Happy Holidays

For the first time since I was young, I truly felt the anticipation of Christmas again. Lily was very aware of all things Christmas, which made for a fun year. For her big present from us, we got her a Princess "big girl" bike. The problem with a bike for Christmas in MN is obvious, but we have taken advantage of the abandoned halls of Concordia during the break. I must admit that my heart skips a bit at the sight of her riding so fast, but she is getting better about braking.


We also celebrated our little family Christmas with cookie cutter pancakes. I think Lily ate more toppings than pancake, but what is Christmas for?


We had a great Christmas down in Luverne with my family as well. We made it down there just before the storm, and we ended up staying an extra day because of the weather. There was plenty of space and fun to be had, so all-in-all it was a great trip (except for the drive home which took an extra 2 1/2 hours!)


Here are some highlights:


Lily attempting to be like her big cousin Connor, the goalie


Time with cousins and the candy-cane pinata

Sled rides behind the four-wheeler

Hot-tubbing in a blizzard. . .

And the hairstyles that it creates!

Lily playing dress-up and beauty shop with Maddie.

Playing "Beyond Balderdash" with the adults and older kids. There are no pictures -- we were too busy laughing ourselves to tears. I highly recommend this game!

Having my whole family together.