Merry Christmas

and

Happy New Year!

The week ahead.

We have all our shopping done including the Christmas grocery shopping. The beginning of the week will be spent at home, relaxing, hanging out and eating yummy food. I am making Chex Mix today and will bake some sugar cookies and more gingerbread tomorrow. We have a nice Christmas Eve dinner planned for here then Christmas Day we will go to Yakima to spend the day with the kids Mum and her family then possibly onto Wallowa County to see Brian's Mum. All this depends on the weather which is supposed be much of the same as we've had. Heavy snow! We have to cross mountain passes which is the problem. We'll see. I have a back up Christmas dinner for here in case we have to stay home but I don't think we'll need it. I'm looking forward to a nice Christmas.

Waiting for Christmas

We did the last of our Christmas shopping yesterday. The weather kept most people at home it would seem and we had the mall practically to ourselves which was nice at this time of year. So aside from a grocery shop next week we are all set for Christmas. This weekend we are planning to stay home and watch Christmas movies. I'll probably so some more baking as the peppermint brittle and gingerbread cookies I made two days ago are all gone. Its still very cold outside and Simon hates going out so this is what he plans to do.

Stay inside and play with his toys.

Snow pictures

It snowed and snowed and snowed.

Simon had fun attacking snowballs.

He wanted that giant snowball. And yes, 17 year old is quite comfortable out there in shorts and a t-shirt!

Finally, Simon got the giant snowball.

Snow days

Today we woke up to this and closed schools.

It has snowed all day and doesn't look like letting up any time soon. This is the most snow we've had in this area in the 5 years I've been here. The schools are closed tomorrow too. This morning I had to make a path for Simon to get out.

It's filled back in so the boys are out shoveling it all away now. We're having a day of hot meals, hot cider and later I'm baking some gingerbread and making fudge. It's all very nice.

Freeze

This morning it is 18f/-8c. Now that's cold and almost unheard of for us here. The east coast has been getting horrible storms and blackouts as well as the freezing temperatures so we can't complain . We had snow Saturday and then it cleared and now its FREEZING. All the slush and snow is ice now and the roads are treacherous. The schools started 2 hours late so I have kids still running around. We have a birthday today so I'm going to the shop to buy some things for the birthday dinner then I have an eye appointment but I'd rather just be snuggled in at home for the day.

Now I must go and salt the steps.

Visiting Santa

Today we took Simon to get his photo taken with Santa at Petco. It was a lot of fun. There were lots of dogs including bulldogs, boxers and pugs. The squashed faced dogs were out in force. We had two "potty" incidents but Petco is prepared for that with clean up stations so it was no big deal. Simon tried on some antlers but we decided against them when he tried to chew them. They wouldn't last long if we got them. Pictures with Santa will be on later once I get them. There was snow in our area that bypassed our town completely. The surrounding area (I mean 1/2 a mile from where we live) looks like this

not much snow but still. We have absolutely nothing.

I have to say I love Zazzle . Last night I ordered several t-shirts including 3 custom made ones with Simon on them from them and they have already shipped. Now that's service. Tomorrow Brian and I are doing the Christmas shopping. I'm looking forward to that.

It just started snowing. We'll see how much we get!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Earlier in the month I wasn't feeling particularly excited about Christmas. I think it because the older kids weren't being very enthusiastic. But that's changed. Today I filled the bowl with nuts, got in some eggnog and candy canes and planned what to bake tomorrow. We are told there may be snow so I thought it would be nice to have lots of yummy winter treats on hand over the weekend. This is the kids mothers year to have them for Christmas but because of her work schedule they will stay here and we will all go to Christmas lunch with her family. So really we have them whole time even though its not our year (hubby is secretly happy about that haha).

When everyone has gone to bed tonight I am planning to wrap the Christmas for my nephew and nieces in Australia so I can get them mailed so they (hopefully) get them before Christmas.

So this weekend we will bake and probably go for a drive around town to see all the neighbourhood Christmas lights and decorations. Oh and I got some visitors yesterday and was given this really nice fresh holly. Its looks so good.

Snowmen without the snow.

My Mum used to make snowmen from Styrofoam balls covered in cotton wool. I thought this would be a fun thing to make with the girls so I bought the supplies. The girls have been eagerly anticipating making them. I'm asked on a daily basis if we can make the snow men. I have been ill with a head cold and various aches and pains so I haven't felt up to it. Today we finally made them. We were responsible for one each. It was as fun as I thought it would be. We plan to keep one and give one to our former neighbour who is like a Grandmother to the kids. The third will go the their mother.

Here they are.



They are in shadows because they are naked. I am knitting them hats and scarves. When they are dressed they will be revealed in all their (modest) glory.


I do wonder when knitting mini hats and scarves became my idea of good way to spend Saturday night. I have slowed but who cares... I'm having a great time.