cousins

Just got back from a week with J's parents and brother's family in Tennessee... a wonderful trip! We laughed (a lot!) and played and watched the kids play. The cousins were awesome - two 5-year-olds, two 2-year olds and a newly walking baby! Do you think we could ever get them to sit still long enough for a photo?

More to come... in the mean time, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

ski day!

WOW! Today was the perfect ski day - 35 degrees, sunny, no clouds and no crowds, we got about 4 hours and 6 good runs in. Hamp got his ski legs back immediately and outskiied both of his parents. Sam was just happy to be there! What a great way to start the season!

hayrides and gingerbread houses

We have had a busy day of seasonal fun!

First the annual pre-K/kindergarten hayride...

Hamp is fully prepared for the ride - ski goggles and all. Not sure what he thinks is going to happen?

Sam was ready for a fun ride, too. He particularly enjoyed hearing everyone (well, the parents mostly!) sing Christmas carols and pointing out all the deer throughout town!

Then we spent the afternoon decorating gingerbread houses at The Bakery!

Candy, homemade icing and creativity are fun...

but only if your buddies are there to have fun with you!The Bakery has been our sanctuary of sorts for the past 6 years... in fact, I will spare you the photographic bakery retrospective that I'm working on in my head. Instead I will simply say that I am dreading next week when the bakery will be no more. Not that after 29 years of doughnuts, coffee, hot lunches and community service the owners don't deserve a break! But I will miss the endless cup of coffee, the blueberry doughnuts on Friday, the kindness and respect with which they always treat me and my kids, and of course the Christmas peeps on the gingerbread houses...

the sledding hill

After school today the boys wanted to go sledding...

For those of you unfamiliar with our little area... here is the view from the sledding hill!

And here is the baseball park, the brand new Elementary School being built (open fall 2010!) and the Rec Center

And here is how Sam spent the morning... he wasn't as keen on the sledding as he was on scouting clean snow for consumption

Hamp, on the other hand, could have gone all day!

jingle bells

or more appropriately: giggle bells!

breakfast with Santa

The jolly fellow himself took time out of his busy schedule to come say "hi" to all the kids in town - this year, both boys ran up and gave him a big hug! They didn't hesitate to ask nicely for what they wanted:

Hamp - a Razor scooter (with sparks!) and a new belt

Sam - a tricycle and a toothbrush

They have been such good boys this year... I'm sure Santa will consider their wishes very carefully!

a special package!

Thank you, Yaya & Papa!

These boys are getting awfully excited about our Christmas vacation!!!

it's beginning to look a lot like...

The house has been transformed into my version of a holiday haven. I try not to overdo, but there are a few certain Christmas accessories that I just can't go without...

First, there is my kitchen window that gets filled with the trinkets I find over the years as well as my Mother's set of Christmas dishes. (by the way, Mom we need bowls!)

Also in the window year round is a little reminder about how I prefer to live my life - but this time of year it sits proudly next to Mr. and Mrs. Claus and keeps me in check with my Christmas decorations around the house!
This year our home was blessed with a huge poinsettia from Mom & Dad as a thank you for hosting Thanksgiving... THANK YOU! What a beautiful surprise!

Every year I say that Christmas doesn't start until I hear John Denver sing Aspenglow. However, the Vince Guaraldi Trio's version of Christmas Time Is Here is coming in a strong 2nd these days, thanks to Kevin. (Hi Kev - miss you!)

And last, but not least is the tree! It's lovely - perhaps one of my favorites. Maybe because it is so simple? Maybe because we had so much fun finding it in the forest? Or maybe because when it gets dark at 5 o' clock, it fills the whole house with a warm glow...

Now all we need is a big blanket of white snow...