White Christmas

Our house on the morning after Christmas after Rob shoveled the driveway

We had a White Christmas this year, maybe a little too white. It was the biggest Christmas Day snowfall on record for Denver. The drifts in our driveway were about 2' high!

Typically on holidays, we cram in visits with both families since both of our families are in town. However, with the 6" of snow that came within two hours on Christmas morning and the fact that Ethan, Ashleigh, and I were all getting over colds, we opted out of the drive to the Springs. I missed seeing my family, but we did make it over to my dad's for a little while and that trip of 2 miles took 45 minutes, round-trip, with lots of sliding on icy roads, so you can see why we made the decision not to drive the 80 miles to my sister's in Colorado Springs. After coming back home to get the truck, we did make it to my in-laws' house in Elizabeth and it was nice spending the day in one place since it snowed all day.

Other than being sick, Ethan's first Christmas was wonderful! He loved the paper and bows more than the actual gifts inside, but had lots of help from his big sister in opening presents. We gave Ashleigh a rocking horse that neighs and gallops when you push his ear, which she just loves! Ethan got an activity triangle play toy and holds onto it tightly when big sister is around. It's only a matter of time before he'll be stronger than she is and taking toys away from her.

Dressed up for church on Christmas Eve

Ethan sitting up, just before falling over again!

Ethan and Ashleigh hanging Christmas stockings

Ashleigh's new Rocking Horse

Ethan and Daddy on Christmas morning

We also started Ethan on solid foods two weeks ago and so far, he has had rice cereal, oatmeal, applesauce, and squash. His favorite is oatmeal with applesauce and a little cinnamon. I'm also making my own baby food, going off of advice from several friends who have done it with their kids. Extra special moment last week when Ethan said his first ma-ma when we were out Christmas shopping and he was getting hungry and annoyed that I wasn't stopping everything to feed him. Since he was looking right at me, I count it as his first word. We'll work on the da-das next now!

The Crested Butte Trip (that didn't happen...)

I know I promised pictures from our weekend ski trip and Ashleigh's first time on skis, however, after 15 hours in the car and 6 hours of waiting for Monarch pass to re-open after a multi-car accident and avalanche blasting, we decided to turn around. It was a hard choice, considering once we were up there, how awesome 40" of powder would be. That was the total over the past 24 hours and they had another foot and a half the day before. We're still hoping we can reschedule the trip for later in the season and not lose our money, but those are details to still work out.

We did make the most of our weekend by going back to the Springs and staying with my sister and her husband. We tried to go to Cave of the Winds on Saturday, but the road was closed due to icy conditions, so double 'doh! Third try was a charm and we took Ashleigh sledding in their driveway. She loved it and didn't care what we did, as long as it was with mom and dad. I even strapped on my board for a run down their driveway and over the jump we made, but it really wasn't the same as boarding on 3 feet of powder. Next time...

Is this road every going to open?!?

Leaving the Van Briggle Pottery factory in the Springs

Mommy, Daddy, and Ashleigh going sledding

Wheee!!!