wintering in december

 We started our winter strong  by skiing and sledding at the spot up the hill from us. It was lightly snowing at our place but was a full on blizzard at the top of the mountain. Probably not the best way to ease into winter. We actually lost Violet at the top of the T-Bar and since we were the only ones at the resort at the time, the man running the T-Bar had to ride his snowmobile up to the top and make sure she was okay. Turns out she just wasn't up for skiing when she couldn't see her hand 1 inch in front of her. Instead I took the younger three home and Eliot and Rocky rode sleds down to our house.

 We've did some skiing. Winston's especially excited if we don't bring his skis and he can just play in the snow the whole time. Oscar just hates all of it. For Light the World, the girls made and delivered brownies to our neighbors. One neighbor flat out denied them and told them to go away. They were thrilled and ate the plate themselves.

 Ice skating at our local rink. And what I've been wearing every day since mid-December.

 Told Rocky to bring me back some Baclava from Jordan. He delivered big time. Putting our home-made tin foil star on top of the tree.

 Does assembling a gingerbread house with your siblings ever not end in tears?

 Our annual Christmas party included a polar bear plunge this year. Rocky and Eliot both jumped in. After they had jumped, Winston jumped into Rocky thinking there were all laughing and smiling because it was fun. He was not prepared for the freezing water and may never forgive us. When we ask him if he's going to jump next year, he just stares off into the distance (assumably wondering what kind of incompetent parents he has). A package of boxes that came at literally the last minute they could have before Christmas. As we were loading our car to head to Munich for the weekend.

 What didn't make it to Munich was our bag of warm clothes for the kids.

 Luckily Darrel, Sheila and Chelsea were kind enough to led us some warm clothes.

 And spoil our kids rotten with cotton candy and shoulder rides.

We drove back after church on Christmas Eve and had the fancy and traditional feast of protein shakes. Because we are classy like that.