Cypress Island

A beautiful sunny day in Strawberry Bay, Cypress Island

Yesterday, we headed from Guemes Island over to Cypress Island, to visit with Gabe's brother Damian and his wife, Darcy, who are visiting from Montana . Damian is finishing work on the Mast's cabin, which will, hopefully, be completed by this summer. It was a beautiful sunny day and Liam and I spent most of the day outside on the beach. With the south-facing sun shining warmly, it truly felt like spring is right around the corner.

Liam finds some good rocks on Strawberry Bay....

...and throws them in.

Our beach boy.

Ready for the boat ride home. What a nice day!

President's Day Weekend

This past weekend, we spent time both at Guemes and Cypress Island. We spent two days at Guemes and had a Schutz-Mast work party/Spring clean-up. We did some landscaping and planted a bunch of native plants along the beach and the cabins. Liam stayed busy loading and unloading his truck and throwing rocks into the water.

Loading his truck.

Collecting some snowberries.

Watching Daddy put in some new plants.

After our first long day at Guemes. I was helping clean up outside and Liam wanted to stay indoors and play with his toys. I came in to find him almost asleep on the chair in this position. So cute......balanced just right.

Projects and Play at home

I feel as though I am always catching up for a couple weeks at a time. So......here goes again. Liam and I both just got over the flu and are finally on the mend. Boy, it feels great to be well again! Liam got a new addition to his fire truck collection (thanks to a local Thrift store find) and is very pleased with it.

Liam with his new fire engine.

Liam and I spent an afternoon last week making Valentine's Day cards. It was the usual fun, messy art project that holds Liam's attention for way less time than I imagine. But, he was a sport.

Liam carefully roles some paint on a card.

The artiste.

This past week....

Here are a few photos from this past week. First of all, Liam has really been enjoying making "muffins". He loves taking the paper muffin cups and putting them in his tin, then filling them up with beans. Then, we carefully put them in the oven, set the timer and "Ding!" in no time flat, we have muffins!

Chef Liam whips up some of his famous bean muffins....mmmmm.....

Silly Liam.

Last Friday, Liam's friend Julia came to our house to play for the morning. We took a nice long winter walk and when we returned, both kiddos wanted to hop in the tub to warm up. The animals got to come in too, of course, and bubbles were requested.

Julia (3) and Liam in the tub.

Liam feeds Noni's horse ("Esprit") some hay. We moved Noni's horse to a stable that is closer to Mount Vernon. On Sunday, I helped trailer her down to her new home. We were coming through Bellingham on our way south, so we drove by the house so that Liam could say "hello". He is thrilled by the prospect of seeing her more often when he visits his Noni.

A Snowy Day!

Last Monday, we got a couple inches of snow. It didn't last long, but it did paint everything white for about 24 hours. Liam and I headed down to Mount Vernon to see Auntie Lu (Lusana) who was in town for a day on her way to another medical school rotation in Phoenix. We had fun playing in the snow and took a nice walk on the dike near my parent's house.

Liam tries out his boots and tests the "depth" of the snow.

Gazing at some snow geese from the dike.

A little ride from Auntie Lu.

Liam, Lu, Perrin and Me

A "Liam" look.

Winter beach time

Last week, Liam and some friends (and their Mamas) went down to the waterfront near our house. We walk there often and Liam loves throwing rocks into the water (again.....and again.....).

The real challenge in the winter is to keep Liam from getting too wet. I usually put him in full rain gear to go to the beach, but he wades right in....but I didn't have it this day.

Finding treasures.

Strolling along the boulevard on this rare, sunny winter day.

Dancing with our friends, Reese and Finn.

Happy Birthday, Gitta!

¡Feliz Cumpleaños Querida Gitta!

We love you very much and send you hugs and kisses all the way to Paraguay!

We think of you often and are so proud of all that you are accomplishing and learning!

You are so brave and beautiful!

The Peace Corps is so lucky to have you as part of their team!

This is a special photo set up by your beloved brother, Gabriel. He wants you to know that while we cannot send you these (goooooooooooooood coffee, gooooooooooooooooood chocolate and gooooooooooood wine), we will consume them today in honor of your birthday (OK, you know your brother.....).

Well, dear one, please know that tomorrow (or today by the time you read this) we will be thinking of you on your birthday. Know that we are sending you long distance hugs and kisses and, as Liam would say, "a big Huggle". Happy Birthday!!! We love you! ¡Te echamos mucho de menos!

New Year's in Winthrop, WA.

We rang in the New Year on the east side of Cascade Mountains in the Methow Valley (about a 5 hour drive from Bellingham). We stayed at a friend's house and spent four days cross-country skiing.

We rented a "sled" for Liam, who was a pretty good sport about being pulled each day. We learned to bundle him, stock the sled with snacks, books and blankets. We had to make sure that he got some good, hard "snow time" before we took our ski each day so he would stay put in the sled.

A picture of the valley. It is one of our favorite spots to visit.

Mama Hana's turn to pull the sled. Man...what a work-out!!! Gabe says, "I told you so!"

On our last day, Liam unzipped the side and spent the last half-hour with his head out. He enjoyed saying "hello" to the skiiers who went by.

We broke up our longest ski day by skiing into to the "Mazama Country Store" for lunch, cookies and hot chocolate/coffee. Liam gives his cookie a "thumbs up!" Boy, was it hard to get back out on the trail after that nice break, but we did it.

Christmas Day

We had a very sweet Christmas morning. Gabe, Liam and I woke up at our house in Bellingham and opened presents together. We had breakfast with a friend of ours and then headed down to Mount Vernon for the Mast afternoon festivities and Christmas dinner.

Liam got his first headlamp and decided to wear it through most of Christmas.

Helping Daddy open a present.

Stacking his new blocks.

A new Christmas outfit! Way to go, Daddy!

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas!

Liam and I arrived home from Hawaii late on the 23rd. Christmas Eve was spent with Gabe's family in Mount Vernon. Here, Liam, Ashton and Finn play with Mutti's (very large) stuffed penguin.

Poppi reads "Twas the Night Before Christmas" with much enthusiasm and to the delight of Finnegan.

Liam opens his stocking on Christmas Eve (a Mast tradition)

Our little Christmas tree.

Volcano and the Beach

About midway through our week in Hawaii, we took a hike around part of the volcano. Liam rode on my back for most of it, because the lava was so rough. Then, we found some black sand and he had a blast racing through the "dunes".

Here, Grandpa and Liam head across the dune.

Racing across the sand.

Because we spent our week on the "rainy side" of the island, we decided to drive around the island to Hapuna Beach (near Kona) for a day of sun and sand. Liam had so much fun. Here, he and Noni make a sand castle.

Oh, that sand feels good!

Hawaii!

The Schutz clan (and significant others) spent the last two weeks of December on the "Big Island" of Hawaii. My parents rented a house on the Hilo side for the first week and a house on the Kona side for the second. Liam and I went and visited for the first week and flew home to be with Gabe and the rest of the Mast family for Christmas.

Rory (Perrin's boyfriend), Auntie Lu, Auntie P and Liam hang out on the couch in the condo.

Liam gets ready to "hit the beach" in his surf/sunwear, compliments of his Noni.

Uncle Reub, Auntie Lucia (Reuben's girlfriend) and Liam get ready to hike around part of the volcano.
"The girls" - Mom, Lusana, Perrin, Lucia and Hana