Insulated.

I love waking up in the middle of the night during/after a snow because everything seems so quiet and insulated outside. It's like you can feel that it snowed because the atmosphere has changed somehow. Everything looks lovely and snow-covered. My heroes, JD and lil JD, came by and plowed and shoveled us out. Lil JD is already a pro and he's 4! Our wee decorations look even better with a dusting of snow--check out Leilani's work on the door decor! What can't she do?

Windsor Wonderland.

Santa was a bit delayed due to his EMT duties earlier in the morning...anticipation grew.

Checking out Santa

Reading out his 10 point list to Santa.

The Spread: There were some serious competitors this year.The winnners (including K80's sugar cookies)

Hobo Brig is BACK!

Today we attempted to make a day of holiday events in town "Windsor Wonderland" (had to be a non-Christmas name)-- Santa visited, the Chamber had a Cookie Sale (with a winning prize at stake), and a little tree lighting. It was the first year, all the events were organized on one day and we can grow on it.

After the Ice Storm.

Thursday night it snowed and then rained a lot! When we woke up one of the trees behind our house had collapsed (under the weight of the ice on its limbs) and fallen across the backyard just barely missing the house and propane tank--thank the heavens.

Ice Storms are bad news particularly for those that live around lots of trees and many have been without power for the past few days. Although the encapsulated ice limbs create a lovely glisten to the hills.

Contents Defy Description

We got Mom and Dad all moved in today. The kids loved discovering our old toys and tearing open the boxes. One box actually said, "Contents Defy Description" that Mom had just thrown a whole bunch of stuff into at the last minute when they had more room in the truck. AND it snowed all day today but now it is raining so who knows what we'll have in the morning. I also added some colorful balls and miscellany to my tree today that mom had brought to share.

Now we're just missing some snow.

Lots has been going on around these parts. A couple days ago I went with some family to pick out a Christmas tree--my first Christmas tree in my own home. So we got a Christmas tree AND one of my most awesome friends is staying with us for a month AND my parents moved here today AND we got internet at our house today! I feel so lucky.

I don't have any Christmas stuff and didn't feel like making any big purchases this year so I got some pipe cleaners for $2 and we bent them into various shapes as well as this cool paper balls you make from strips of paper. I did get the star from Tar-heaven for $14. I knew I could wait for the post-christmas sale but they would most certainly be all gone...of course not everyone would think this was as brilliant as me and perhaps they will all be left for sale. Oh well.

It is a glowing beauty but I also included a shot with flash so the actual colors could be seen.It looks like a bit kiddish--but it is lovely.

It doesn't seem like it should be this way.

How can it be blue sky and sunny at noon and be thirteen degrees which is -10 degrees celcius...yeah that's right, that is life in Windsor today. I didn't actually take my pjs off, I just put my clothes for today on top.

Oh Thank you for this Sara!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I saw this one over at Sara's Blog of the girls and it totally made my day! I just pulled any pictures i had but I think I need to do more. I feel the holiday cheer.

O-Mama!

A few things about the people in this picture...and you all look great so no complaining that I posted this picture. That is my dad's sister, Aunt Beverly ( I am named Christina Beverly after her) and she turned 80 this year. The theme for her 80th b-day was "O-Mama is 80 in 2008". Most of her family wore ( bright red t-shirts with the slogan on the front and then "vote democratic" on the back. Aunt Bev's shirt said, "I am Mama". She was one of the first (or the first?) women to be involved in the Legislature in the state of Utah as well as traveling to all 7 continents (including Antarctica) and even down to see me and Mike in New Zealand, working as a parole officer until just a few years ago, a mother of many and a very special Aunt to all of us! She really is awesome and I miss her. I wish I could have seen her but at least I can call her up when I want to chat. She is immovable and amazing.

My sister and her family were able to meet up with Mom and Dad while in Utah to vistit Aunt Bev all together. The girls got to partake of the very same things we always did, home made lolli-pops (suckers), the swingset that has been there for over 40 years, and her fridge of colorful magnets. It is good that some things NEVER change.

Now, I would just like to note that i can't wait to see Mom and Dad (who are moving out here next week) and that I love Dad's smile and think Mom's hair looks cool and we can have short hair together this winter! So now I just need to get Joy out here for a girl's weekend sometime after Christmas to complete the circle.