New Year's Trick

Last night we got a wonderful package in the mail! It was full of my Grandma Judy's peppernuts! Now to tell you the truth, this video came into being because Luke's been talking at about 300 decibels for the last three days and my ears hurt. My Dad suggested turning on some music, which we did. But I'm also experimenting with ways of keeping Luke's mouth full, but not his tummy.

Snow Days

see how deep it is here beside the driveway and how high the drift covers the tree?!

It was too cold to play outside for long today, but we definitely need some exercise on these days when we don't leave the house. So we're taking advantage of any slight rise in temperature to get outside and dig around in the snow. I intend to dig tunnels into the drift beside the driveway, out to our mostly buried tree and around it. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

Expressions

Oh the moods Luke can express in just a short span of seconds!
We are held in awe.

monday photos

Luke's Christmas gift from Harv and Helene: an easel!

Our neighbor brought the WBS loader over and cleared our driveway one more time.

Can you guess what I got for Christmas?

Christmas Storm

Luke's Bilibo toy is supposed to encourage
children to use their imaginations.
I'm in favor!

This afternoon Derek cleared the snow and we somewhat miraculously made it to our gathering at Winkler Bible Camp, but as you can see, we couldn't get back onto the driveway when we returned! Thankfully we picked up Harv and Helene's old snow blower yesterday (timing,eh?) and it took a matter of minutes for Derek to clear a path wide enough to drive up. James saw us on his way home and stopped to make sure we could get up the driveway and then got stuck in the road himself! See our mucky road?

Derek says he is just grateful it isn't cold out. And you are disbelieving, "It isn't cold?!" Well, it's only around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which to us feels balmy after our -40 F temps a week or two ago. The wind is powerful and in no time at all the hole is refilling, and we will most definitely have to shovel again tomorrow. You can see the clear patch in front of the garage left from the wind. The snow isn't deep everywhere, it's just drifting. See how our basement windows are entirely covered, and our front porch is also the target of an aggressive drift. Luke loves to watch his Daddy out the front window.

The smell of the snow blower reminds me of summer. Our little bit of Christmas adventure.

Christmas Morning

so much activity! Here's a glimpse.

What are you doing Christmas Eve?

Last night Luke figured out what a pillow is for and kept saying, "I tie-yod" and throwing his head down on the pillow. For a short while we shared a pillow and sang, "No more monkeys jumpin' on the bed!"

I would like to know what all of YOU are doing today! Our day is eventful, and with the snow falling steadily I think I'm catching the Christmas spirit.

We had a birthday breakfast for Derek's Mom this morning, Derek got into a fender bender, we shoveled the driveway, played in the snow, and now Luke is down for his nap before we head out again to Cameryn's Christmas concert at church, and some gift exchanging at Harv and Helene's afterwards. It's a full day, and a beautiful one! The snow is coming down so softly and quickly. It's quiet outside. And for the next hour or two it's quiet inside as well. I'm off to make this afternoon perfect by brewing a pot of tea and reading my book. Merry Christmas Eve!