Highlights of 2010: Year of the Tiger

According to my Google research, the year of the tiger's keywords are: drama, intensity, change, and travel .... ooh, sounds like it was an exciting year. Here are some of the Ausk photo highlights (though it's hard to narrow them down to one posting)!

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. (Travel AND drama!)


Visiting family in Hamilton -- more travel!


Walking w/Gma Jo & Gpa Jim ... learning first steps=intensity AND change AND travel! :)


Barbados (Travel and intensely awesome .... oooh, I want to go back!)


Enjoying lots of family visits -- this one on Easter!


My favorite season in Seattle ... spring!


Weekend in Vancouver for my birthday


Girls weekend to Hood Canal


Seeing everyone in Glacier for Ben & Chelsea's wedding!


Horse races with Gma Elaine & Gpa Terry


Trip to Terry


Family Reunion on Washington coast


Lake Tahoe for Brady & Tonya's wedding


First visit to Ben & Chelsea's house in Pullman for Bobcat football


Pumpkin time!


Visit from Uncle Kelly


Weekend in Yakima (somehow my only pictures were of this great jacuzzi tub)


Snow day!


Thanksgiving with Gpa Terry & Gma Elaine


First ballet ... the Nutcracker!


Trip to Terry, Glendive, & Wibaux




Gpa Jim & Gma Jo visit Seattle for pre-Christmas


Birthday and Christmas presents ... including learning how to ride a tricycle!


Seems like their prediction for the year of the tiger was pretty accurate .... stay tuned for what 2011 (the year of the rabbit) will bring!

Two years old!

"A two-year-old is kind of like having a blender, except you don't have a top for it."

Perrie Grace turned 2 yesterday. Hard to believe that it's been two years since she graced us with her presence (at 4 in the morning, of course). Everyone agrees that she looks like Brandon, but she certainly has a personality all her own! We are looking forward to enjoying another year of her silly antics ... and probably a little of the "terrible twos"!

Happy birthday Perrie!

Let It Snow!

Snow day in Seattle! I know, it's not a big deal for those of us from Eastern Montana. But it's a big deal for an almost 2-year-old AND all Seattle-ites. The roads here turn into ice rinks so my clinic was closed & Brandon's work had a snow day yesterday. My mom made it in in the nick of time after a long, long journey back from the airport.

Perrie & Cecelia in their snow gear. (That's right, red cowboy boots are our most appropriate snow shoes ... definitely need to go shopping before our trip back to Montana!)


Catching snow in our mouths


My snow angel (couldn't convince anyone else to participate)


Our SECOND trip out into the snow. Now I catch her looking out the window and I know what's coming ... within about 15 seconds she is tugging on her mittens and hat to go "catch snow in my mouth".

Friends 4-Ever

Perrie has two friends that she loves to share her days with ...

Perrie and Chloe


Cecelia and Perrie


By random chance, Cecelia's mom is from Montana too. Unfortunately, Cecelia is a Griz fan ... Perrie doesn't hold it against her (much).

Nelson Family Reunion

In early August, we had the opportunity to get together with the rest of the "Nelson family" for a reunion on the Washington coast. The weather wasn't awesome (to say the least), but the company made up for it! I have lots of good pictures from the weekend, but will start with the family portraits!

Jim & Jo with their kids and grandkids


What a crew of cousins! Basil, Jameson, Nelson, Giarratana & Perrie


Gma Jo & Gpa Jim


The always cute 'kid foot shot'




The Bottman family - (we missed you Tereza!)


The Nelson offspring!

Happy Fall -- Almost 22 months!

There is an elementary school with a great Kindergarten playground located conveniently behind our house. We took some time out this weekend to go take advantage of the fun!

Running to the playground!



Climb, climb, climb. The girl will try to climb anything!



Climbing up the slide

and back down!


Back home


This camera has been a great investment, but Perrie is starting to "smile" for the camera. Makes it harder to get a good picture of her!