All the same trees. Corner of Beach Ave and Lincoln Way, Ames. ISU Maple Residence Hall in the background.
October, 2009...
October 2010...
December 2010...
I definitely know which one is more pleasant...
But, the days are getting longer, surely we're on the downhill side...yeah, right.
Sunday night we had a freezing fog move in and Monday morning we were greeted with a truly white world...
Our little town, thru a dirty windshield...
The drive north to Ames...I wish I could just go stand in those trees and soak up the quiet that is surely there.
In Ames...
ISU campus, horse barn facility...
I always love the red brick against all this white...
Students are away. It's peacefully quiet it many ways!
More fog greeted us on Tuesday, a little soupier for driving.
This big road grader dude was working the side roads in Ames...Clearing, making room for more!
Finally...Awake at 6:30, fidgeted for 20 more minutes before he could no longer resist going to see what Santa had brought. Sure enough, he has been here...left crumbs...and an apple core.
Stockings first. I could not resist these windmills (LAD's word-and I can't think of what they are really called). I could never find them this summer, they go in the garden, wind blows, they spin. But I find them in December! Whatever, I was NOT passing them by.
Vintage Rocket Racer...this got the biggest WOW! However, everything got some exclamation of surprise, even the bag of clothes!
I think he was a little disappointed it wasn't a REAL jet pack...but he was tickled none-the-less.
Battleforce 5 somethingorothertransformerthing.
This pirate sailboat wasn't from Santa and he just couldn't understand why he got this because it wasn't what he "ordered" from Santa. Not that he didn't like it, he just didn't expect it I guess.
Midgetized pirate ship towing the new pirate sail boat. The new sailboat shoots...discs...he calls them frisbees.
And later, he made Christmas soup for supper. Eat at your own risk. Contains, at least, peppermints, chopped up red licorice, chex mix, pretzels, "tree nuts" (still in the shells).
And a little mid-day sledding, both Saturday and Sunday.
Hope everyone had a warm and merry Christmas!
Finally, December 24! We put the puzzle together, took us a while...
We've had a nice gentle snow all day. Our driveway is out there somewhere.
The boys played in the snow for an hour or so and LAD came in looking like a Christmas elf with rosy cheeks. Now for hot cocoa and chocolate covered marshmallows.
We had a geography lesson with discussions of Santa.
Finally, time to pick the cookies for the jolly fellow.
Eh, maybe he would like an apple? And something for the reindeer too.
He was bouncing off the walls with excitement. He was out by 8:15, almost a record! Sleep tight sweet child.
Let's decorate!
Nerds, M&Ms, peppermints, licorice...
But first, frosting! Blue, Red and Yellow, his choices.
Prepared...
Go...
If you notice, we now have green, maroon and brown frosting. It eventually became a color mixing experiment...
Now which ones to pick for Santa! All this sweet oughta fuel him for a mile or 10,000.
Measure...
Measure some more. Learn about quarters.
Pour...
Sift...
Watch...
Then refrigerate... wait...wait...wait...
Then roll...
Roll with help...
Cut...
Cut... He has that mastered.
Scoop...
