A Caroling We Will Go

Every year we go out in our jammies to see the lights, sing Christmas songs and Vern reads Luke 1-2 to us.











We tried a different formation.









Cyrus was very tired and his eyes hurt. He was trying to keep them open.












Barely.

Let the Goofiness Begin

Caroling and sugar brings these results!

We're Ready!

Is it time yet? Can we open our presents?





The boys got sunglasses in their stockings. Now they are the coooool dudes!














This is all very exciting!!!!
















A Game Cube game, but we don't have a Game Cube????? Or, do we?

The Photographer

"What is in the box that she is holding?" you might ask.









Well, let's see.....
















A camera! Now when she goes off to college she can send pictures home!

Stockings and Suspense

Cody got a new pair of boots from Santa and some snazzy stockings to keep her warm.





Another Game Cube game? What is Santa thinking, we don't have a Game Cube?


















Another one? I think maybe he is figuring it out!

Small and Simple = Happy and Loved

Vern was happy to get a digital picture key chain to show off his family when working.

Cody got a site for her bow, not that she really needed it, as she is a darn good shot. But she says now we need to take her hunting!






















This was the hardest kept secret and Mom and Dad actually had to tell a couple of lies to keep it under wraps.














Last present, the video game she has been wanting for six month, Zoo Tycoon 2.

Creative Packaging

Vern used a soda can to wrap one of Mom's presents.










Really?









Great presents! A snowflake pendant, a crazy game to give me relaxation time, a ladybug necklace in the cutest box!

A Video Card?

In his creativeness, Vern put Mom's present in the bottom of a video card box.












Sneaky! He made it so real. She knew it wasn't true, but.....











And then Mom finds it

Spa Day

Is this a spa day?



















Did you really get me a spa day?












He really got me a spa day!

Cake Anyone?

Cody made Mom's birthday cake. It is lemon cake with lemon/cream cheese frosting.
It looks like a castle!

Here is CodyOdina admiring her work. On the table are Mom's presents and roses that Victoria bought for Mom's birthday.

Time to blow out the candles!

How Do We Stay Warm?

People keep asking me how we stay warm in such cold temperatures. Cyrus here is illustrating what a trip outside requires and the ensemble may include:

Snow/Winter Jacket...for those of you who live in warmer areas and think your jacket is warm, think again!

Gloves...waterproof with thinsulate (your jacket probably has the same)

Scarf (important, most likely blanket material)

Hat/earwarmers/hoodie...here you see Cyrus with a hoodie and his hood on.

Snow pants/Snow suit...the kids have snow trousers which is what most of the kids here use. For adults there are snow bibs and Carhart makes very warm outwear (and nice winter jackets...just ask Vern).

And then there is your footwear. I have toewarmer boots made in Canada (and my toes still get cold), Victoria has arctic boots with thinsulate lining, the boys have lined waterproof snow boots.

If you don't have snow pants, you wear thermals under your pants if you are going to be outside for any amount of time in any temp under 0 (zero). If the wind is blowing you most likely are going to cover your face with something.

The hard part is traveling because once the car warms up everyone starts taking off their winter wear!

On Saturday night we had a wind chill of negative 45 (-45).

Here are the dogs out in the snow. It warmed up to the low 20's and the dogs played and played and played outside.

The poor things have had a tough go of it, because every time they had to go outside in those subzero temperatures their feet froze, their faces froze, they limped back inside with white whiskers. They were very happy to have a bit warmer weather to play in!

You Think You Are Cold?

Right in the middle of finals week, along comes the Antarctic to visit. The heater has not stopped running for 24 hours straight. We hit -11 with a wind chill of -40, and that was at 8 am this morning. The temperature when I took these pictures was -4 with a -24 wind chill. Tomorrow, Chantel get to travel down to the school, 35 miles away to take finals. It is supposed to be 2 degrees and we are expecting 3 inches of snow in the afternoon. Then she gets to go back Wednesday too!

This is the back door. Actually this is the storm door on the outside of the back door, and I don't know if you notice, but there is plastic insulating the window that is covered in ice, and the handle is completely frozen.



This is the window looking out to the side of the yard, and yes, that is more ice on the window.





This is actually the stairway from the main floor to the basement. That is the gas line from outside, and that is ice, along with ice on the tape holding the plastic insulation around the window. The cold water line for the washer is right beside this, and it is frozen solid.












This is outside the front door. Does it look cold?