My Heart Belongs to Baileys Harbor

Aaron and I spent the weekend in Baileys Harbor for my birthday! We stayed at a new place this year, The Harbor Inn, which was so wonderful that we won't be staying anywhere else from now on! We spent two days just driving around, taking pictures, and enjoying the quiet of winter in Door County.



We laughed about this neighborhood watch sign for quite awhile...

...since these deer were the only living souls we saw that might need "watching", besides a lone cross-country skiier...

 

The woods were incredibly quiet...

The lake was impossibly blue...

There is nowhere I'd rather spend my time...

Than wandering in winter with you!

The sun warmed us, the water met the ice...

The sights were really spectacular...

The shoreline was covered with crystal-clear ice, made all the more brilliant when set against the blue of sky-on-water.

 

 

 

The view from our amazing suite...waves crash on the shore of our own private beach. One we will for sure be returning to in warmer weather...and then again in winter. We needed this trip to reconnect, just breathe and be togther. We made stupid jokes. I laughed until my stomach hurt. We found many treasures, ate awesome food, slept in each morning and lived for the moment. I always feel as though a piece of me stays in Door County even after we leave...waiting for me to find it again the next time we return.

Maxwell

*11:30pm*

Max: "Mom, are Space Marines super heroes?"

*5:30am*

Max: "Mom, why does hot sauce make your mouth feel like fire?"

YOU ARE CUTE, BUT GO TO BED!

Snowy Day Up North

Family Christmases

 

 

 

Vivid Imagination

Liam is such a voracious reader, and I'm so proud of him. Aaron and I still like to read to him every night, though, and I think that's really important. Listening to my mom read a book or tell a story before bedtime are some of my favorite memories. It's also time when I can be alone with each boy and concentrate on them without interruption.

Max drifts off quickly after I leave his room, but Liam is allowed to stay up and read for awhile. He usually reads Junie B. Jones, his Lego Club magazine, his Night Sky Atlas...anything, really! He recently got a boxed set of Harry Potter school books for Christmas, including "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". He is very into this book and has been telling me all about the creatures he's read about. The other night, however...he came upstairs crying and said his book had scared him. He is usually honest about being scared, but never really truly terrified. This night, he was terrified. I calmed him down and we talked about it for awhile...then he went to bed with no problem.

I remembered the book tonight when I was reading "The Hobbit" to him, and took the book upstairs with me to see which part of the book had scared him. I found it withouth much trouble...because it scared me, too!!!

The Lethifold (also known as a Living Shroud) is a carnivorous and highly dangerous magical creature. Its appearance resembles that of a black cloak roughly half an inch thick, although it gets thicker if the Lethifold has recently digested a victim. It glides along the ground and other surfaces in an unknown form of locomotion, in search of its prey, humans. It attacks its prey at night, when the target is asleep, and suffocates and digests it in its bed. (www.harrypotter.wikia.com)

Holy crap, J.K. Rowling...that's some scary stuff right there!! Poor Liam!!

*Disclaimer - Auntie Sarah, from whom Liam received this book, should rest assured - he was back reading it the next day!

Cousin Gag-Gift Exchange

Kelsey left her elf shoes at the North Pole...so Jason returned them...

Jason had a difficult semester...so Kimberly got him his very own "Dammit Doll" to let out his frustrations.

Now all he needs to do is grasp his doll by the legs and slam it against the wall while yelling "Dammit!" to feel better.

Sarah received a lovely pair of street signs from Alex...it's a long story...

Alex got an interactive gift from Sarah that included a letter to read aloud...

With a lot of "air quotes"...

Megan stopped by for a visit...she's on the mend...

And Aaron and I got a lovely family portrait from Kelsey...I'll have to get a picture of that up soon!
It was another banner year for Cousin Gift Exchange! Can't wait until next year!

Christmas 2012

The boys begged to sleep on the couch to do a "stakeout" for Santa! They fell fast asleep before he arrived...

Santa brought Liam a Nintendo 3DS and games...he was super excited!

And Max finally got the Packer uniform and helmet he's been pining over for months!

Santa leaves "North Pole" snow in the living room when he's putting out presents. It is very magical and does not melt.

After Santa gifts and packing up the car, we drove north to Grandma Karen's!

Alex took the red-eye from L.A. to spend the day with us! The boys were so excited to see him!

And Max can't resist wrestling with anyone who'll let him! Good thing Kelsey is easily convinced!

"Uncle Grass" can always get a belly laugh out of Max!

The boys saw "A Christmas Story" for the first time this year...and Grandpa Howie got them both their own Red Ryder Carbide Action BB Guns! AND safety glasses, so they won't "shoot their eye out!"

Max was a little afraid of his gun, but Liam was speechless!

He and grandpa practiced how to hold it, and even set up a target in the basement to do some shooting!

And Auntie Kimmy found fluffy puppies that look just like Ellie! Liam misses her so much when we're gone...he snuggled his pretend Ellie quite a bit!

We also celebrated with Aaron's family the Friday before Christmas. I forgot my camera that night, but we had a great dinner, watched some Christmas classics, opened gifts and laughed a lot! It was a great Christmas, despite Grandma Arlene being in the hospital for heart surgery and crazy schedules for everyone...we were able to spend quiet days relaxing together while the snow fell outside. Those are my favorite kinds of days...