We celebrated Christmas with my family the weekend before we left for Pennsylvania. So much fun!
We played a round of Scrabble while Rich and gram watched the end of the Colts game.
We played a round of Scrabble while Rich and gram watched the end of the Colts game. Kalee couldn't wait to open presents, of course!
And the present of the day (well, all of Christmas actually) was Silly Time (a silly band watch), from Grammie. Kalee was THRILLED when she opened the present and jumped up to give Grammie a hug.
Gram carefully opened her presents, so as not to disrupt Daisy. Daisy certainly has the life...
I got my momma a new cardigan that I really wanted to keep!
We all chipped in and gave my Dad a new set of golf clubs. He was shocked and very excited! :)
I got my momma a new cardigan that I really wanted to keep!We all chipped in and gave my Dad a new set of golf clubs. He was shocked and very excited! :)And of course, we had our DELICIOUS Lasagne for dinner. It was so good!
We left for Pennsylvania the Wednesday before Christmas. Crystal, Kelly and Charley also drove up and we went straight to Mike and Liisa's so I could snuggle my new nephew!!! Oh, and see Mike, Liisa and Aaron, too! :)
On Thursday, Rich's Uncle Dale took us on a hay ride to pick out our Christmas tree. It was COLD, but Kalee and Charley had an abolute blast on the ride.
Our plan was to go pick a nice, small 5 foot tree...but then we found this beautiful 9 ft tree. It was meant to be - it fit perfectly!
The kiddo's watching Grammie T pop popcorn on the wood stove...
and then we strung it to decorate the tree! That was an experience! When I was little, we spent a Christmas at my Great-Grandma's farm in West Virginia. I don't remember much, but I do remember cutting down a real tree and stringing popcorn for decoration. I wanted Kalee to have some of those memories and we definitely had fun making them! 
Kalee, loving on Colton.
and making snowflake decorations for the tree. This is another memory of mine - I think she enjoyed making the snowflakes! (What I definitely DID NOT realize is how much work goes into making memories...stringing the popcorn was a chore and prepping the snowflakes for glitter was work, too! Oh well, it was worth it!)
Our finished tree! It was special, for sure. We all got tired of stringing popcorn and decided that whatever we had completed is what was going to make it on the tree! Good times!
Santa Claus, aka Uncle Dale, stopped by on Christmas eve. Kalee thought it was great, but Charley and Aaron weren't so sure!
I had gotten matching pajamas for Kalee and Charley - and they were so stinkin' cute! Aaron and Colton's pajamas were similar and sure made for an adorable picture! 
Opening presents on Christmas day was so enjoyable - I loved watching the kids! Aunt Liisa gave Kalee a super cute ornament with her name on it. 
Uncle Richie and Daddy (Mikie) setting up Aaron's new train set. I hope it is hours of fun for Aaron and helps Liisa get little breaks! :)
Kalee and Aaron in their sweaters from Aunt Betsy and Uncle Stevie. 
Kalee, trying out her new roller blades! It was so cold, so we took turns going outside with her for a few minutes at a time! I don't think she felt the cold at all...
Our plan was to go pick a nice, small 5 foot tree...but then we found this beautiful 9 ft tree. It was meant to be - it fit perfectly!The kiddo's watching Grammie T pop popcorn on the wood stove...and then we strung it to decorate the tree! That was an experience! When I was little, we spent a Christmas at my Great-Grandma's farm in West Virginia. I don't remember much, but I do remember cutting down a real tree and stringing popcorn for decoration. I wanted Kalee to have some of those memories and we definitely had fun making them! Kalee, loving on Colton.and making snowflake decorations for the tree. This is another memory of mine - I think she enjoyed making the snowflakes! (What I definitely DID NOT realize is how much work goes into making memories...stringing the popcorn was a chore and prepping the snowflakes for glitter was work, too! Oh well, it was worth it!)Our finished tree! It was special, for sure. We all got tired of stringing popcorn and decided that whatever we had completed is what was going to make it on the tree! Good times!Santa Claus, aka Uncle Dale, stopped by on Christmas eve. Kalee thought it was great, but Charley and Aaron weren't so sure!I had gotten matching pajamas for Kalee and Charley - and they were so stinkin' cute! Aaron and Colton's pajamas were similar and sure made for an adorable picture! Opening presents on Christmas day was so enjoyable - I loved watching the kids! Aunt Liisa gave Kalee a super cute ornament with her name on it. Uncle Richie and Daddy (Mikie) setting up Aaron's new train set. I hope it is hours of fun for Aaron and helps Liisa get little breaks! :)Kalee and Aaron in their sweaters from Aunt Betsy and Uncle Stevie. Kalee, trying out her new roller blades! It was so cold, so we took turns going outside with her for a few minutes at a time! I don't think she felt the cold at all...
We didn't have a white Christmas, but it finally made its way to us the night after Christmas. Kalee made a few quick trips outside to play in it, after dark.
Rich's mom lives in his great-grandparents house, which is a 1920s Sears kit home. There is no insulation in the walls and it isn't sealed up too well, in general! The evening and day of the snowstorm the wind was gusting around 50 miles per hour...which meant the snow found it's way through the storm window and the regular window...and floated onto Rich's head throughout the night! He was a little grouchy when he woke up that morning! :)
It was sooooooo cold the day after the snow storm but the girls could not wait to go out and play in the snow. Crystal figured that Charley wouldn't make it 2 minutes out in the wind and she was right!
She was right! Kalee, on the other hand, stayed outside for HOURS! Thank goodness for snow pants and boots! It helped that Daddy and Uncle Mike were outside, too, and that there was a SNOWMOBILE! Kalee thought that was great!
So COLD!!!!!
A pic of the house.
Crystal finally agreed to leave the warmth of the house to take a ride on the snowmobile!
Kalee had a blast playing on the frozen pond. It made mommy a little nervous, but Rich assured me that the ice was at least 7-10 inches thick and that all was ok!
Uncle Kelly had brought up walkie talkies that we used while we were driving up from Georgia. He sent one with Kalee when we went back to the pond and she had a blast updating him with her every move. She was dancing on the ice, rolling on the ice, slipping on the ice, etc...and he got a blow by blow update!
Teresa was going to surprise us all with a dog sledding tour, but the snow messed up her plan! When there is no snow they run the sleds on wheels...but there was too much snow to use the wheels (wouldn't be able to brake) and there wasn't enough snow to run the sleds on ski's. So...we got to meet the dogs, instead!
Kalee thought the dogs were great...and they liked her, too. So much so, that one of them peed on her while she was petting him! EEEEEK! She took it like a champ, though! Again, thank goodness for the waterproof snowsuit!
It was sooooooo cold the day after the snow storm but the girls could not wait to go out and play in the snow. Crystal figured that Charley wouldn't make it 2 minutes out in the wind and she was right!
She was right! Kalee, on the other hand, stayed outside for HOURS! Thank goodness for snow pants and boots! It helped that Daddy and Uncle Mike were outside, too, and that there was a SNOWMOBILE! Kalee thought that was great!
So COLD!!!!!
A pic of the house.
Crystal finally agreed to leave the warmth of the house to take a ride on the snowmobile!
Kalee had a blast playing on the frozen pond. It made mommy a little nervous, but Rich assured me that the ice was at least 7-10 inches thick and that all was ok!
Uncle Kelly had brought up walkie talkies that we used while we were driving up from Georgia. He sent one with Kalee when we went back to the pond and she had a blast updating him with her every move. She was dancing on the ice, rolling on the ice, slipping on the ice, etc...and he got a blow by blow update!
Teresa was going to surprise us all with a dog sledding tour, but the snow messed up her plan! When there is no snow they run the sleds on wheels...but there was too much snow to use the wheels (wouldn't be able to brake) and there wasn't enough snow to run the sleds on ski's. So...we got to meet the dogs, instead!
Kalee thought the dogs were great...and they liked her, too. So much so, that one of them peed on her while she was petting him! EEEEEK! She took it like a champ, though! Again, thank goodness for the waterproof snowsuit!
Such beautiful dogs...
I love being around my sister-in-law's! 
Kalee enjoyed being outside MUCH more on this day. The wind was finally gone and she was plenty warm!
The whole gang... It was such a wonderful trip and I am so glad that we got to spend time together. We had lots of discussions trying to convince Mike and Liisa to move south...we'll see what happens! 
