December Fun!

 December was a wonderful month!

The kids skied- they LOVE skiing and snow boarding!

And yes, that's our dear friend, Jennifer photo bombing the pic!

She was there with her crew for a day of skiing and snowboarding!

We are so thankful for homeschool ski days!

The price is right and there fewer people there!

Lots of opportunity for numerous runs 

instead of waiting in long lines!

Our Christmas decor is only up during the month of December.

We like to fully enjoy November with the many birthdays 

and peacefully celebrate Thanksgiving!

It feels so celebratory and calming to get the decorations up!

This Santa was from my childhood home.

He was outside by the front door.

Due to his many years of service he has earned a spot inside the house!

Seeing him lit up in the evening is so heartwarming 

and brings back many happy childhood memories!

This year, there were no broken ornaments while decorating the tree!

That's a first!

For the most part our decorating is minimal.

It's not the whole house, 

just the rooms that we gather and celebrate in!

And now it's time to relax, enjoy a bailey's

and

reflect on all our blessings, with thankful hearts!

Now that the kids are much older... 

getting them outside in the winter is more challenging.

They don't "play in the snow" like they used too!

Here's a bundle of teens taking a walk!

And they no longer dress properly for the winter weather...

We try to remind them to wear hats, gloves, snow pants, etc...

But they also get to make some of their own decisions,

 now that they are older.

Smile!

Quite a few teens tried snowboarding this year!

They had a lot of fun and sore butts, when they were done!

Some prefer to ski and some prefer to snowboard!

Ver blessed by this wonderful group of friends!

This is our birthday club and we have been together celebrating for 30 yrs!

Now that we have grands in town-

 I get to go to their events!

Ali loves dance and she is quite good at it!

Emily is also good at dance

but she is more in the "like it" category!

She loves swimming, gymnastics, soccer and basketball more than dance.

Smiling for Nana and the audience!

(okay, maybe for her mom... too)

Emily is focused on doing it the right way!

Both classes together!

And special treats for all the dancers

from Olaf!

Ali's dance class!

Emily's dance class!

Thankful they are living so close to us!

We LOVE movies with HopeKids!

A great movie, popcorn, slushie and an uncrowded theater!

It doesn't get any better!

Mary and Grace have enjoyed doing activities with their friends!

Hubby and I enjoyed a little getaway!

We walked the Mall of America,

 had a wonderful dinner and a night of rest!

It was wonderful!

We did our usual baking and frosted the sugar cookies!

The kids LOVE to bake and 

it's a blessing to have so many helpers!

Busy, frosting the sugar cookies!

We certainly had our fair share of sugar during the month of December...

Sam and Ben participated on the High School Swim Team this season!

(the BOYS team, if you get what I mean!)

Sam is originally a diver but now he is a swimmer, too!

Ben is a swimmer!

They both had such a good experience being part of the team!
It was GREAT exercise, great coach and the greatest group of guys!
We are thankful for this wonderful opportunity for them!

December, you were wonderful!

And next up the Christmas holiday and a new grandchild!

It doesn't get any better than that!

Thank you Jesus!