O Holy Night...

...aka, our nutty family before we left for Christmas Eve mass....


















My parents have a beautiful home in the mountains at the base of Pikes Peak, altitude 9,000 ft. Their A-frame house is gorgeous against the backdrop of snowy pine trees and mountain vistas. We went on a walk Christmas day with some of my siblings, and to hear the wind rustling in the pines, and breathing the fresh (albeit somewhat thin) mountain air was invigorating. It is such a treat to be able to walk and hike and get a decent amount of exercise, without breathing in the city fumes. It is wonderful to spend time up in the snowy mountains, to have my kids come in from the frosty outdoors covered in snow, their cheeks pink and eyes snapping. We all fall into bed at night exhausted, but arise refreshed, ready for new adventures.

It's a much-needed change from our little postage stamp yard and daily routine.

And so, with this next storm system approaching... (Oh yes, there may be yet another blizzard on the way!)

We have decided to stick it out here, instead of cutting our vacation plans short and high-tailing it home early. I'm anticipating many hours spent in front of a roaring fire, reading, playing games, and visiting...

Sounds lovely, doesn't it?

:)