What IS that white stuff on the ground?

Well we are 4 days into our vacation in MA, and it has been wonderful. The flight was VERY uneventful, which for me is good. Other than my iPod dying for no apparent reason... but that has since corrected itself. We are thinking that perhaps the high altitude did not agree with it.

Anyway, it has been fabulous seeing my sister again after over a year, and meeting my now 10-month-old nephew. Seeing Elliot as a full-fledged 3-year-old has been a delight as well. My older one seems to be adjusting well, but Sam is having a bit of a time. She refuses to dress warmly, to the point where she will sit in the room in nothing, screaming at the top of her lungs that she doesn't want to put on her clothes.

To which I say "ok then," and leave. What else am I going to do? She is as stubborn as her mother- and I am better at the game. :-D

It has been a shock to our systems I think, this cooler weather. Sam was all ready getting over a cold, my sisters boys were sick, then I got it, now Bret is getting it. Merry Christmas! But even thought my desert body is not used to the weather, I'm still in absolute heaven. I love it! It's going to be hard to leave the east, as it always is when I visit...

It hasn't all been sniffles and coughs. Tuesday my parents took the girls to see the Boston Pop's Christmas show, and Bret and I snuck away to finish our Christmas shopping. We also were reminded of how time-consuming it is having a baby with us, as we took little Jonah with us on our shopping trip. Not a bad thing, as he is a better traveller than I remember my girls being. Get baby in the car, put the stroller in the car, drive, park the car. Get the stroller out of the car, get the baby out of the car, etc etc etc... it was also a reminder that I am indeed finished with having children. LOL!

The girls made a snowman the first day we were here, and it still stands proud on the back deck. Yesterday we took all the kids into Boston to the aquarium, and that was a treat for them as well. Samantha really enjoyed watching the penguins be fed.

My parents left this morning for New York to pick up Dad's Aunt Anita and his sister Peggy (hopefully without too many obstacles related to the strike), and Andy comes in Friday night as well. Katie and I were reminiscing that we have not actually had a family Christmas ON Christmas in quite a number of years. I think we're more excited than the children about that!