West Seattle Tree Lighting

Every year since Josie has been around Marty has been asked to help light the West Seattle Christmas tree. 

Notoriously and without fail, the day of the tree lighting we have horrible weather.  There has been snow, hail, freezing rain.  I'm not exaggerating.  And every year we debate (read, "fight")about weather or not to walk up or to drive. We walk almost everywhere and most times during the year if we were to travel the 1.5 miles to the junction we would walk but when the weather is so crappy it is hard for me to bundle us all up and freeze through the walk up, the hour long tree lighting ceremony and then walk home.  Can you tell which one of us wants to walk and which one of us wants to drive?? Well this year we were running late and so we had no choice but to drive.  Of course the weather was unseasonably balmy.  See the photos below with the kids in only long sleeved shirts because their coats were too warm.  Whether we had walked or driven we were all pleased with the nice weather. 

The kids always think it is cool to get up on stage with daddy.  

 And afterward some crazy family photos in front of the lit tree. We were trying to get a photo for our Christmas cards but Josie was in a "be crazy for the camera" mood and Benjamin had difficulty actually looking AT the camera.

Even Franziska and her friend Daniela came out for the tree lighting.