Bring on the snow...PART 1

Tis the season...we are loving the change in climate. First of all, I have to apologize about Christmas letters... I actually ran out this year...that is what happens when you leave so many wonderful people. Next year I will hopefully be able to order more and plan ahead...so here goes another monthly update. This one is chocked full of winter cheer...love to all:)

************************************************************************************* I need to do this in parts so here is part one... ************************************************************************************ So for Thanksgiving we had Kristian's family from Portland down and his mom from California. It was a great day of Thanks and we really loved the time with Grandma! ******************************************************************************** *********************************** The cousins played... ******************************** *********************************************************************** ****************************** Grandma entertained... ****************************** ************************************************************************************ And the girls hammed it up as usual... ************************************************************************************ Then December came in with a roar... ************************************************************************************ We braved the tallest peak on the Oregon coast...remember we are used to Arizona...we were freezing!! It was a good thing we went when we did though because soon after, the snow came in and they closed it down for the season... We got a new van and took a celebratory drive out to Finley wildlife refuge...it is pretty cool...yes we belong here...they have a Finley road, Finley wildlife refuge, Avery road and Avery park...could we have picked a more perfect place? Crummy picture, I know...but it captures the moment for us...and when I ever get around to making this blog into a memory book, I want all the moments I can:) ************************************************************************************ The snow hit the day Drew and Stormi were suppose to get in from Hawaii...Kristian spent several hours making it about 30 miles and had to turn back. They don't plow much here because they don't get a lot of snow...but it hit this year hard...The next day Kristian went up to Portland to get them and it took all day...it usually takes about an hour and a half to get there...so while he was gone, the girls and I enjoyed the snow...No longer my little sun babies!Our snow gear is pretty pathetic, so it was a little tough to make much of a snowman. It snowed much more than this first dusting a few days later and Uncle Drew took Avery down to the park and made a real snowman...nice and big like I remember snowmen being...ours was a nice attempt though... It snowed one time while we were in Arizona (unless you count up on the mountain)...we took Avery out and let her stand in it as it melted the minute it hit the ground...so this is very exciting for us:) I will do part 2 next...stay tuned for the Christmas festivities:)