Christmas morning 2014

Christmas felt very magical this year.

There wasn't any talk of Santa or American Girl dolls so I was worried some of the childlike wonder would be minimized.  Surprisingly-I think we all felt that it may have been our most favorite Christmas yet.  The girls knew a few of their gifts ahead of Christmas morning and were thrilled with their surprises!  I was thrilled with the music going on Christmas morning with their new instruments!

 ...a guitar

a lap harp...

....a dulcimer

And waking up to a white Christmas was like icing on the cake.

Snowshoeing- Mueller Park Canyon

falling snow

I get a pit in my stomach when I think of icy roads, cold toes, snow in March...winter.

But even I can appreciate the beauty in the snow falling.

It makes everything it touches look a bit more magical.

a weekend in Huntsville

One of our very favorite families, the Freemans, invited us to their vacation home in Huntsville!

It was a weekend filled with great friends, food, games, tubing, ice skating and laughing!

Thank you Tom and  Jenny!!!!

xoxoxo  

snowshoeing

If you know me at all...

you would know that winter is not my favorite.

I am tired of despising this cold season---

and I am making an effort to get to know it a little better.

So, when Danny and the girls asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, I chose snowshoeing!

We bought snowshoes for the whole family (and I bought some more serious snow boots!) and we headed out!  We had received SOOOO much snow this week- we decided not to head out to the mountain spot we planned---and instead trek the golf course by our house.

We LOVED it!!!!!

We were warm outside as snow was falling!

The exercise was invigorating!!! 

(we kept it at a comfortable pace for the girls)

The fresh clean air made us sooooo happy!