chrissi’s birthday.

On Tuesday we went up the Mount Airy to enjoy Snappy’s Lunch with my Dad. We then went to the awesome Antique Mall of the Foothills in Mayberry, a new must-stop destination whenever we go up to Mount Airy.

We found a really cool rusty old pulley!
Wednesday we drove down to Charleston to visit friends from our old home. We met Tu for lunch at Jim n’ Nicks. Mmm cheese biscuits!
While at lunch Jackie got the best news via email: "Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that your license request has been approved by the Washington State Board for Architects." Jackie can now call herself an Architect in the state in which she practices!
It was great to stay with Tu and Lillian. Ethan has grown into a smart little boy. Kaitlyn was a little shy at first but she warmed up to us eventually.
Thursday we went for a walk in downtown Charleston.
Ooo how I've missed this quaint city and sun!

60 degrees and sunny in December in Charleston is a big reason why I miss the Holy City during this time of the year. Meanwhile Seattle has a chance of 2-4" of snow tomorrow.

Thursday night Joe learning with Ethan and Kaitlyn

Friday we went into my old office, LS3P to say hello. It was great to see all the friendly faces again. We went to lunch with Sandrine at 82 Queen. Man have I missed shrimp n’grits!

We drove up to Charlotte to have dinner with the Pappas family.

Andrew & Jessie’s daughter Madolyn has begun the stage of not wanting to be around anyone but her mom and dad. For a very brief moment, she didn’t know Jackie was holding her until she got a look at her and then the water works began!

Jackie playing with Brandon & Elizabeth’s son Noah

Holiday photo. We felt left out without a child, so we held the Hill’s dog Chandler.

Many many holiday visits over the years with John & Susie Pappas. There’s a story behind the loaf of bread, I promise…

Sunday we went at mass as a family at Holy Family. We went up to Mom & Dad.

Joe playing with Liam on the ipad.

Monday morning Joe and Liam playing Mario Kart

Pat, Joe and Jackie with the boys went to Foothills Brewery for lunch. We enjoyed a fight of beers.

It was a perfect sports bar atmosphere for the boys to play with cars and stay preoccupied while we had some adult time.

Liam doesn’t like having his photo taken

Ryan selfie time after his bath

Christmas Eve Family photo 2013

Our family has the tradition on Christmas Eve to open one present before bed.

Ryan is such a cutie

We gave Liam a hot wheel race track loop & jump

I got a new red scarf

Pat ready to open his gift

The boys testing out the hot wheels track jump

Christmas Eve dinner

Ryan eating his potatoes and hot dog for Christmas Eve dinner

Before bed Chrissi read the whole family ‘The Night Before Christmas’

Dad & Mom enjoying Christmas

Liam enjoying Christmas

Christmas morning: Santa has been very generous this year!

Two boys excited for Christmas morning

Excited boys!

Jackie loving their excitement

Christmas morning gift opening

Liam’s way excited Santa brought him a nerf gun! He talked daily about wanting one to play with the neighbor boys.

Mom opening her new breadmaker

Dad got a new copy of the Billboard Top 40 Hits to replace his 10 year old copy and this one has updates.

Liam having enough with the paparazzi while Jackie photobombs

Liam is now loaded with Lego sets

Jackie & Chrissi opening a gift from Mom, a blue quilted bag

Andy got a DVD of Superbowl XLV when the Green Bay Packers won

We will call this Christmas, the year of the Bose noise-cancelling headphones. Andy got a new pair. Joe got a pair for his frequent trips on the plane.

Dad got a pair as well!

Merry Christmas says Andy!

After our morning break, time to resume opening presents.

Ryan getting a good look at his new big boy underwear

Perfect shirt for Pat

We got Mom some new oven mitts

Ryan opening his Curious George shirt from us

We also got Mom a new rice cooker

Ryan opening his Diggers sticker book

The boys got Disney’s Planes movie

Uncle Joe constructed a soccer goal from PVC pipe and we found an orange (Liam’s favorite color) net online. The boys will have plenty of room to grow into the goal size.

Jackie made Christmas ornaments for both Chrissi & Sharon of photos she took of Liam & Ryan over the summer in Wisconsin

Merry Christmas from the Liang’s!

Thursday we drove down to Charlotte to have lunch with Starr & Nikki. We had borrowed Dad’s new car for the day. As we pulled into a store, we had a cop turn his lights on behind us. The cop informs us that our license plates have expired. Joe’s immediate response came out: “You got to be kidding me!” The cop thankfully let us off easy without a ticket. We let Dad know he needs to get his tags updated. We drove cautiously for the rest of the day just waiting to get pulled again because of the expired plates.

Friday we went over to Raleigh to catch up with friends. We drove around the old campus. We stopped at the new NCSU Library.