Christmas in Idaho Part 4 ~ Morphing into Happy New Year in Idaho

So this morning it hit me, like the feeling of reading a really great book.  I press on because I can't bear to put it down, but I fear the end is near.  Endings are hard. I want to get there and see how things play out, but then it ends. Endings...they make me feel the lump in my throat that I don't want around just yet. They make me sad when I just want to keep enjoying and feeling like the week is ahead and filled with possibilities. That lump that built as we chatted over breakfast about our upcoming day's plans and those of tomorrow. I fought it off, and then I saw it leap from me onto him and I pulled him near and hugged him.  She said, "Why are you already sad? We aren't leaving yet?" She knows him well.  

For her it's different. For her she really is like Dorothy in those Ruby Slippers, "There's no place like home." She finds it hard to leave at the front end of the trip, yet eager and ready for adventure.  She smiles when there is mention of returning home and packing and such. It's not that she is not happy here, but it is like that very favorite book you want to read again and again. You know it, find comfort in the expected, yet with each read you somehow uncover something new that you missed before and it is that bit that keeps you coming back for more. 

She doesn't want to dress in the "poofy" snow clothes and go out when there are plenty of new clothes and boots to wear inside the house and lots of room to dance around. Yet the adventures that await outside tug at her and she can be persuaded to look poofy because a fast speed sled awaits her at the top of the hill and the creek and "little woods" are calling her name. 5 degrees won't stop her. 

He presses on eager to see how things play out. Living all the bits as lively as he can, trying to forget that the last chapter is here. And with that we have arrived at New Year's Eve. There are some plans, some exploring to do, some memories to make.  I will ignore that lump in my throat and see how things play out. 

Happy New Year!

Christmas in Idaho Part 3

On the airplane they always remind you to put your oxygen mask on first before helping others.  Apparently this is also true for packing snow coats and gear for going ice skating on the coldest day yet. 

Yesterday my cousin came over with her family to go sledding and after unloading all their gear they realized they had left their son's snow coat at home.  We loaned them one of Ellie's hoodies and made it work and there were many fun trips down the hill. We shared our sleds and they shared their new snowboard and "snow mobile" and many good times were had before tiring out and returning inside for hot cocoa. 

Blast off!

No one stopped long enough for a photo...action shots only zone!

Off they go

Jump launching is my favorite

Sledding the day before in the falling snow!

Today we agreed to meet up again at the skating rink in Moscow and knowing the temperatures were dropping I decided to pack our suitcase with ALL of our snow gear to make certain we could skate as long as we wanted without getting too cold. I even packed extra socks and outfits just in case we wanted to change after.  Thinking I was oh so prepared, I loaded up the trunk and ran back in the house to leave my dad the truck keys.  I was already cold and my hands hurt, but I didn't want to be too hot in the half hour drive into town, so I just jumped in and off we went.  Halfway to town I realized I had forgotten the important rule...I had made sure everyone else had their coats, checked it all more than once and left mine hanging in the closet. Luckily my chivalrous husband offered me his fleece jacket to layer over my wool sweater. 

Josh admiring his comfy skate

We bundled up, strapped on those foot stabbing rental skates and hit the ice.  That is where we would spend the next 3 hours. Mason challenged himself to skate 20 consecutive laps without assistance or falling. First, as all athletes must, they warmed up.

The crew getting warmed up

Practicing

Getting stronger

And they're off!

Hi Mom!

My boy and me...he set a goal for himself and crushed it with a whopping 32 laps! All while dodging the pack of boys resembling the boys from the movie A Christmas Story who kept falling down all over the ice!

A month of sled hill climbing, ice house building, and ice skating and we would all be the most fit we've been in quite some time. Since we can't have that, we plan to pack in as much as we can in these next few days. 

As the temperature fell to 18 degrees on our drive home from the rink, I will be certain to over pack my coats for tomorrow's adventures.

Stay cozy and warm, Cheers! 

Christmas in Idaho Part 2

Some snippets in photos...

Mother-Daughter times have been oh so fun!

Gator rides are always a highlight

Quality Grandparent time

Father-Daughter time goodness

Pretzel dough making

Merry Christmas!

Ellie's new owl hat from Grandma and Grandpa

Grandma gave Ellie and Baby Maddie Matching dresses

Ice discoveries and explorations

Baby and Maddie are hangin' in their new baby carrier

Exploring at the creek

Pre-snow day fun!

Siblings

Bundled up 

Dressed up for Christmas Dinner

Cozy cozy

Baby Maddie and Grandpa Time

Christmas Cheer!

The table was set with Grandma's tablecloth, dishes, and silverware

Good times were had by all! Cheers!

"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" Christmas in Idaho Part 1

I woke up yesterday and peeked out the guest bedroom window to find blankets of white snuggling the trees and land.  As I crept out into the dark living room I turned on the Christmas lights and peered out the front windows.  The light on the lower garage revealed the falling snow that I couldn't spy from the bedroom window.  

The long awaited SNOW Day was here!

"Mom, let's have a snowball fight!"

There is something so magical about watching the snow fall.  On Christmas Eve there was a teaser of snow. We headed to town for groceries and a few last minute gifts.  The locals tried to convince us that our "snow" we were enjoying was "sleet", but Ellie and I would not believe. It was snowing! 

At one point inside the CO-OP while ordering lunch, I looked out the front of the store and paused to take in the beauty of our snow outside, creating a backdrop for the intricate paper snowflakes strung above the cash registers. 

No slope too small to try out the sled!

By the time we returned home, most of the snow had melted, but we walked to the creek and explored the bits we found, dodging evidence of deer and cow pies in "The Little Woods". The creek was flowing and many sticks and branches created a fun game of stick races. We found ice in the puddles at the lower hill and moved onto family fun inside that evening. On the way home from church in the dark the snow began to fall again, and as Josh turned on the bright lights we felt like we were blasting off in the Millennium Falcon on down the highway back home. 

Christmas Day is a post all its own so I will speed ahead. After Christmas we went to see Into the Woods and had fun in town at dinner. We visited family in town and then home to a raucous game of UNO and Ellie danced for us. 

I love Mason's new Viking hat. 

The next morning the weather reports would come true and the grounds were covered in white. We bundled up after breakfast and headed out to find Uncle Don starting up the 4-wheeler to plow the driveway. The kids plopped down to make snow angels, threw snowballs and grabbed the sleds. 

Hi Grandma!

We started out by the creek. There is something about playing in nature that allows the imagination to automatically run wild.  The kids were instantly in another world pretending away, painting a story for us, the snow as their blank canvas. We were in search of shelter and it was cold and wintery and we had to press on. 

Our tiny Snowman by the creek

As Don plowed we had to move on to new locations in search of our shelter and we trudged up the hill with our sleds filled with snow. 

Hi Uncle Don!

Life was hard in this story, but luckily there were smiles among the "hard times" of finding shelter. 

Mom and Me

Daddy joined us with an arm full of supplies.  Grandpa's red bowl and spoon peeking out sparked curiosity and our game welcomed him in as he found food in our "food cave".

Daddy's snow snack! Cinnamon ice cream = delicious!

Snow wonder!

We took a walk with Uncle Don to gather wood for the fire and the magical day was taken to a whole new level.  

A day in the snow and a fire to roast marshmallows

Daddy and Ellie put the snow brick maker to good use and continued building their shelter. 

Ellie and Daddy's shelter

While Mason built his alongside the snowy garden beds. Snow continued to fall steadily providing more snow as we cleared it to build. 

Mason's Shelter

Snow Selfie

I made sure to stand back and take a breath and fall in love with my family all over again.

I love this man!

Merry Christmas Babe!

The sleds needed a break from hauling snow bricks to speed down the hill. We carved out tracks and shared many laughs. 

The perfect sledding hill

I imagine we'll remember these moments for years to come. There is something about how we play together outside as kids that fuels our soul. Standing at the top of the hill watching these two brought back many memories of times I shared with Chris. Seeing Grandpa smile through the window at them was great fun, too. 

Siblings making memories

Dad and Me

 Back to the shelter, there was a door to build to go with this window.

The first window, Hi Ellie!

 Lunch was made by the fire. S'mores sandwiches were on the menu.

A quick break by the fire

 The door began to take shape.

More progress

Another quick break to walk with Grandma to the mailbox.  We stopped on the way to check on our tiny snowman.  Ellie named him.

The Snowman was later named Uncle Chris!

Winter Library

The church parking lot was untouched.  So calm, so beautiful.  The kids were hesitant to touch it, but ended up carving their initials: M E

"Ellie, don't make too many tracks this part is the smoothest of snow."

 After all that it was time to head to bed.  The shelter was ready for us.

"Come into our shelter Mommy, it's time to sleep."

Time to wake up

 I wonder what today shall bring!

All in a days work!