Trip Update

Our little northern exposure experience is, sadly, almost at an end. The weather got better and I got better at dealing with it, so I wouldn't say that frozen feet and fingers are the memories I will have of this vacation.

After it got a little warmer, it got a lot warmer! 50 degrees! Seriously! It rained because it was so warm it couldn't snow! I am glad we came when we did, though, because the snow drifts were just amazing when we got here...piles and piles and more piles that Alex played and rolled and dug around in. It was so much fun (to watch, that is).

We also caught up with all the Wisconsin friends. We haven't been in WI since September 2006, so it's been over 2 years. Since so many of Dan's friends have little kids, there was a really big difference to see! We had seen so many little babies last time(and had a little baby of our own), and now there were all these little preschoolers running around, talking, playing games, laughing and enjoying each other. It was really great to see.

Did you pack my mittens???

Apparently, we were not paying attention when the instructions on "how to go on vacation" were being given.

We left Honolulu and went to Wisconsin for our vacation. Not that Wisconsin doesn't have some lovely attractions: family, friends, snow, snow, more snow, and SNOW!

Alex has been LOVING the snow. I will post pictures when they are available. I forgot my camera battery charger in Hawaii, so I have to beg photos from Bette.

Dan and I are just trying to keep warm. In the past 3 years, our temperatures have ranged from 65ish to 95ish. Year round. Sure, we flew to Southern California last winter, but it got down to 45ish, maybe, at night. We were still in t-shirts and jeans during the day.

When we landed in Minnesota to change planes, the pilot announced, "Local time here in Minneapolis is 4:55 and the temperature is 8 below." Dan and I looked at each other and said, "8 below what??" Then we stepped off the plane, into that little walkway-tunnel-thing, which is NOT heated, btw, and both stopped midstep to declare that we'd had enough of winter and it was time to go home.

That is a small taste of how we are doing so far. I'll keep you posted. I'll leave with this happy thought: today we enjoyed what the folks up here call a heat wave. Yes, it was 23! Holy cow! People running around in their shorts and slathering on the sunscreen! Yeah...it's going to be an interesting week!

Gingerbread Fun

Alex and I made a gingerbread house today. We attended a fundraiser for Easter Seals Hawaii with 3 other teachers I work with and their kids. There were 10 of us all together and plenty of laughing, sugar and holiday spirit!

So, here are the ingredients. We actually brought some extra things, but this is what the "kit" included:



And here we start the building process...the walls go up with frosting and toothpicks. Alex thought it was hilarious that the glue was frosting. I mean, really, it was too funny to explain...."It's like the glue? But it's frosting? And it's yummy? Can I try it? Mmmmm...can I try some more?"

And the decorating begins....

I realized the gum drops might get pushed down when the roof went on, so we added the roof:


and continued the decorating. You can see that Alex's jaw is a little crooked here...that's because he is discovering the joy of eating gum drops. He popped one in his mouth and then mumbled to me "My teeths are stuck." At least, I think that's what he said! Granted, it did not stop him from eating them, of course!

Hmmm....where should the next candy go?

I'm starting to get bored of this whole thing...ok, not really, but maybe if Mom thinks I'm bored she won't notice when I decide that the perfect place for the candy is:

MY MOUTH!!

Seriously, I don't know what is up with that face, but he looks like a kid who does not get candy very often....his mom must be horrible :-)

And it continues...I added the miniweats for the roof...Alex was not interested in those. He can have those at home. He was much more into things that he doesn't see often. He was definitely into the "one for the house, one for me" mode of building/sharing.


About halfway through the whole experience, all that sugar kicked in. I tried to get Alex to stand next to the finished house and smile, but here was the best...yes, the BEST picture we could get!


So, here is a picture of the completed house by itself. Yes, I should have moved all the "construction mess" that was left over. Sorry. I was ready to get out of there by now!

Ok, one last photo of us.