Tomatoes “go splat” on Mt. Bachelor – skiing extravaganza 12-24-07
December 26, 2007
No, we didn’t spawn another 4 year old. That is our niece Maddie. Uncle Brandan kindly shot this photo, but didn’t make it into the group shot. (Finally, I’m in one rather than everyone asking where I live….. – SBI).
We had a great time tearing it up on the slopes. Kaitlin shot this excellent video of Beryl (3.5 years) hitting the slopes with Amber. No noodle legs this year. Unfortunately, on the runs when we had Maddie and Fisher screaming down the hill (with a little security from harnesses), we didn’t have enough hands for movies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn1kaSM01l0
Short Picasa Web Album for the Day:
2007 Holiday Letter from the Tomatoes
December 21, 2007
*The link above will ALLOW YOU To SAVE/download a MS Word Doc with photos/layout.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL! Dear Family and Friends, Here is the executive summary/cliff notes version of our rapidly concluding year. Where did the time go?! Hope you are all happy, healthy, and surrounded by chocolate!
January: Amber kicked off her new career as a freelance writer! Surprised? Check out her work at: www.amberkeyser.com. Famous family member Hailey performed with the Grammy Jazz Band and dazzled the red carpet crowd!
February: Finally good snow at SkiBowl and Tomatoes hit the slopes – even Beryl!
March: New niece, Anna, popped into the world via birth tub and lots of hard work by Stacy. Fisher has another member in his all-girl posse!
April: Pops & GramB visit for Passover and good Portland fun: zoo, science museum, pirate music with Bogg & Salty. Beryl turned 3! Go Ninja Princess, Go Baby Unicorn, Go Scary Cheetah! Boula has no problem keeping up the gang even though she is the youngest and smallest in the pack. You should see her at the bouldering gym!
May: Amber’s idea of the perfect Mother’s Day: camping and zip-lining on our prippity-property with good friends. Seth spent a week on the Situk River in Alaska steelheading, avoiding grizzlies, and watching moose. Memorial Weekend found the extended Keyser clan in Central Oregon for hiking, biking, crazy cousin activities and spelunking at Lava River Cave.
June: Fisher graduated from preschool after a fantastic kayak trip in Scappose Bay and a campout with all his friends organized by Mama aka Professional Camper. We also made the American Cancer Society’s Walk for Life a family affair with an overnight relay team.
July: The Tomatoes (Beefsteak, Roma, Cherry, and Grape) took to the air for an Isenberg family reunion in New England. Aunt Bethany came all the way from Belgium. We spent hours on the beach. Seth surf-fished for stripers & bluefish – at times wading up to his neck! The kids loved the lake at Nana’s and SpyGuy games with Cousin Wess. Whale watching was a bust, but family time rocked especially a big party at our rental house on Plum Island.
August: Amber and the kids headed to our Smoke Lake cabin, but the Salt Mines needed poor Seth. He slaved. We swam, canoed, played with family and friends, and took an incredible canoe trip with Emme and Papa – two moose, one mink, lots of trout, and big fun! The kids hiked every portage. While in Canada, Amber celebrated the release of her new children’s book! Upon our return, we had another great camping and fishing trip with the Kirschner family at Timothy Lake. Seth caught some nice rainbow trout in the lake’s north arm. Who knew we could fit that many people in our canoe?
September: Fisher started kindergarten at Maplewood School! Suddenly he seems so grown up. Each morning he bounces enthusiastically on the bus, and each afternoon he bounces off. Soccer season brought together new and old friends and (thankfully) very few rainy days on the pitch! Amber is officially a “locavore” – this word (selected as the New Oxford American Dictionary’s Word of the Year) means a person who buys food from farmers’ markets or grows it herself – and an “urban homesteader.” With some friends, we picked oodles of berries, apples, pears, plums, and tomatoes then canned and pickled our hearts out. Next year… WE HOPE TO RAISE CHICKENS!
October: Fisher turns 6! Brandan and Stacy hosted a fantastic pirate party for the family and Fisher had all his buddies join him for a climbing session at The Circuit Bouldering Gym. Seth managed a trip to the beautiful John Day River for steelhead, and our best bike trip of the year was on the Mosier Twin Tunnels trail. In Hood River, we met a baby alpaca named Topaz. I wish we could raise alpacas!
NovemberOur Thanksgiving celebration was way too quiet – only Amber’s parents and Aunt Patti in addition to our crew. Lack of snow on Mt. Bachelor quashed our ski plans but vicious games of Scrabble satisfied our need for thrills! Seth and his friend, Gary, nabbed lost of big trout and steelhead in the Deschutes!
decemberThis month is starting out blustery and cold. We have a fire in the hearth and tea in the pot. We’ll celebrate Hanukah at home in SW Portland and head to Amber’s parents’ place for Christmas. On January 3rd, we’ll be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary with a Mt. Bachelor ski trip and New Year’s fun at the St. Francis Hotel in Bend. Can you believe we’ve been married that long?!As always our home and hearts are open to you, our family and friends. Thank you for enriching our lives, supporting our endeavors, and celebrating our successes.
With Love,
Amber, Seth, Fisher & Beryl
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AMBER: amber.j.keyser@gmail.com SETH: sbisenberg@gmail.com
November and Early December 2007
December 16, 2007
http://picasaweb.google.com/sbisenberg/November2007FamilyAdventures/photo?authkey=lZ-Ygb191IM#s5144629774485803970
YouTube video (Bend Children’s Museum):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeiN-KzamQM
Early December including Chanukah:
