Salt Lake Christmas

Christmas came and went in a snowless, foggy haze of coughs and runny noses for all four of us.... but it was still memorable to have our first Christmas at home in Salt Lake City.

We shared Christmas eve with our neighbors (Scott, Shannon, Farah and Gunner) complete with prime rib, popovers, roasted vegetables, wild rice soup and strawberry, rhubarb creme brulee. Santa even dropped a few early gifts off in a bag on the front stoop for the kids.

Christmas morning started quietly at our house with Finn methodically riffling through his stocking. Once all the contents were fully assessed we settled in at the kitchen table for parfaits prepared by Chris (yogurt, granola, raspberries and whipped cream).
What a treat!










We unwrapped gifts from beneath the tree. Finn was sweet helping Nola open her first gifts and was overjoyed with what his packages contained. As much as he complained in the weeks leading up to Christmas that, "surprises were hard" and he didn't really like surprises, I think he would agree now that the wait was worth it. Lunch was a treat too. My crazy foodie antics must be rubbing off on Chris. Not only did he plan for these amazing sandwiches but he even paused to photograph them before we ate. (Baguette with sopressa, fontina cheese, shredded fennel, spring greens, and a sauce of mayo, capers, paprika and grainy Dijon mustard)
And isn't this the same person who usually gives me grief for taking photos when we should be eating the food? I love it!

To round out the night, Audrey came down the mountain with Ruby and Owen to join us for Christmas dinner. Chip was working.

Did we really not take any pictures of this? Ruby and Owen thoroughly enjoyed following their big cousin Finn between rooms and doing laps around the kitchen/living room loop. Good times!

Thankful for Another Year

This November Chris's grandma (Gammy) had her 90th birthday. We were fortunate to be able to join everyone in Ohio for the festivities. Was she ever surprised when we opened the study door revealing our huddled mass, of 13 adults and 7 great-grandchildren, in song. As a grand-finale to the evening we gathered around a slide-show, choreographed by Derek, portraying her beautiful, vivacious life. Ninety years old; amazing (and so hard to fathom)!

Our stay extended through my birthday and Thanksgiving allowing for lots of quality family time, numerous cakes, wonderful food and even a quick visit to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.



Finn was a pro at sorting animals into categories of bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile and insect. How does he know this so well already? I guess he is the son of a wildlife loving science geek, teacher.



































Nola: sitting strong on her own and interested in smearing food everywhere under the guise of feeding herself.




































Our little "gamer" taking in a late night game of Parcheesi with Daddy, Nana and Papa.

Hudson Rock DuRoss, 2000-2011

Hudson DuRoss

He was with us...

Those four words pretty much sum it up: Hudson was a faithful friend who, for the last 11 years, was there at every turn. Looking back through the albums, from the ones on the shelves, to those on the computer, nearly each one has a photo of Hudson in there. Sometimes front and center, other times just hanging in the background.

He was really our first kid. We married September 1999, and we picked Hudson out of the litter in early 2000. We named him after "Hudson Rock" at Joshua Tree. He saw it all. Every house we lived in, nearly every adventure, a move across the country, school, house remodeling, and kids. He spent many nights in the tent, in the vestibule, in the truck, and just lounging around in the back yard with us.

He was a great dog. Although annoying at times, Hudson was never far. He was famous for following you around the house, only content and willing to snooze if he knew you were close by. His favorite place to lay was at your feet, whether in the kitchen, under the table, in the garden, or on the floor next to the shower. The first four years were crazy - he would run and run, steal things (shoes, clothes, etc.) and then run some more. He loved to play fetch, swim, lounge in the shade, follow me into the ocean surfing, roll in the snow, go for hikes, and just take strolls around the blocks.

Literally, he was there through thick and thin. He was there when we brought Finn home from the hospital; although he wasn't sure what to think at first, he quickly accepted Finn as part of the family and realized that he was an excellent source of food. He was there on Finn's birthday, his first day of preschool, and on the day we brought Nola home. I have great memories of Finn playing with him, feeding him, walking him, and hugging him. Hudson never complained, never turned down a treat (or dropped food), never failed to bark at the mailman, never had a bad day, never lost his temper, never failed to wag his tail when you came through the door. He was a comfort when we lost loved ones, when Erika miscarried, when we were having bad days.

The last month was difficult. Good days and bad days. Days when we thought he'd pull through; days when we thought it was the end...when he just couldn't take another step and I'd have to carry him inside. We're glad that we were able to take him on one last adventure together...to a cabin where he wandered, got muddy, and just enjoyed being with us.

Hudson, you will be missed. Thank you for teaching us what unconditional love really is. Goodbye "good ole boy."

Chris, Erika, Finn, and Nola

My favorite photo of Hudson. In the San Rafael Swell