Lest you think our life is dull here...

(or Septic Guy Part III!)

 

I decided to brave the below zero weather to get a bird's eye view

of our latest landscape endeavor.

This is what happens when more than Jack Frost is nipping at your nose!

The septic guy returneth to dig up the yard a bit.

And here's the indoor view of how we lived through Christmas

with no drain field (only 8 days, but who's counting?)...

No water shall go down that drain!

One working shower for 10 people...

not a problem!

Dan made it all come out in the wash...

that's right, I still kept up with the laundry

(just a few minor plumbing changes).

Because this is the ingenious handy Dan water filtration system!

(Maybe someday, I'll even get the wall back in my laundry room.)

 

The best news of all... they tell us our system is back up and running as of 11AM today.

But really...who's counting?

 

 

 



Time for a haircut?

Dan says when he starts looking like a girl...

what do you think?

Still Celebrating Christmas

We celebrated a Viking's win yesterday in real style...

Grinch Punch

Francis approves of the green stuff.

Kids in the kitchen...guys in the living room.

 

Just a little more dip?

The required "Godfather Pic."



Christmas Joy!

Scenes from this morning...

This afternoon's fun...

And last but not least, we pulled this out...

just for you, Grandma!

We played a quarter for each winner.

It really is the simple things in life that make things special...

like this ornament that Timothy loved!

Merry Christmas!

We love you and miss you, Grandma and Grandpa!

 

 

 

 



Anticipation!

Yesterday I put everyone to work.

Some cleaned floors...

some cleaned furniture...

and some avoided me like the plague.

(He insisted that he was searching for Christmas music. Ha!)

Our little Santa who counts down to Christmas for us...

says there isn't much time left to prepare!

 So we finished off our cookie decorating...

and gathered together our crazy bunch...

 

to head off to Mass and

the beginning of the real celebration!

 

 

 

Just waitin' on Baby Jesus...

Yesterday we started baking our treats...

 Andrew made the fudge.

I tried my hand at cinnamon rolls and dinner rolls.

This year the kids wrapped nearly all of the presents.

Today, we worked our way through the cookie list...

Neapolitans

Some of the help was getting a little fatigued!

Matthew took over the cut-outs...

and Gabriel organized all of the finished product.

We had some fun when Fr. Aaron's mom dropped off these goodies.

 

And some bad news...that would be our septic guy.

It ain't a pretty site for the second time this month.

Really bad, bad news.

 

But we're still just waitin' for Baby Jesus!

 

 



O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!

It's that time of year when our whole family crams into the big

 van in search of the perfect Christmas tree.

 

There's a whole lot of craziness and fun...

 

and a quick detour to check out Dan's dream truck.

 

 Some people are very thrilled to be out in the snow...

 

 and some refuse to dress appropriately for a winter adventure.

(Really people...tennis shoes?)

 

 Some people get down to business right away and

start campaigning  for their tree...

 

and some people get side-tracked with snowballs...

and SOME people are having a bad day.

 

 Only one minor injury!

 

By then Dan has arrived with the necessary power tool.

Andrew is into really, really big trees...

and Therese just loves the itty bitty baby trees.

 Whoa, everybody has to take a break and check out the deer tracks.

 

 Here's most of the crowd!

Marianna's not interested in the perfect Christmas tree,

she's too busy eating snow.

Gabriel wants in on the snowball fight with his ginormous snowball.

Johnny votes for the tall tree with ready made room for lots of presents...

while Gabriel insists on a "huggable" tree.

Like I said before, this guy is just happy to be outside!

 

Ha! Gotcha, Clare!

 Santa added a new elf and a couple of extra reindeer...

 

and Gabriel finds a friend when we break for hot chocolate.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Stephen poses as the official tree holder.

Let the decorating begin!

Or chili binging, whatever the case may be.

Every year, when all the work is done, we sit back and

enjoy our "perfect" Christmas tree.

Great job, everybody!