I'll be having a white Christmas.

Well, here we are two day to Christmas.

Karl and I are currently enjoying our holiday season in middle of nowhere Alberta. We got in super super early Saturday morning due to a flight delay and her until Sunday. 

We're staying with my brother in law Christopher, his wife Natalie, and our brand new nephew, Michael, circa December 1st, 2013.

So far we've established that Karl and I should have a million babies because we're so good at soothing Michael. So says Natalie. Since we've arrived, Karl's taught him how to take a soother and I've been successful at calming him down even when he's full on raging at life. (Hint: blow in his face. It confuses the heck out of him and he forgets to freak out.)

We've also discovered that -20° is not as terrible as it sounds when it's a dry Albertan cold. -5° at home is whole other ballgame of cold and fear. If it was -20° at home all hell would break loose because that's the joy of a west coast humid cold.

For the first time ever, both Karl and I are off until January 6th. For me that's 16 days of no work and 17 for Karl. We had an impromptu Christmas gift exchange with my mom before we left for the airport, and we're having Dad over for Christmas on the 30th. I have no idea what we're doing for New Year's but we'll be heading over to the mainland on January 2nd to hang out with the Sevenhuysens and meet their newest addition. That's two brand new babies in less than two weeks, not to mention a toddler that we already know and love.

For now we're just really enjoying the down time that comes from visiting family outside of an actual city. There's no temptation to go shopping, aside from today's mandatory trip to the grocery store to get almond milk and Oreos. Okay, I got goat milk, too. It's my Albertan eggnog. 

Christopher and I watched The Fellowship of the Ring yesterday, the extended version, and I feel asleep twice. I was still a little jet-lagged from the hour time change and getting in at 3:30 in the morning. Karl and I took their dog Wishbone for a walk today because it was sitting closer to zero than it has been, and when we got back The Two Towers was on. I think a lot of this holiday will be spent cheering on Frodo and Sam. 

I'm still waiting for my moment to put on The Santa Clause, only THE best Christmas movie of all time. It's not Christmas without Tim Allen. It's going to happen tonight or tomorrow. I also haven't seen either of the sequels, but I think this is my year to splurge and get the other two. What do you think? Good or bad idea?

We also went to an Anglican church yesterday. Can I just say, that is way different from our Baptist church. We actually have Brethren roots, but we've been hitting the Baptist church for the past six months and love it. Instead of three services with a total congregation of 700 people, the Anglicans had about 25 people representing. Instead of a rock band, they had a piano player and hymnals. Nothing against the hymnals, but I didn't know any of the songs and there was a serious lack of Christmas songs. Christmas songs are some of the best, and we only get to sing them for about three or four weeks a year so I really like to make the most of it. Admit it, you do, too. And if you don't I don't want to hear it.

The big confusion happened with all the text books. Turn here in this book, turn there in this book, sing this song in this book, repeat after me in the first book, go back seven pages and read this out loud, now start singing for no reason, and everyone knows the answers to all the statements! I know "amen" but I'm pretty uncivilized after that.

Anyway, I hope you all have the merriest of Christmases and post lots of photos of them. I love looking at other people's Christmas pictures! Even if it's of decorations. Much love!