Funny Arnold

I am not a cat person, but when it comes to Arnold, I think he is the best cat on Earth. Arnold found the cozy nest of Dad's laptop case that was open on the dining room table. I think if I was a cat, too...I would probably curl up in the same place!

C & C Open Wedding Gifts

The day after the Husky Game, mom made a big brunch and invited Carley's in-laws over to watch Carley and Chad open all their wedding gifts. They were very patient to wait until after their honeymoon and until the brunch to open their gifts. It was a lot like Christmas for them!

Carley and Chad show off some of their nice gifts.

Carley and Chad openings packages!

Husky Football Home Opener!

Annelise dances with her clarinet along with the rest of the Husky Alumni Band before the football game.

Carley, the tuba on the left, marches in the pre-game show.
The Husky Band holds the American Flag for the National Anthem. When I was in Husky Band, I held the flag, too!
Touchdown Washington!! After every touchdown, the Helmet Car drives along the track to cheer and hep up the crowd!
After the game, I was burned to a crisp, but it was a perfect time to relax and enjoy some tailgating after a victory! We celebrated my uncle Ron's birthday, and then I was lucky to get an early birthday present from my aunt Maren, too!
Uncle Ron, cousin Bryn and Carley eating some grub while tailgating at my parent's 5th wheel camper. That is Patty's mom in the background.

Mom's birthday dinner @ Ivar's

Unfortunately, Carley and Chad were on their honeymoon, but the rest of the family enjoyed celebrating mom's birthday on August 28th at Ivar's Boathouse right on the water in downtown Mukilteo. They make great crab bisque and steamed clams in a garlic and white wine sauce! I had been craving a dinner at Ivar's for months!

To Idaho to visit Grandma

The weekend after Carley's wedding, I really wanted to go visit Grandma in Bonners Ferry, Idaho before I headed back to Denmark. So, we drove the long trek across Eastern Washington to Idaho and spent a few days in the hot Idaho sun.

A mountain flower found near Snoqualmie Pass

Grandma's house and the view beyond.

Annelise and Grandma with Molly behind the house in the woods.

The ever-faithful and kind border collie, Molly, that watches over the house and Grandma.

Cousin Bryn fires a rifle as Uncle Eric gives some tips.

The dirt road by Grandma's house.

Dinner at Grandma's with Uncle Eric, cousin Bryn, Aunt Maren and my mom.

Bryn and her boyfriend look at the bright stars in the Idaho night sky.

The whole group on Grandma's front porch.

Carley and Chad get married!!

Carley checks her wedding gown in the mirror of the dressing room at the wedding location.

Annelise, the maid of honor before the wedding.

Chad, the groom.
Our brother Paul, the usher.

Paul walking his mom, the mother of the bride, down the aisle.

Annelise, the maid of honor, walking down the aisle.

Carley and Chad at the alter.

The wedding cakes! A traditional Danish kransekage and a marsipan covered cake.

Carley signing the certificates and making it all official!

The get-away car!

The newlyweds, Carley and Chad Hammond.

Carley and Chad's rehearsal and dinner

The Friday before the wedding, August 18th, the wedding rehearsal took place at the Country Location. Afterwords, we went to the Hammond's for the traditional rehearsal dinner. It was after the dinner that we went to the batchelorette party.

The father of the bride and bride practise walking down the isle.

Chad and Carley practise standing before the officient at the rehearsal.

In the backyard of the Hammond's for the rehearsal dinner barbeque.

Everyone enjoying the rehearsal dinner.

Carley's pre-wedding parties!

For Carley's batchelorette party, we went to the Market Theater at the Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. Here, we enjoyed an entertaining round of theater sports and they were good to embarrass the two batchelorettes that were in the house! :)

Carley in full batchelorette gear...penis head bands galore!

Annelise won a voodoo doll and two free tickets to theater sports for giving a good suggestion. The judges liked the personality flaw I provided: perfectionism.

The batchelorette gals!

Carley poses with her marcipan penis cake.

Carley shows off her gold panties she received as a gift at a shower hosted by the Swanson gals!

Husky Picture Day 2006

Every year before Husky football season officially starts, the fans get a chance to hang out in Husky Stadium and get their pictures taken with their favorite players, coaches, or in this case...Captain Husky!

Annelise with Captain Husky

Brandon, my brother-in-law's brother gets his picture taken with the head Coach Willingham.

The Husky mascot, actually an Alaskan Malumut, cools off in the shade.

Troublesome Creek, Index, Washington

For many years, it was a tradition to camp with the whole Holmquist side of the family at the Troublesome Creek Campround outside of Index. It wasn't possible this summer, but we managed to drive up and have a picnic and enjoy the river for a few hours the week before Carley's wedding. The weather was gourgeous and it was great to hear the roar of the flowing water of Troublesome Creek and the North Fork of the Skykomish River again.

Troublesome Creek

Carley and Annelise

Rocks in the North Fork of the Skykomish River

Uncle Ron in flight as he positions for a cannon ball drop from the cliffs of the favorite swimming hole. The water is freezing here and I have yet to build enough courage to jump into this one!

A favorite view looking up the river.

It wouldn't be a trip to Troublesome Creek if there aren't any rock sculptures being made! This is the work of Aunt Maren and Uncle Ron!

My cousin Fritz got married!!

More wedding fun!

This summer has been crazy with weddings! After my cousin Astrid got married in June, we had a month free in July, and then August got crazy. The day after the Seafair Parade, my mom hosted a shower for Fritz and my future cousin-in-law, Alana. The theme was "camping", so we had some traditional camping food, like s'mores in the backyard and my dad barbequed some delicious salmon! Here are Alana and Fritz playing a game where they had to finish the the lyrics of what we thought were some well known campfire songs.

Guests of the shower gather around the campfire we made in my parent's backyard to roast some s'mores. Would you believe that it was the first time some people had ever made s'mores?! The people are counter clockwise: Alana's mom, one of Alana's bridesmaids, my dad, Alana's brothers girlfriend, Alana's dad, my cousin Bryn, Alana, Alana's brother Jamie.

Saturday, August 5, 2006 at the Seattle Tennis Club on Lake Washington. Here I am with the complimentary sun'brellas enjoying the beautiful occasion before the start of the wedding.

The beautiful bride and groom, Alana and Fritz, listen to a vocalist during their wedding ceremony.
My cousin Taage, the best man, raises his head in prayer during the ceremony with Mt. Rainier in the background.

My cousin Britta's daughter Lyvia and husband Marco after the ceremony.

Sisters Carley and Annelise at the reception.

My dad, Ken, and me at the reception.