This is our first family portrait to include Mara.  It turned out really nice.  It reminds me of the Garth Brooks song “Two of a Kind Working on a Full House.”  Enjoy the music and the next time you hear it, we really will be.

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Here are the photos from our Christmas 2009 in Steilacoom.  Also a short video.  Mostly of Hannah being cute.  We had a great time.

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YouTube - Christmas 2009

The family dinner is an interesting entity. Mainly because it is really three families that get together. The Paces, Scheffers, and Flinns. We all each bring something yummy and lighter on the deserts than in the past. They occur sporadically, but it seems like we get to do it about twice a month in the winter and even more often in the summer. They usually occur on Sunday evening. Always a lot of fun. I linked the photo gallery and there are some cute pictures of Abbey and Hannah. Click the photo for more.  (By the way, we played a six person round of Settlers after the babes had been put to bed and Brian stompped us with a come from behind sneak attack.)

Chicago is getting its first big snow of the year.  They are estimating about 6 inches when all is said and done.  The dogs love it.  Hopefully Hannah will go sledding for the first time soon.  To top it all off, on Thursday, the national weather service is predicting 1/4 to 1/2 in of ice to form on surfaces, that is really scary.  I took a photo with the iPhone, all the snow sure is pretty as long as you don’t have to do anything important.

My dad and I had a tough weekend of racquetball. Only a little success, but here are some fun action shots of my dad from the only match where at least one of the Paces was playing real racquetball.  You have to check out this video that a fellow racquetballer recorded and posted on youtube.  It is the weirdest serve I have seen.  Through the legs.