Fall leaves took their time falling...but before we knew it, winter officially arrived as a huge snow, wind and ice storm hit.  Big soft flakes that pile up fast.  Then small icy ones that the wind blew everywhere. Topped off with sleet and freezing  rain that encased everything it touched.

 I managed to get out and shoot a few photos before the ice covered things.

Once the winds hit, there was no going outside for a while.

I am really fascinated how it dripped from every plank of wood on the house.

 and how it only froze on one side of the pipe below

 when it was finally safe to drive, I got a few shots of the area

and here are a few more shots from the yard...

 the final leaves and flowers 

Spring flowers that came a bit too early.

 below is the same hedge..with ice and with snow.

 I think it is pretty fun to see what animals have been in the yard in the snow.  Normally we would not have known.  I found deer and raccoon and of course birds and cat.

 a little snow and ice didn't keep the fishermen from hiking down to the river to fish.

 With all the leaves gone from the trees below, you can see the river all the way along, especially with the snow to outline it.

Here is the same view of the trees that  I ended with last month

I really love how Christmas lights look under snow.

we couldn't see out the windows for a few days.

 yep, its true...the mailman is out...but the trash man didn't make it for a week.

 The last of the snow just hung on.

 It had melted off enough that we were able to celebrate Lina's second birthday.  I just don't want my youngest grandbaby to be 2 years old already!

It is so cute how shy they become when they are the full center of attention while everyone sings Happy Birthday to them.  She loved it!

We have had some pretty views of the mountains with that new snow.

My Mom had to go in for some surgery.  While she was in, the three of us girls decorated her room.  Here is her view when she woke up.  We used the reindeer she painted us a few years back.  It has been a couple of weeks and she is recovered and better than before! Dad sure makes a great nurse! 

Getting ready for Christmas

Ready!

 We had a few small get togethers this year at our house.  The first one was with the neighbors. Then individual family dinners with my parents and sisters.  

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 The mirrors in the living room reflected the tree so pretty!

 Arianna did not agree with my arrangement of the nativity scene.  Every time she came over, she would push them all together.  She said it was because 'they all wanted a closer look at Baby Jesus".

 Bazzel's new favorite spot.

Emily and Joshua spent a few days here with us while John and Rachel celebrated their 20th anniversary.  Another 'no way' for me...my kids have been married 20 years??!!!

While they were here, Emily helped me finish up shopping for some final items.

We had a fun time bowling with them.

This was the first year that John and his family did not have Christmas with us on Christmas Eve.  Every year since they have been married, Rachel's parents have worked around the traditions that we have had, celebrating a week before or earlier in the day.  They moved to Klamath Falls a couple of years ago.  This year John and Rachel decided to take a train to celebrate with them on Christmas. So we celebrated with them a week earlier for once.  We played a new game.  I wrapped up all kinds of things in a huge ball of plastic wrap.  One person begins unwrapping, while a second person rolls a dice until they get doubles.  Everything they unwrap on their turn, they get to keep.  After that we had a soup bar.  I made 4 kinds of soup, Tortilla, Goulash, Pasta Fagioli, and Homemade noodles with chicken, along with homemade rolls.  For dessert we had caramel banana pie, key lime pie, Christmas cookies and candy that I had made.

We also had a Veras grandkid sleepover. 

And suddenly it was Christmas Eve. We started out the day opening gifts with Dennis, Abby, Gabe and Daniel via Skype.  Oh how thankful I am for Skype.  It makes it more bearable that I can see them and feel a little part of their day.  Both boys seemed to like what I picked out for them, which made me pretty happy.

 (There are two dinner table photos because they both are blurry on the front or the back of the table.) We had the Veras family for our traditional dinner.  This year it was spiral ham, potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green beans, homemade rolls, finished off with cheesecake and birthday cake for Jesus.  Josiah has decided he is the official prayer at dinnertime now.  I am pretty amazed at his level of prayer...he sounds so adult, well, except for when he asked God to help everybody not get time out.

Arianna...so full of joy and excitement.  I think she would have screamed just the same if it was something she didn't want.  

 You would have thought it was Josiah's first garbage truck, he was so happy.

 Lina loves her babies.  She always has one tucked under her arm.

The girls didn't even have all the furniture in place before Josiah had the tiny trash cans placed by the back door and  his truck backed up to the house picking up the trash.

and why do you think this was their favorite piece of furniture?

Lina loves shoes...and now her fascination is with the ties.  She will sit forever trying and trying to tie.

 Candelight Christmas Eve Service at our church.

Christmas Day dinner was at my parents' place.

 This is a shot left over from Thanksgiving, but I think it is pretty funny how everyone has a phone on it nowadays.  

 The final excitement for the month is that Joshua now has his permit!  Look out everyone!