Merry Christmas

Yesterday we woke up to Santa's loot.  The boys must have been good boys this year.  We let Santa know that he could fill the boys stockings and bring three things...and we as parents would take care of the rest.    I think Santa did an A-okay job.  Henry now thinks Santa will come every morning....poor kiddo. 

Then we all headed outside for some good ol' family shoveling. 

 

 

Naptime for Hankers.  Ed and Charley spent at least an hour and a half assembling a Lego Starwars ship.  Yikes!  Mama and Charley played Sorry (the game that Santa brought our family).  Then after dinner we headed back outside for a little more shovel time.  It was a perfect night to play outside.  Snow falling, peaceful and quiet, not too windy, and not at all too cold.  PERFECT.

 

 

 

After getting the boys in bed we kicked back and enjoyed a few festive martini's with our friends Katie and Casey.  They live so close and were also deprived of heading north yesterday.  So we decided to get together.  It ended the day just perfectly.

 

This morning we wake to not too much new snow and hope that we could head out of town today...but it has started up again in the last half an hour and it is falling heavier than it did yesterday.  I hear Duluth has 19 inches and brutal winds...do we want to chance single lane traffic to avoid Duluth....ugh!  So hard.  My sister and her family left yesterday only to find 30 mile per hour traffic or less...and then ended up stopping to stay in a hotel.  Ed is still sleeping and I will leave the decisions up to him since he is the driver.  It is so hard for all of us who want to travel - even getting to church looks like it could be a journey - if we can get ourselves shoveled out in time.  

Trying to find the beauty in this gift from mother nature.  We are home.  Cozy. Safe.  I can pull something out of the freezer to eat.  Henry slept better last night so his ear infection must be healing.  The boys are busy and happy with their new gadgets.  Ed is sleeping in ...and I am about to make myself a little cup of hot cocoa.  This Christmas we went from 1 sled to 6 - so we are definitely ready to enjoy this white stuff! 

If only we could get North to enjoy the company of family, the beauty of the 20 ft. tree in Grandma and Grandpa's living room, the homemade eggnog, and maybe a friendly game of canasta.   We will get there...it is just a matter of when...when?