The Land of Snow and Ice

First it Snowed

Then it iced

Nala dragged me out of the house before breakfast to collect icicles to save in the freezer for summer time.

Then it snowed some more

The view from the front of our house

a nearby lake at sunset

When a girl in a red and white dress plays with a gigantic candy cane, you take a picture

and she knows that you think she's beautiful

and when a ninja comes at you?

The heat goes out, when it's below 30 outside, and it's an opportunity for a family slumber party.  We should do this every night to cut down on heating bills.

Love my new wide angle camera lens (google made the picture sparkly somehow):

Our excitement about prepping for a trip to Europe for Christmas and New Years had the tire popped.  Mariano caught the Chicken Pox on Monday.  Chicken Pox as an adult sucks more than as a kid.  I feel so bad for him.

So we thought we weren't going, since the kids are not vaccinated and therefore will probably come down with it after the 10-20day incubation period.  But then we thought deeply about the implications: train tickets, already forgone work income, and the reality that we wont get the opportunity to reschedule until next winter.  I decided that I'd rather need to extend the trip in Europe and wait in a hotel or family member's house for the kids to complete the virus, than miss out on the trip with only a possibility that they might come down with it.

So now we are going.  Hopefully Mariano is up to the trip tomorrow.  He's not contagious anymore, which was a major concern.  I'm so nervous about getting sick out there that I don't feel excited about the trip anymore.  Just hoping things work out.