Let It Snow, Winter Wonderland!

Maranda's first snow. Well, she actually has seen it before when she was two years old on her birthday in November over Thanksgiving, but she claims not to remember that!



We usually make it up to Michigan to visit family each year. Working in the school system I have the summers off too, so it's easy to travel at that time. Plus Michigan is so beautiful in the summer. My sister has a cottage (they call it a cottage, it's more like a summer house) in Traverse City. We were up there one summer for the Cherry Festival. My parents used to have a boat out at Grand Haven. Lots of things to do and see.



This year Maranda said she wanted to see snow, and decided Christmas would be a good time. We both had two weeks off from school. Wade was able to get the vacation time since he didn't go to the Jet Ski World Finals in Lake Havasu this year. By the time we could figure this out it was too late to buy air tickets. Maranda wasn't too excited about driving up, she has always flown, but we made it. We stayed the first night at a friends house in the mountains in North Carolina. As turned out with all the winter weather this Christmas, and airports full of people and delays....it was a good thing we drove. What clinched it for Maranda was when Wade told her we wouldn't get sick, like you do when you fly.



So here is the snow highlights of the trip.

We first spotted it in the mountains in Tennessee. Just a little dusting. It was funny, at one stop for lunch we made she said "look, snow droppings" pointing at a little patch of snow that had not melted yet. Then when we were driving through Ohio it actually snowed. Wade told her to look out the windshield, and she said "oh snowdrops". Okay, so I had to teach her "snow lingo". I told her they'd think she was a Florida girl or something. She said "I am a Florida girl"


She didn't go out and touch the snow right away, she did wait until the next day. On mom and dad's back deck we even got to see icicles!

Wow, they were even low enough where she could grab one.

I took photos from her phone camera too so she could send it to her friends.

I was telling her to be careful when she grabbed it in case it all broke off and fell. Which she was careful, (I think it's her middle name) when her aunt reached out the door and just grabbed one and ripped it off!

She finally picked up some snow. It was not the packing kind on this day. Just wait a few days after the rain. It snowed after the all day rain on Christmas and it packed good. She wouldn't through it at anyone though (she's so nice).

Her next winter adventure, ice skating!

My sister told us we should go downtown and skate! She needed a little help from her cousins.
But I give her credit for going out there when it was so busy and snowy! It was funny how you could catch a snowflake reflection with the flash!

She wasn't the only one hanging out around the edge of the rink. Of course mom, Karen and I were just watching. Someone had to take the photos!

It was chilly, but fun!

I had to show her how the snow was collecting in her hood. After skating we walked over to Friday's. We were all wet when that snow melted. There was even a bicycle taxi dropping someone off in the snow! Brrrr...

The day after Christmas we went to my other sister's house. First time that I've seen it since it was finished. It was pretty as a picture!

Across the street they had a hill, so Maranda got a chance to go sledding for the first time ever!! It was a nice small hill for her to start on.
There she goes her first ride down!

She was not sure about this at all. I wish I could of captured the panicked look her face.

Oh, you mean I have to walk up the hill?

Every one did join in, they all weren't just standing there. It was fun I even went.

Maranda with her cousins, Jessica and Kendra.

We did end up having almost everyone going down the hill. It was nice because we just went across the street and we could go in and get something warm to drink and sit by the fire.

But before we went in Kendra did get Maranda to make a snow angel! Everyone was asking if she's made a snow angel yet. Again, she still wasn't sure about laying in the snow!
Kendra's snow angel!

Let It Snow! Thanks all for looking!

Why I don't do Christmas card photos...

My older sister was married way before I was. My younger sister got married probably five or six years before me (not really sure) but for years ahead of me they were able to send photos as cards or with their Christmas cards, they were adorable! My cousins and friends also did this, and one cousin's wife, well and others would write the yearly update letter. It's amazing how accomplished their family was and how active their kids were. Of course they had the flair to put it down so cleverly in words, and copied on such festive paper. Well intimidating as this was, by the time I was married and had one child I thought it would be a nice thing to do. Now I have experience in photography, took a lot of photos throughout the years. I had my 35mm that I controlled all the settings...shutter speed, aperture, film speed etc... piece of cake!
This is the cards that I bought to put the photo in. (I actually had to cut the wrapper open today to scan it!) So just to give you an idea! If anyone wants them I'll send them to you, never been used.
Aren't they just the cutest? This was 1987. I think there were some earlier ones, this is what I found.

Oh, another one in 1988...and she had three kids to line up! She sent these for years, even with them all grown. Can't wait to see this years with Ryan married and with a baby of his own.

My little sisters girls. Now I see you don't always have to have a Christmas theme if you get an adorable photo during the year and remember where it is. Even on a beach on Lake Michigan will turn out great!

But the in front of the Christmas tree ones, you can't beat it! She also sent these through the years. The girls are older here so that should be a snap, but look how nice the dog is sitting!

So with all this in mind, but the first Christmas she was 1 month old, and I haven't a clue what I did. The next year, a great picture...

but a little late!

Okay, lets decorate the chair in Christmas fabric next to the tree...perfect!

again, oops, again!

Okay, this year lets try one outside with the dog. Again Christmas decorations for that special touch. Oh, she forgot to smile, hey Tucker, over here!

Tucker, look, oops, too late you moved.

Oh good they're both looking at the camera, well... I got most of her face!

Next year back inside. Yes, nice one!

There you go, nice smile! nice pose! (may I remind you I only have one child)

Uh, no! Get some shoes on, and pick up your mess!

Okay it's getting easier, now that she's getting older.

It's easier, but I still didn't take the pictures in time to get them in the cards. We didn't have a digital camera, where you can check then take some more. That's what we end up doing for Maranda's annual front porch birthday picture! Take some pics, run in check on the computer, run back out get camera on tripod (Wade's really not good at taking photos at all). We ran in and out, on the tripod, off the tripod I think four times before we were satisfied with a photo to put in her album. Next year I'll post all those photos, from 1 year old to 16!

I do have tons of photos of her just being herself. When I took them I was so frustrated that she always had a funny look this way or that. Now going through them to scan her old pictures, they are all adorable. It really shows her personality. My dad always says the best photos are the natural ones, not the one where they are sitting, posing, smiling for the camera, but aren't those the ones you always get in the Christmas cards? Except from me!

So I leave you with a photo my dad took of us three girls and two of our cousins as we are watching The Wizard of Oz.

Happy Christmas card writing! I better get started.