Happy New Years' Eve!!

The girls made New Year's Eve cupcakes!

Ouch.

So we had quite an interesting anniversary this year... About an hour before we left for dinner, I was coming down the driveway and realized that Piper was just lying there on the side of the road where I last saw her an hour ago as I came home....turns out my car side-swiped her on the way down.  I was late to pick up Will so I called the girls to come keep her company until Joe could get home to carry her into the house.  She was so small and sad.  We got her into the house and the kids were happy to play nursemaid to her for the evening.  We took her down to the vet the next morning and sure enough, her radius and ulna were both broken.  They fixed her up and gave her drugs.

She spent much of the next day just lounging and sleeping and it wasn't until the second day she really seemed to wake up a bit.

Poor little pup.  We are hoping that this may have cured her of her car-chasing, tire-biting ways, but glad she is looking a little bit more like herself again!

Snowed in!

We've had an epic amount of snow this year, just as I was hoping!  We'd already been plowed out once, but the snow kept coming and the wind started to pick up.  Because we were super-busy and all over the map, I left the car at the end of the driveway just to make sure no kid was left stranded anywhere.  But by afternoon I thought it would be safe to go on home.  Big mistake.  Huge blizzard lots of snow!!  By the time we started to take the wind seriously, it was too late.

We woke up the next morning to two and three foot drifts all the way down the driveway.

The kids were in heaven, despite the wind.

The next morning.

After making a few phone calls around for a plow, I just decided to give it a try myself.  After an hour of shoveling, I was already a third of the way!  Joe finished it off in the dark that evening and early the next morning.  Like pioneers in the wilderness :)

I do love this snow!!

Boxing Day!

We had a semi-lazy day of playing with toys and taking the Christmas stuff down, and we wrapped up the month of festivities with a great big ham dinner.  We are loving this vacation life.

The kids got a shared tablet for Christmas and this was their idea for a good wall paper, haha.  The camera on the tablet was subpar, so we'll see how it turned out.

Christmas Day!

Christmas!!

We got up a little earlier this time, cause we wanted to make sure we got all the fun in before church at 11.  What better way to wrap up festivities with some singing in church??

Got the fire and the candles going and the music started....

Stockings!

Oh my goodness!  Being an adult on Christmas is twice as good as being a kid!!  I love this so much!!

We headed back to the Casebolt's with more presents.

This was so cool.  Dave made Will his first flyfishing rod and put it in a beautiful case.  Lots of memories will be made with that one!

All my winter Christmas gifts!!  Joe did good :)

Sledding!!  It wasn't the best snow for this, kind of sticky.  Joe tried PAM on the toboggan...to no avail.

Such a beautiful day!

An emoji Christmas!

Race home!  Sun is already going down!

A beautiful Christmas dinner at Ann's.  Prime rib...and lobster bisque!!!

Liquid gold!

Is it possible that every year is better and better?  Cause this was the best.christmas.ever.

So thankful!!

Christmas Eve!

We had a lazy morning and then packed up all our presents and headed to Rosauers for the traditional Christmas Eve morning caravan out to the cabin.

A very snowy morning!

We always start out with the kids' gifts to each other.

....and their matching PJs.

Piles of presents!

The boys spent much of the morning digging tunnels in the drifts....it was perfect!

Christmas selfie!

Kayte worked long and hard on the traditional Christmas play!  Everyone had a part...or two.  And even a solo!

She got costumes from my mom's school stash!

Mary & Joseph

Lots of singing.

It is always a great big messy morning with the most amazing brunch and entertainment.  I love this day!

We went home in time to finish up a couple of details and get a shower!  Church was early this year!

And then over to the Casebolts for another massive feast!

...and musical entertainment!

Joe and I got to head up the Newlywed game this year, which was awesome!  Such a cozy warm house, so much fun!

We headed home in time to do some final wrapping and stockings and we took the long way home so we could see downtown all lit up one more time.

Santa was a bit of an afterthought this year...oops!  We even managed to forget our Santa gifts for the kids cause they were well-hidden in the closet!  Oh well...growing up!

All ready to go!!!