Snow Hike

We needed to get out of the house and get our bodies moving after a few days of glorious lounging.  A hike was just what the doctor ordered!  The kids were so excited to get out and try their new camelbaks (they fit like a glove and worked like a charm, if not for hydration, then at least for excitement about hiking!).  The North Arm trail was pretty packed down until we turned onto the nature loop.  Then we were cutting trail through a few inches of powder, and bushwacking/crawling under the low-hanging branches.  (That trail is in serious need of some upkeep! Next time, we're bringing loppers.)  We didn't find the return of the loop, so had to backtrack on the trail we came in on.  But the kids brought snacks from their stockings and the day was calm, so we didn't mind one bit.

I just really love their bright colors popping
against the white snow.

Here's some crawling action.

Snack time!

Teddy grahams dipped in snow - a true Eden
delicacy.

Hi there!

I love this color contrast, too.

Such orange lichens.

Winter lovin' Blanchards.

Christmas Day Magic

Christmas morning started out fairly early (but fairly normally, honestly) with Sam waking up at 5:30 and climbing into bed with us till 6:00 when Cal came bursting out of her room (that was earlier than usual for her).  We started with stockings first thing.  Then we moved on to presents from each other. It was especially fun to watch the reactions of Cal and Sam with the gifts that they picked out for each other.  Sam chose some red icicle lights for Callie and Callie chose a red race car, some rainbow post-it notes and sports ball stickers.  They both absolutely loved what they got!  From us the kids got scooters, Camelbak water backpacks, rain boots, books, and a digital clock for their room (we're hoping when they see something other than a 6 or 7 in front they'll "roll over and go back to sleep" - here's for wishing!).  I made Sam a teddy bear carrier and Callie a "snowflake kit" and a "poke art kit".  Gregg gave Sam a football and Callie a light-up hula hoop.  Gregg got new snowboarding mitts, an Arcade belt (it's got a plastic buckle and is made from stretchy elastic), silicone "wedding" rings (that actually fit!), headphones, gym shorts, a tie, pie plates (with no handles!) and a pile of treats.  I got a digital instant read thermometer for cooking, a gorilla pod tripod with a phone attachment and a bluetooth remote (for all my group shots when we hike!), fuzzy socks, a new phone case, phone charging cables (that aren't frayed!), a 300 piece puzzle, Dos (a new game from the makers of Uno), oreos and some other yummy treats.

"We were holding hands!" - Sam

I just love this grin.

But I included this one, too, because he wore
those boots around the house all morning.  Ha.

Callie had to hunt for her present from Dad
(since it was too big and awkward to wrap).

She found it!

bonus video!

"psychedelic hula hoopin'"

The red icicle lights from Sam to Cal.

After presents it was time for breakfast.  We had orange/cranberry rolls, egg/sausage/hashbrown breakfast casserole and cinnamon/raisin/pecan rolls, with a swig of milk to wash it all down.  Then we lounged about, playing with new toys and games and reading new books.  Eventually it was time to shovel and get ready for the rest of the day.

Testing out my new tripod.

Fine tuning.

Selfie mode.

Cal's turn to push the trigger.

This time with remote!

This was a test of how far the range on the remote
was.  I made it down the hall almost to the kids'
room before it stopped taking pics.

And we're back.  Like my new socks?

Ready to cruise!

And they're off!

We got a white Christmas!

Coziest storytime I ever did see.

We headed to Providence where we met up with the rest of the Elwood clan (minus H+T+G) and my uncle Randal's family for lunch.  After lunch came more presents - one each from my parents, plus "stockings" from them, and one more gift from one of the sibs/cousins (we had drawn names a couple of months ago).  Sam got a Spooner Board and Callie got a Giant Busy Box full of all the crafty goodness you can possibly imagine from Grandpa and Grandma.  I got a puffy coat and hiking tshirt from my parents, and for Gregg they gave a new backpack (for traveling or hiking).  From Bradley/Evy, Sam got a little Thomas and friends train set and a penguin puzzle.  From Evy/Bradley, Callie got a kitty puzzle and a Mancala game.  Gregg unwrapped his own ax and hatchet, but sharpened (for the first time ever!) from Michael.  I got a track and scat identification booklet from Heather (seriously, I've wanted something like this for years!).  We gave Evy and Grace baby doll carriers and Christmas story books; Rachelle got a Kneaders gift card and variety pack of funky/fancy chocolates; and Terrell got The Cyclist's Alphabet poster.  

We played and visited and ate gingerbread cake with caramel sauce and whipped cream.  Then we made visits to my Thornley Grandparents and Elwood Grandparents for a little while.  And then it was time to go home and Christmas Day was done.  It really has been a magical season this year, with the kids remembering traditions and getting even more into the holiday spirit than they have before.  It's been practically perfect and chock full of Christmas cheer.

'Twas the Day Before Christmas

A Very Merry Christmas Eve was spent at the Blanchards' in West Haven.  We met up with Grandpa and Grandma (and Aggie) and Heather, Scott, Kage and Dray at lunchtime and got right down to our feast first thing.  What a spread! - Deli sandwiches, chicken nuggets, egg rolls, chips and salsa, cocktail shrimp, cheese balls, spinach salad, clam chowder (or oyster stew), and new this year - hot dogs (thanks to Uncle Rex's gift to Grandpa - a hot dog steamer!).  We ate and then played Telestrations, which was super fun.  Then we opened a couple presents - we decided this year to focus on our summer reunion trip and not do big gifts for each other, but none of us could help gifting a few fun things.  Heather gave us a framed water color print of Colorado (Ohio for the parents) and we gave the plastic canvas Santa ornaments (plus a family photo calendar to the parents because I just can't help myself with the codes from Shutterfly!).  And, of course, there were jammies for the kids.  Then we lounged and visited and opened stockings and ate crepes and acted out the nativity till it was time to go home.  Sam fell asleep in the car (another no-nap day will do that!), but Cal was still awake so she set out cookies for Santa and we snuggled with her on the couch watching Mickey's Christmas Carol before she went off to bed.

Scott was pretty tired, so he made a great manger while he
napped.

Callie is really not into dressing up around people lately (I don't
really know, but it seems consistent since Halloween), so she
opted to be the narrator and totally crushed all the big
reading/speaking parts of our nativity.

Sam didn't want to wear a costume either, so he was an innkeeper
with Gregg.  Dray was Joseph/Wise Man, Heather was Mary, Kage
was a shepherd, Kim (and Paul) were innkeepers, I was the angel.

New jams from gramps and gram!

Fun stockings!

Everything is ready for Santa!