Nya and Elli have always referred to winter as “snowy time”… 

there are four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Snowy Time!

While Michigan has been a little confusing in that way for them (and a little disappointing for my snow-loving husband), I AM NOT complaining! I am the outcast of the family in this way. I enjoy a good day of sledding and snow-man making once or twice a year, but am quite content to have clear sidewalks, non-slippery roads, and green grass to look at!

So, although we may lack for snow to play in, we haven’t lacked for fun ways to enjoy this winter season together. 

Here are a few of our favorite moments thus far…

 Baking apple pie!

Thanksgiving was small, simple, and full of sweet delights…
 

 Cinnamon rolls and coffee for breakfast!

Carving the turkey

After watching the parade and gorging ourselves on deviled eggs and chips & dip, we sat down for our yummy Thanksgiving meal…

 

 The evening was spent watching old home videos of when the girls were just babies and toddlers ~

what precious memories to share together and remind us of so many things to be thankful for!

Now, Let’s Bust Out That Tree!

 Nya and Elli proudly hung every ornament this year, exactly where they wanted them!
(and I have to say it looks pretty darn cute!)

Hot Cocoa In The Garage Attic?

Why not?

 It was time to “winterize”… 

(maybe if we winterize then the snow will come?)

… so hubby had an ingenious idea to show the girls how “a pulley system” works in real life 

(since they’d learned about it from Sid The Science Kid)

We all worked together to lift our patio furniture, bike stroller, and other items into the attic to be stored for the winter. Even the girls got hoisted up and down with the pulley!

After our work was done, I had a different ingenious idea…
Hot Cocoa and Coffee in the Attic!
(why do most of my fun ideas seem to revolve around food and drink in some way?)

 We enjoyed visiting and dreaming about all of our favorite things…

and in our “favorite worlds” conversation, 3 out of 4 of us regarded snow as a key element 🙂

 Elli baking cookies for our friends and neighbors!

And The Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For!

 Each year Saint Joseph puts on quite a light show on the bluff above Lake Michigan in downtown. It’s all set to music with all kinds of characters and Christmas scenes. This show goes every night through February, but the opening night becomes quite a festival.

 This year they had “live mannequins” in the windows of all the downtown shops posing in different nostalgic Christmas scenes. The girls loved that part!

 … but when Santa suddenly moved and came to window to say hello to Elli she hid in embarrassment 🙂

MERRY CHRISTMAS

and

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!!!