Winter Happenings

We've been having lots of fun this winter despite bitter cold temperatures - it's been down to -6 in Boise! With Christmas sneaking up on us and a light dusting of snow on the ground, it feels like winter and like the holiday season.

The boys have enjoyed playing in the snow a bit. Cole couldn't wait to start "harvesting" snow for snow cones. We did that last year but by the time we got to the snow, it was a little less than snow cone worthy. Good thing I still have some from last year in the freezer:-) Mason discovered that snow is yummy to eat and kept bending over to get some on his hand to eat... until he toppled face first into it.

Last weekend we went downtown Meridian to watch the Winterland Parade with Jenny, Troy, and our friends the Daytons. It was fun though very chilly. We got a good spot that was out of the wind and the sun actually did warm us a little. It definitely was not the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but for Meridian, ID, it was our kind of fun! The kids got lots of candy and saw plenty of sports cars and Santa on the fire engine at the end! We attempted to go around the street fair after the parade but it was just too cold to be out longer than necessary.

The next day we headed to High Valley to meet up with Adam's family and cut down a Christmas tree. It has become one of the Bucher family traditions and I love it! A couple years ago I actually cut it down all by myself which I felt was quite an accomplishment. We picked one that we thought was perfect... about 22 feet or so! Then Adam chopped her down and Neil helped him drag it out. Too bad they didn't think to cut the extra 10 feet we didn't need off BEFORE killing themselves by dragging it a mile to the truck! We got it home and it is pretty much to the top of our 12 foot ceiling, I think the star touches the top! Adam helped me string the lights on and then Cole and I got all the ornaments put on. Mason helped a little until bedtime which came as a relief:-) Cole gave me a big speech about how he could only put the "unbreakable" ornaments on and that the "breakable" ones have to go up high on the tree. Apparently Cole had helped my mom decorate her tree the week before. Although it's not a perfectly manicured tree, I much prefer the character and fun of a personally cut down Christmas tree! We are also going to have really good luck this next year because we found a bird's nest in our Christmas tree!!! Isn't that the old wives tale? I'm sure it has something to do with good luck:-)

I'm so looking forward to Christmas at my parent's cabin in McCall this year. All the sibs are going to be there and it will be SO MUCH FUN!!!