New hairdo

Before


During


Just the beginning of what ended up on the floor.


New hairdo. Doesn't she look great!

Christmas tree

Still playing catch up with the pictures. We continued our tradition started last year of going to cut our own tree (or pick our own tree and grab one of the young guys there to cut it down, though Jim does typically get it at least halfway cut before the guy shows up). I think it was just as cold as last year, but not quite as muddy. And we skipped the hot cocoa in favor of the roasted marshmallows.


Grace and I toast marshmallows. Little too hot and smokey for Alex to want to get close to. But Jim and I decided one of these fire pit things would be nice to have on the back deck once we expand it.


Grace enjoys her marshmallow. Alex decided he likes them "raw" better.


Alex posing in a ninja/superhero/Power Ranger stance for Jim.


This look means business. Especially with the menacing Spiderman gloves in the foreground.


Jim and Gracie on the hayride.


Me and my boy across from them. Once again, it was a very fun outing.

Cold!!!

Well, Christmas is upon us so I suppose I need to get some of these pictures off my computer and into cyberspace. I could divide them up into a couple of different posts, but I think I will just slap all 10 photos up here at once. Most are of our huge snowfall we got this past weekend, but three are just some recent holiday ones.


This was our trip to Santa this year. It was at a local nursery I like going to - we were getting the wreath for the front door. We had success in that Alex actually got near, spoke to Santa and shook his hand, but as you can see he wouldn't get in a picture unless I was in it too (my hands are gripping Alex's shoulders in an attempt to move him closer into the picture).


This is our attempt to put the reindeer horns we got for Lucy on her head. They were on there briefly until one big head shake made them dangle under her neck.


My sweet boy in his new sweater that makes him look like a ski pro.

Now on to the snow pictures from yesterday.


Our house on Sunday morning. I wish the Christmas lights had been on for the picture - it would have looked really nice. You can see the little light-up lollipop snowmen to the right of the steps. I bought those at Alex's request the day I felt so sorry for him for having to be part of the gymnastics carpool with five 2nd grade girls crammed in the car with him.


The snow on the top of the trash cans shows how deep it was. Jim measured between 6 and 8 inches.


Everyone had to get bundled up and out in the snow before we even had breakfast. This picture is taken in our driveway before Jim borrowed the snow blower from the neighbor to clear it out. I think our own snow blower will be on the list to Santa this year.


Who can resist snow angels in this powdery stuff?


You can see that neither kid could resist it. Except Alex has to work on getting OUT of the snow angel - he always needed a helping hand up (guess that happens when you look like the Michelin Man when you are bundled up for the weather).


The kids making some sort of snow tunnel in the back yard.


My sweet girl who LOVED playing outside in the snow. She and Jim stayed longer across the street sledding at the school than Alex and I did. In fact, I think she only came back because Jim pegged her with a snowball that went down the front of her sweater. A frozen tummy can be remedied by a mug of hot chocolate!