Winter Images

We decorated our gingerbreadhouse last night.
I use the term "decorating" a bit loosely but you get the idea!



And finally, after much anticipation, the snow arrived last night.
Not much hope of getting a lot of school work done today with a 4 foot mound of snow outside so we decided to make the most of it and enjoy it while it's here.

First Snow

Nothing like the first snowfall of the season.
The first sign that Christmas is just around the corner.


It makes me think of drinking hot cocoa in front of a roaring fire...and putting up Christmas lights.



Hmmm....might have to get onto that this weekend.
Just a light dusting so far, but winter is definitely here.

When Will It End???

As a woman I reserve the right to change my mind.
Now having come from a country where snow is rare I have always delighted in seeing those little flakes floating from the sky...in fact I can say that the very first snow fall of the year makes me giddy with delight...(yes...I'm pretty easy to please) but after months on end of the fluffy stuff I'm ready for a change. This morning we woke up to more snow...now COME ON...this is supposed to be spring break. But no spring in sight here. These pictures were taken this morning on my front lawn. The kids had a ball, out there playing in it...making snow men and snow forts....it doesn't seem to worry them too much. But I'm ready for the sun...SO READY!

Oh, and I thought I'd better mention that my super sophisticated random number drawing system has selected a winner of my giveaway...the lovely Kyla at The Kreative Life . Thanks for all your wonderful comments!

100 posts....and a little giveaway!

These pictures are primarily for family and friends back in Australia who for the last few months have been experiencing record temperatures, bush fires and generally sweltering conditions. On our side of the pond we are also poised to set records...here in the wintery Pacific Northwest we are only an inch or so from setting the record for the snowiest winter ever...(well since they started keeping records anyway!).



We took the kids away last weekend for a ski trip to Schweitzer. Such an awesome place even if you're not much into skiing. The little village on the mountain offers a movie theater, coffee shops and some great restaurants. The outdoor hottub where we stayed was a favorite of the boys...Matt and I enjoyed the ski in/ski out location of our hotel. When the kids got tired they headed back to the hotel while Matt and I had a "ski date" and spent an hour or so skiing....just the 2 of us...Awwwwww!



I have to say though...we were a little nervous after hearing about all the bad ski karma that also went on that weekend. What with Natasha Richardson's tragic accident and then that family ski trip that turned to tragedy after their plane crashed in Montana. I am pleased to report that we survived our weekend unscathed and I have vowed to buy helmets for myself and Matt next season.

Anyway...this being my 100th post...( I can't believe I have had so much to say!)..I am celebrating by offering a little giveaway! A set of Lemon Dingo standard size labels with your choice of icon, text and color to the winner.( Check out all the designs at www.lemondingo.com ). To enter just leave a comment on this post between now and March 31st and my high tech number drawing system will reveal a winner! Good luck and thanks for sharing the blog journey with me :-)

Closer

How does nature do this? While we slept there were things happening in my garden last night. These tiny little icicle "thorns" were forming.



The closer you look the more wonderful the details are

Its over....(sniff!)

Hmmm..I think she is thinking what I'm thinking.....

its over...I'm back home....

have been back for nearly 3 days....

going through the post vacation blues.

My lovely friend Michelle asked me when she can expect some sunny vacation pictures to appear on my blog! Well ..I have to say I am still in denial that my vacation is over.

I look back over the last 3 weeks and we really had such a fantastic time.

We caught up with our crazy family and friends




We ate all the food that we have not been able to get here in the States

My youngest son learned to swim

He lost his first tooth on Christmas day

My older son learned to surf.

I got tan....I even wore a bikini!

My daughter got to spend precious time with the cousins she calls her sisters

Even Paloma had an many exciting adventures that will be the subject of a future post.

...and I took over 1500 photos..(yikes...am seriously putting off going through them because it seems a little overwhelming at this point.) You will see them featured on the blog over the next few weeks.





It's sad that it has come to an end. We traveled over 19,000 miles and took 8 different flights...and here we are...back where we started.

....and this is what we have come back to. Record snowfalls for December..from one extreme to the other!





Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Mother Nature's Jewelry Box

The pictures in my blog have definitely shown a preoccupation with snow this week.



Up close it is so beautiful and delicate. It reminds me of jewelry...



As if Mother Nature was getting all dressed in her finest to welcome winter.

First Snow

The first snowfall of the year is always exciting. This afternoon we got our first taste of the snow. While the kids were diving into their snow gear I was grabbing my camera and heading out the door.
And of course with the first snowfall comes the obligatory snowball fight. This snowball was aimed at me and I am a little surprised to see just how much Jack's aim has improved since last winter!