December Flashback

Wow, a month since I last posted. Sorry about that. Luckily, only good news on the Roko front. Here are some of the things that have been going on:

• My brother Andrew arrived and has been living with us since early December. He got a job near our house as the manager of an art supply store. He's very happy -- he likes the people he works with, he's on salary, has benefits and he can bike to work. He's getting accustomed to Portland, some things he really likes (art and music scene, friendly people, bike lanes everywhere) but other things he's still figuring out (girlfriend is long distance, there's more rain here than in Denver, disbelief that he signed up for dodgeball and is responsible for a business). I've been cooking a lot with Andrew. He's learned to make different breads, gravy, pancetta, etc. He likes baking bread the most and even made some when we were out of town for a week.

• Christmas was fun, especially because it was very white this year. Portland got a crazy winter storm and my work was closed for a week (just before xmas). We had snow drifts 2 feet in places around our house. Kinley was very excited. Ken snowshoed to work everyday. I skied to my dentist appointment! Here are a few pictures from the holidays:


Watching Ken's childhood train go around the tree

Waking up on Christmas morning to realize Andrew and I put on the same clothes




• The homebrew Ken and I made turned out! It's a hoppy amber and uses hops that we grew in our backyard. Pretty exciting! In contrast, the sauerkraut and tomato pickles that we were fermenting didn't work. Both had a not-so-lovely layer of mold. We threw both in the compost. I'd rather have beer than pickles, so I'm ok with this.



• Ken and I went to Mexico for Dave & Kristen's wedding. We left for Puerto Vallarta on December 30th. We stayed there for New Year's and then took a 45 minute water taxi to Yelapa, a town on the beach that has no roads/cars. D&K were married in a lovely, small ceremony on January 3rd. We were in Mexico a week. Here are some pictures of Mexico and their wedding:
  
  
  We went to a mojito bar one night in Puerto Vallarta. They had glasses upon glasses of them lined up, ready to go
  
  
  The group at the mojito bar.
  
  
  We ate cricket tacos one night
  
  
  Dave & Kristen rented a big boat to take all of us from Puerto Vallarta to Yelapa. We had to transfer boats (in middle of the bay!) so that we could get ashore. Imagine all the people, baggage and even Kristen's wedding dress being transferred to this smaller boat. It took 3 trips to get us all there. Tim, our tallest guy, carried Kristen's dress so it wouldn't get wet. Here we are arriving on the beach of Yelapa.
  
  
  They had our casita keys ready for us on the beach. Here is the beach of Yelapa with the mist coming down the mountains. It was a beautiful, quiet beach with mountains all around. Taryn took this one. We went ashore smack in the center of that beach.
  
  
  
  The casitas of the hotel. Ours was the 2nd from the left. You can see our beach chairs where we sat in the morning/evening.
  
  
  Their pool overlooking the Pacific. The pool had giant boulders in it -- you could sit in the pool on various rocks and look out onto the beach or water.
  
  
  Kristen and Dave threw a welcome dinner for everyone on the night that we arrived. Here are Kristen, Ken and I at the welcome dinner
  
  
  
  Afterwards, they threw a bonfire on the beach and kept the beach bar open. Here is the bar on the beach where Jana and Paul are getting drinks after the welcome dinner.
  
  
  Taryn brought outfits for Dave and Kristen to wear at the bonfire.
  
  
  
  The old gang on the beach with big toothy grins
  
  
  
  Team Roko Demolition at the bonfire
  
  
  
  We hung out on the beach the next day. Their wedding was at sunset. Here is the wedding aisle before the ceremony, made of palm fronds, bamboo mats and bougainvilla
  
  
  The ceremony
  
  
  Dave and Kristen just after they got married
  
  
  Walking back down the aisle as the mariachis sing to them.
  
  
  Nate, Ken, Karl and I suprise the bride and groom with luchador masks we got in Puerto Vallarta
  
  
  The posada where the wedding reception was held
  
  
  The bride and groom at the reception
  
  
  Me with my bride, Ken
  
  
  
  The next day, Dave, Ken and others searched out a place where they could watch the Vikings/Eagles game. There was one place up river. The road to the sports bar is never long.
  
  
  Dave in his Eagles' luchador mask and sarape, watching the game with friends. Dave was very happy that day.
  
  
  Dave & Kristen before we all head back. What a great wedding and vacation!