Christmas Fun with the Grandchildren...

Family fun playing games together

    We have enjoyed the past several days with our son Jeb, his wife Lisa and our grandchildren Olivia and Cole. When they arrived on Wednesday everyone was excited to see the abundant snow we had on the ground up here in the UP.

While here they enjoyed sledding down our hills, ice skating at a local rink in Pickford, snow shoeing and several evenings soaking in the hot tub. Grandma cooked up some fantastic meals and we enjoyed playing both board games and card games together. It was an enjoyable time together that went far too quickly. 

Lisa and Olivia heading back up our hill with the sled

A nice sled ride in the woods

Jeb, Olivia and Lisa skating at Pickford arena

 

Grandma hauling Olivia and Cole down to the sledding hill

 Grandma and Cole got a bit off course on their sled run

Cole and Roman enjoying the snowy outdoors

Christmas Fun and a some not so fun...

Daddy (Sawyer), Mommy (Karen) & Uncle Alan playing with Haddon

      Our family Christmas adventures started with a trip downstate to have a family celebration together at Joyce's sister's home on Sunday the 23rd. We stayed with Joyce's parents for a couple of nights while down in the Mason area. We had two new additions to the Stuart Christmas; Haddon, born this past summer to Karen (our niece) & Sawyer, at his first Christmas, and Melinda a lovely young lady from North Carolina, recently engaged to our youngest nephew, Scott. We were missing our daughter Jenni, who is enjoying a month in South Africa with her boyfriend Songo and his family, and Lisa stayed home with our granddaughter Olivia who was recovering from the flu. We had a great time together, enjoying a wonderful dinner, opening presents (the kids), playing games and watching a slideshow of our nephew Alan's recent mission trips to Africa.

Cole enjoying his new truck with his Great Aunt Nancy

Haddon checking out his new outfit...Sawyer seems to smell something, 

might be time for a new diaper!

 Great grandpa playing with Cole

Nap time for Scott & Melinda

     Joyce and I drove home to the UP on Monday. Some time during the night we both ended up with the flu...so Christmas day was not one we would love to repeat any time soon. We received an e-mail letting us know we weren't the only ones down with the flu...Scott, Melinda & Jeff (our brother-in-law) all came down with the flu the same night we did. Jeb & Lisa were planning to come up Christmas day but delayed until Wednesday to give us a chance to recover. By Wednesday we were much better off and were able to enjoy our Christmas a day late. 

Olivia & Cole opening a gift from Aunt Jenni

The kids and Lisa enjoying Jenni's Photobook

Of course Cole thought the box it came in was more fun

 The kids helping Grandma open a gift

Olivia with her new pull-over towel that Grandma made her for Christmas

 Cole enjoyed playing with the ribbon

Cole would rather stand than rock in his rocking chair

     After enjoying a nice supper together Jeb, Lisa and Olivia went outdoors to enjoy some time in the hot tub. A great way to top off our delayed Christmas.

 With temps in the teens the hot water feels pretty good

After her daddy dared her, Olivia made several runs through the snow in her bathing suit. The hot tub made for a quick recovery.

Merry Christmas everyone!

It's Looking Like Christmas..

     Shortly after daybreak yesterday morning it started to snow. It came down all day long at a steady pace and by 4 in the afternoon we had 6 or 7 inches of fresh snow on the ground. I got the snowblower out and blew out the drive and various walking paths we have while Joyce shoveled the the porch, deck and apron in front of the garage. It continued to snow and by the time we woke up this morning there was at least another 7 or 8 inches on the ground that we cleaned out yesterday. Needless to say there is no doubt we will have a white Christmas in Michigan's UP.

The trailer is buried in snow...it is ready head to Arizona for sure!

 Here's the hot tub and deck a few days ago

This is the hot tub and deck this morning again covered with more snow since we cleared it yesterday afternoon

I shot this thru the window in the den last night...the LP tank seems to have grown in size

Decorating for Christmas at Home in the UP

     Last week we headed out across our property, with saw in hand, to pick out our Christmas Tree. After about a half and hour or so we found one that we felt would be just right. It turned out we made a good decision and the price was just right...a little bit of labor! 

    

     Joyce, aka Thimbleberry, loves to decorate for Christmas so I thought I would post a few pictures of some of her handy work. If you put on some nice Christmas music and just look around a bit it puts you in the mood for Christmas.

 Even the dining room got a nice dress up for Christmas

     I went out the other night, before we got fresh snow, and took a few pics of the outside lights. After that I decided to have a little fun moving the camera in an arc while taking pics of the colorful lights outside. Enjoy!

Our First Measurable Snow

     Yesterday morning we woke up to roughly 4 inches of fresh snowfall. It is the first measurable snow out where we live this year. This makes it look more like Christmas for sure. It came at just the right time as we have been cutting, hauling and stacking firewood for the past couple of months. We finished the firewood project just last Thursday.

 Our trailer is getting anxious to leave the cold for warmer climates come January

 Snowy scene looking towards my workshop

 Time to put the gaiters on when we go walking in the woods

It's fun to see the deer tracks in the snow while out walking thru the woods

Love the fresh snow hanging on the spruce branches

Time to Decorate the Tree...

Cole is busy helping mommy with the ribbon

    After bringing home the freshly cut Christmas tree it was time to trim it. The kids had fun helping out. Even Cole at 15 months old tried to get in on the action when possible. He kept putting ornaments on the tree then removing them a minute or two later. 

Cole checking out the reflection of the lights in the fireplace glass doors

    Later in the evening it was time for Olivia, Grandma and Aunt Jenni to work on a Gingerbread house.

Olivia enjoying the Gingerbread House

Cole playing with Aunt Jenni's hat

    We did got to celebrate Christmas early with Jenni as she will be spending a month in South Africa over the holidays. She is shown here modeling some new clothes she received for Christmas.