Photo update before the New Year!

Our Christmas was wonderful. Busier than I had planned, but still enjoyable. Our meal turned out to be fabulous -- seriously, try some of the recipe links I posted -- they were absolutely delicious! It was so fun to enjoy Christmas through children's eyes, as well. The kids loved opening gifts, and loved everything the received. 

We went to my parent's house on Sunday for some snow playing time, which was a blast. This was really the first time the kids have actually played in the snow. We had tried taking them out last year, but they just didn't like it very much. This year, however, they were in love. They made snowballs, helped Nana make a snow-owl (very cute, by the way), pulled their little sled around and eventually played in the snow cave Carl built. All in all, it was one of the most fun days I've had in ages. I forgot how fun it can be to play in the snow! 

Well, I am off to bed. I will leave you with a few photos of our last week or so... 

Happy New Year! See you in 2009!

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Kids covered in flour while making gluten-free sugar cookies. They turned out delicious, and all three kids were able to help (most of our cookies were littered with fingerprints!). Also, this is one of the only pictures I have of all three kids together and smiling. A Christmas miracle!

Carl and I at Ciao Mambo, an Italian restaurant in Whitefish. We were able to escape Friday night to have dinner with four other couples, minus all 18 of our children. Seriously, there are really 18 of them between all five couples. Crazy, huh?! There actually may even be 20, I just can't remember how many one family has. :) 
Our view from our house. The Mission Mountain range in the Rockies, with Flathead Lake below. 
We saw this face frequently -- she kept getting stuck in the deep snow. It was pretty funny.

My Mom and Ave's in the snow cave. The loved it, but it scared me to death -- I could just imagine it collapsing on someone!
This is what CeCe looked like when she wasn't stuck. So cute!
Avery in the snow cave again. 
This looks posed, but it's really not. Cade fell in the snow, then looked up at my Mom and laughed. It is so cute, but makes me think of cheesy photo shoots!

The girls looking out the big window at all the snow after a long day of snowball making.