Our December had a lot of "family date days/nights" mixed in with visiting our extended family. I loved it so much and am also equal parts excited to be a hermit for a week or two in January.
One of the first Sundays in December we took advantage of open Skate at the local indoor ice rink. Usually we have our choice of outdoor free rinks but December started out really mild so none of the rinks were flooded yet. Craig has told me he cannot ice skate but he usually does things better than he admits......which can be cute or a little annoying. However, he was completely right about the whole ice skating thing....he cannot ice skate. He made it once around and was done. Andie, Isaac and I skated for about an hour while Craig and Caleb (Caleb was doing ok for his first time!) mostly drank cocoa and watched.
Andie saw a boy from school and they were at about the same level of ice skating ability. This is a super nice kid and I thought it was really fun they were skating together. Craig called me over. He was watching them skate and went very much into Dad mode. "Who is that boy" "what's he like" "why are they skating together so much". It was pretty funny and a lot cute. Watching our 8 year old very innocently skate with a boy but knowing that she is growing up and sometimes prefers the company of a classmate to the company of her mom is weird.
Next pictures show a family hike we did when Craig got back from being in Las Vegas for a week for work. We had a little snow left but it was going fast so we went out on a Saturday morning to enjoy it.
I took this picture with the intention of actually doing Christmas cards this year. We always talk about doing one and have never gotten around to it. I got home, loaded it up and was all ready to hit "order" when Craig said...."do you really want to get all the addresses and mail these out" Yeah...not really. Sorry but here is our Christmas card picture this year and for good measure I put it one facebook too.
Another highlight in December is the Holiday Lights they have at a park in town. They started doing this the year we moved to town and has gotten bigger every year. You can walk or drive but we prefer walking. We decided to do this for a Family Fun night and then go home and watch Home Alone.
You can't tell but I am doing a really great dance to the flashing lights and music and I am embarrassing my 8 year old a little I think.
2nd week in December brought one of my favorite people in the world to town....my little brother!! We took him out to one of our favorite hiking spots and enjoyed a really mild Saturday.
That same weekend I took Andie to the Nutcracker. The boys went to a movie at the cheap theater while Andie and I went on this little date. Craig brought me to the Nutcracker when we were first dating and recently admitted that he would be ok to never go again. However, I have a girl and we can go and do all these really fun girly things together.
And after all the presents, stockings, food, board games, family visits we came home and had the best snow come through that I can remember. It dropped about 9 inches in 12 hours. So our children's Polar Bear Mountain was back this week. The snowplow puts all the snow in the cul-de-sac in one spot and the kids just love it. This year they watched as the snowplow was working and cheered when it dumped all the snow in one spot. The mountain is now sporting a tunnel and a shelter complete with a blanket roof.
And a few pics of home life over break. A little play time with a chemistry set:
And some family sledding. The kids often like to go on their bellies and "penguin slide"
Look at all that quantity and quality time. I am ready for tea, books, fires and honestly....kids and I are ready for routine (read - school) again.
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