Please Excuse My Absence...

HOLY MOLY!!!

...where has the past 4 months gone???
Was I abducted by little green martians???
Or was it the holidays...crazy weather...hunting season...
...or was it a handful of different holiday boutiques that I was invited to participate in.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that our home computer decided that it had spent enough time with us and was ready to pas on to that bright light in the sky.
OH WAIT!!!
It was ALL of the above.
Like many of you our holidays came and went in a quick blur...
so I decided that in what little time I had to spare, I was going to spend it
with my two little loverlies (and give blogging a back seat).
We spent numerous hours snuggled in front of the fire
playing games, reading books and watching
'Scooby Doo, Where are you?' As Had puts it.

We managed to spend some time outside enjoying the beauty that winter bestows upon us in the Pacific NW.
The above photo is a picture of frozen drops stuck to one of our little trees.
God creates scenery that man could never imagine.

We got together with good friends and let our little girls run-amok in PF Changs.
As I previously mentioned I was invited to participate as a vendor in a few different holiday boutiques.
Here is my space with my lovely (and incredibly helpful) friend, K.
She made that day so much fun...and was in charge of finances.
I look forward to her help again in the near future.
***Did I mention she is a 1st born and therefore knew what I was thinking even before I was thinking it***

And of course Christmas came and went...QUICK!!
But we had a blast.
I won't overload you on pictures...because there are MANY...
so I'll just share my two favorites...
Here are the girls searching for more presents...
...and here is A with Jas aka "Awesome Dad."
A's school had a 'store' in which she could secretly shop for us with the help of volunteers.
THIS IS WHAT SHE PICKED!!
That girl has taste...not olny because Jas loves anything CAMO...
but because she recognizes that she does in face have an
'Awesome Dad!'

We spent time with extended family...and in the process ate too much.
This is Jas' Aunt Sue with my cuties on Christmas Eve.
It has become tradition that we head to Jas' Aunt Judy and Uncle Rick's home and spend time with any other relatives that are in town.
It has also become tradition that I gain 5 lbs during that 4-5 hour visit
because Judy makes the most A.M.A.Z.I.N.G Seafood Chowder...
...complete with shrimp, crab, lobster.
(again, in case you missed it...A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!)

For New's Years we drove over the mountains to visit Jas' mom and dad and also spend time with Jas' brother, Brian and his family.
We don't see each other nearly as much as we would like,
so any time we can be together...we are thrilled.

Here are Had and Oobie making scrambled eggs for breakfast.
Can you tell by the look on her face that she can't actually believe that she was able to talk him out of the whisk.
HEE HEE HEE

The girls got some much needed snuggle time with their Grandma Jill (according to A) and NiNi (according to Had).

This year a new tradition was started
(I think after a night of too much port wine and testosterone)
The Skaug men...(that's right, I said men-not women)
have begun their own Polar Bear Club.
Here the girls are all bundled up and ready to go support their dad as he takes the plunge.

Did I mention that it was on 17 degrees out that morning and that they had to chainsaw a section of ice away in order to create an area of the lake to run into.
Again...this is a Skaug men tradition...not women...PHEW!!

Here are the 'sane' ones ready to support those as they get ready.
'Hey...someone has to take the pictures...right?'

I know it is hard to tell but Jas ran in so fast that he was on his way out as the others were just beginning their ascent in.

Really hoping to rally some more guys to participate in next year's plunge.

The drive home is, on average, 3 hours...unless they are doing construction on the highway and then it can get to be upwards of a 4-5 hour drive home.
The girls did great...of course that it unless we pass the last rest stop or off ramp for a 15 mile stretch.
I know that doesn't sound so bad...but when you are moving between 2-5 mph...that changes the scenario a bit.
That's right...no restrooms or anywhere to pull over for 15 miles...and this is when they both begin complaining that they had to 'potty.'
I do pride myself in being a little bit resourceful...
...so thus the girls each 'mooned' for the first time.

That's right...I hung their buns out the window and...well, you can figure out the rest.

A was obviously more thrilled at the experience than Had was.
***Don't judge...if you don't have kids, you don't have room to judge*** :-)
Desperate times...call for desperate measures
Oh and Jas has done some pruning recently.
I guess he's entitled to a little 'man-time' every now and again.

OH and WE GOT SNOW...
a few times actually!
Luckily one of those times was on a night when A didn't have school the next day.
We got her all layered and bundled and grabbed Ole and she and I went on our first late night
'Snow Walk!'
I am not sure who had more fun...her, me or Ole.
I do know that it is something that I won't soon forget and hopefully, neither will she.

Her is a picture of Had on another day when we were blessed with the white, fluffy stuff.

So that is a quick, condensed version of our past 4 months or so.
I do have more exciting things to report...but I'll do that in another post.
Gotta keep you wanting more...and this post is already longer than I expected it to be.

Loves to you all and hope that your holidays were full of friends and family and love and laughter.