Last weekend the local family of friends here suited up in our finest colorful track gear, set the alarms and headed to downtown Seattle for the annual Jingle Bell Run. It's a 5K and well, they call it a "run," and sure, some folks run but we proudly brought up the rear with the stroller set. I swear though, we must have beat at least half of those strollers.
Photos:
Pre-race warm-up. Look at all dem Santa hats!
We met some people involved in a GAP photo shoot. In case you hadn't guessed, they're actors. Professional actors, though we didn't pay them anything. They just hung around.
The magic Beth elf enjoying the downtown scenery. 
The magic Beth elf enjoying some pre-race cocoa with Matt (with surprisingly delicious hemp milk!) If you look closely you can see the dashing photographer along with one of those actors reflected in Anthony's gigantic lens.
About to enter the I-5 express lane tunnel. Notice the DO NOT ENTER sign. It wasn't that scary in there (as Kubie would say, just a little bit scary). In fact, one older gentleman (remember we were in the walking group) walked while playing carols on a trumpet and folks sang along with a sweet reverb effect. I'm a sucker for them carols.Bonus photo!Beth had to purchase special no-slip shoes for her job at Whole Foods. She went for the bright red Crocs, because, well they were bright red. The toes needed a little something so I took a bit of yellow paint and, voila! You like, da?
Beth and I spent a lovely Thanksgiving dinner together - just us, our two-person family. With the size of the crowd and the rainy weather, we decided not to deep-fry the turkey as we have done in recent years and to instead cook up a leg of lamb. Mmm, delicious little helpless lamb. Beth stuffed the leg with a menagerie of pecans, wine-soaked prunes, chorizo, goat cheese and spinach. And it was good. Had some mashers and Zack's spicy sausage stuffing, forgot the veggies but really, c'mon, do you really need the veggies when there is no family around?We sorely missed our Davis Manor crew and the warm cozy dinners. Plus no fried turkey means no after-burner party where we grill any and all guest fryables in the leftover turkey oil.As a kid, my family tradition was to drive up to the woods the day after Thanksgiving to cut down a Christmas tree, drink cocoa, maybe ride in a horse-drawn carriage, you know. Corny and so wonderful. So we waited a few days due to Beth's work and class commitments, but then Sunday we made it out to the tree farm. We drove around for a bit up Hwy 203 before finally finding a nice family-owned place out of the way. The owners were friendly and helpful, the day was moist and misty. We spent some time deciding between a handful of different trees, using power poles, fence posts, and a roving black lab for points of reference to find our way back and forth. Tree adventure:
The first tree we liked, and the tree we eventually brought home
Ladies and gentlemen, Beth Ann McOmber...
...performing feats of strength
Lit and decorated, practically oozing cheer into our cozy living room
