My birthday/New years

This year for my birthday, instead of doing the traditional pajama party and board games at my mom's house with everybody, we headed up to the cabin.  Woo hoo!  

We made it up on the afternoon of the 31st.  The Trezise family had left a friend to greet us.

I was soooo happy for all of the snow.  I love it, love it, love it.
Some awesome icicles.  
It was too cold to hold, but apparently not too cold to lick.
That night we chilled and watched a movie, and then rocked out with rockband  until midnight.
At midnight we had to run outside and yell and scream and make lots of noise.  Happy New Year!  Joe had to text his "friend" at midnight.
They had to warm up by the fire afterwards.
We tried to go sledding the next day.  The last time we were up here we tried to go sledding but couldn't find  a store that sold sleds or tubes or anything.  This time we got a heads up that Ace Hardware sold sleds.  Too bad they aren't open on New Years Day.  Oh well.  Someday we will actually get to go sledding.  Instead we went back to the cabin and Brian took the boys on a ranger ride.

The next day was significantly warmer.  We spent most of the day outside.  Joe, D and I went for a long ranger ride and then stopped to build snowmen.  I forgot my camera and the boys wanted to show Brian, so we went back to the cabin to get him.  He drove us back up the mountain and proceeded to get us stuck in the deep snow.  After I dug us out - that's right ME.  I dug us out, we decided to go back to the cabin.  Joe and D then collaborated their efforts and made one HUGE snowman together.
It was so relaxing and so much fun.  I did NOT want to come home.  Oh well!

Christmas review

So, another Christmas season has come and gone.  Most of you have blogged about yours and long since moved on.  But since I am a procrastinator, here I am.  Since I don't really keep a journal and this is all I really have, I thought I had to do the Christmas post, even though Christmas was 2 weeks ago.  Oh well....

So here is my review of our December:

We kept with all the traditions.  My favorite is reading a Christmas story every night by the Christmas tree.  Sometimes we add hot chocolate - yum!

We did the Christmas caroling.  Joe actually did it twice, once with the youth at church....
...and the second time, with the Trezise family.
Sheri and Tiffany kept up the tradition of the cookie exchange.  Silly me, I should have taken a photo of Sheri and Tiffany.  Instead, I just took a photo of the cookies.  We know where my mind is at.  I have to say that this year was excellent.  ALL of the cookies were good.
We got together with my family and decorated gingerbread houses.  Joe and Michael worked on the front of ours.
We got it all done, except for the front yard, oh well.  I tried to get a shot with all of the houses in it, but it turned out blurry.  Sheri already blogged about most of these things, so I'm sure you saw it on her blog anyway.
We had a nice break from the Christmas activities on Ben's birthday.  We went bowling - woo hoo!
The next stop on the Christmas traditions list:  Organ Stop Pizza.  Good pizza and a good show.
Joshua LOVED it when they played the theme from the Pink Panther.  I was surprised this year when they played a Queen medley.  I thought I'd heard it all:  Star Wars, The Phantom of the Opera, and of course all of the Christmas tunes they play.  In all the years we've gone here, Queen was a first this year.  Joe loved Organ Stop the most this year.  He saw a friend from 6th grade that he hasn't seen or talked to in months.  They of course got each others digits and have been texting ever since.
An impromptu photo shoot for the calendars.  Tricia did a fabulous job, as usual, taking the photos of all of the grandkids for Mom's calendar.  Joe wasn't particularly happy with how his turned out, so we did a quick photo shoot.  He was happy with this one:
Happy Birthday to Michael.  He got a little help blowing out his candles.
Next tradition:  The Adult family Christmas dinner and white elephant.  Sheri was a saint for letting all of the kids hang at her house while the party went on at my moms.  
Christmas Eve tradition:  baking the gingerbread cookies with Joe....
...and watching "The Grinch".
That evening it was off to my moms for Someburros and Chick-fil-a and then the opening of the blankets.  Notice a theme this year?
Finally, Christmas Eve night we spend with Brian's family.  Joe got to hang with his cousins that he doesn't get to see as often.
Finally, home for the unwrapping of the obligatory Christmas Eve pj's.
Christmas morning.  Joe checking out the loot:
Over to my moms for more chaos.  Having a big family is fun.  Thanks so much to Jared for providing the elk, and cooking the  biscuits and gravy.  It just isn't Christmas without it.  Dad read the Christmas story out of Luke and then the chaos of opening presents began.
Later that afternoon we headed to a movie and saw Sherlock Holmes and then back to moms for more food.

And that was our Christmas.  Full of friends, food, family and fun!  Next up:  New Years Eve!