Christmas '09

After we visited LA for Thanksgiving, Ryan and I decided that for Christmas, we would fly his mom and sister up here for the holiday. Jan works as a manager at an apartment complex (the same one she lives in), so the poor woman can't even go to the mailbox that is right outside of her door without being hounded by tenants. Heck, she can't even have surgery without one of her tenants a few doors down in the hospital (true story)! Anyways, Jan needed to get away.

We had a wonderful week before Christmas came. Ryan and I took Kellie and Jan up onto the mountain to go snowboarding.

In all of our gear.

Kellie had been before, but Jan had never tried snowboarding! It was so much fun! Kellie got real good by the end of one run, and Jan did one run and was pooped (I understand, it's a crazy workout, and I could never imagine trying to learn snowboarding when I was over the age of 35!), so we all went down to the bar/deck and got food and some drinks. Jan and I both had tequila sunrises... and at 8,050ft we sure felt the alcohol!!

There was so much snow!!!

Jan, Ryan and Kellie (at the midstation) Me and Kellie

Christmas was spent making dinner from a box (thank goodness for supermarket's that pre-package dinner). We had a honey glazed ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and Sugar Pine Bakery french rolls - YUM! Then we opened presents. Kiefer got some Fancy Feast... From this picture you can tell he was VERY excited!

Ryan got some beanies, and a new sweater. Ryan got me a diamond bracelet! It's so beautiful, I love it. Ryan and I got Jan a snowman soap dispenser. She loves decorating her house in holiday attire. But she doesn't like to have Santa all over, she prefers snowmen. We are helping fill her collection of snowmen decorations! I bought Kellie a necklace off of Aunt Elizabeth's etsy site. It was an owl, and Kellie is obsessed over owl's so it was perfect!!! She loved it.

Christmas Time!

Diamonds??!?!!??!!!!!!!!

Jan was so excited with her snowman soap dispenser

Ryan and I in our scarves and hats and mittens!

They left a few days after Christmas, and it was so sad to see them go. Ry and I decided that we are going to kidnap them when we are visiting at the end of May (Kellie's graduating, so we have to go and see her get her diploma!) and bring them back up here for a graduation trip/present.

New Years was right around the corner after that. Ryan and I both had to work the next morning, so we stayed home and drank apple cider and were in bed and asleep by 11pm. I think that it's a sign that we're getting old.

It's Still Winter...

Yep, no doubt in that. We got about 3 feet out on my front deck in the past week. It was just one storm after the other. The snow was definitely more than necessary. At the end of the week, there was one day where the weather couldn't make up it's mind. It was rainy, and then snowy... and then slush.

Slush = no good.

Here is a picture (from my phone, so it comes out a little blue) of the snow on my deck

What you can't see in this picture (because I couldn't get a good angle) is that the snow is leaning over the railing about 6 inches. It just leaned. I pulled an Aunt Heather and drew all over my picture to show ya'll.

We're expecting a little bit more this Friday and Saturday. And then again on the Thursday and Friday following. However, I am sure this will change another five times over the next week. The 10-day forecast changes every day!

I can't believe it's already been a month since Christmas! Crazy! I haven't posted about Christmas, so that is the next entry I have to do.