We are blessed to be able to spend Christmas this year with Grandpa L, Derick's dad. To share with relatives across the country, here's some photos from our holiday:
We've drunk a lot of cocoa and tea this weekend. It hasn't been too cold, but it's been nice to play outside and warm up with cocoa and marshmallows. Here's Grandpa with the boys and their friend. (Check out the iPad, which Derick uses for recipes in the kitchen. He's so 21st century. If you look in its screen, you can see me taking the picture.)
Derick's cousin and his family came to spend the holiday with her family. Here the boys spend time with their second cousin, like they've been best friends for years. They really hit it off.
(BTW, you can tell one of these three doesn't live in Minnesota!)
Larson males hit the mall: We went to the Mall of America Christmas Eve. TOTALLY my husband's idea. No one believes me when I say it's empty in the morning, so here's proof.
The new Lego store is open. Grandpa took the boys to do their Christmas shopping. Rowan was spastic. He could not decide. He finally found something on this wall.
We followed the Mall with an outing to our favorite restaurant,
Three Squares. This photo gives a little physical proof that this has been the snowiest December in Minnesota history: notice how the snow gets to at least their knees. These guys are both around 6'4".
The boys Christmas Eve transfixed by Norad Santa. I think he was in Argentina by the time they went to bed.
We went for our traditional Christmas sled at Elm Creek this year. Here's Derick and I, me with my new scarf. Thanks, honey. (You can see me taking my own picture if you look in my sunglasses.
Grandpa didn't sled, but he watched out for safety at the bottom of the hill. I took a picture of him (at his request) in front of a very funny sign:
See, the sledding hill is above the beach area, which is drained in the fall and laid open for sledding when snow comes. Thank GOODNESS the beach was closed today, because it was NOT bathing suit weather!
Sledding. Whoppee!
The Larson males at the end of our driveway, demonstrating how high the drifts are. Again, these grown-ups are at least 6'4". Rowan is at the top of the drift, and he towers over them. And we're supposed to get more snow before the new year rolls in.
At least more shoveling will allow me to work off more pie.
Here's to good Christmas memories.
We've drunk a lot of cocoa and tea this weekend. It hasn't been too cold, but it's been nice to play outside and warm up with cocoa and marshmallows. Here's Grandpa with the boys and their friend. (Check out the iPad, which Derick uses for recipes in the kitchen. He's so 21st century. If you look in its screen, you can see me taking the picture.)
Derick's cousin and his family came to spend the holiday with her family. Here the boys spend time with their second cousin, like they've been best friends for years. They really hit it off.
Larson males hit the mall: We went to the Mall of America Christmas Eve. TOTALLY my husband's idea. No one believes me when I say it's empty in the morning, so here's proof.
The new Lego store is open. Grandpa took the boys to do their Christmas shopping. Rowan was spastic. He could not decide. He finally found something on this wall.
We followed the Mall with an outing to our favorite restaurant, Three Squares. This photo gives a little physical proof that this has been the snowiest December in Minnesota history: notice how the snow gets to at least their knees. These guys are both around 6'4".
The boys Christmas Eve transfixed by Norad Santa. I think he was in Argentina by the time they went to bed.
We went for our traditional Christmas sled at Elm Creek this year. Here's Derick and I, me with my new scarf. Thanks, honey. (You can see me taking my own picture if you look in my sunglasses.
See, the sledding hill is above the beach area, which is drained in the fall and laid open for sledding when snow comes. Thank GOODNESS the beach was closed today, because it was NOT bathing suit weather!
The Larson males at the end of our driveway, demonstrating how high the drifts are. Again, these grown-ups are at least 6'4". Rowan is at the top of the drift, and he towers over them. And we're supposed to get more snow before the new year rolls in.
I made this layout with our tree from last year. I wanted to journal a lot about the significance of each ornament here, but I just decided to simplify the concept--who wants to read a ton about inanimate objects anyway?--and wrote the basics around the outer edge. I used my Coluzzle for the circles, then used leftover Christmas products for the rest. Our decorations are done, with the final exception of the stockings, which we hang before bed Christmas Eve.