Christmas 2013

Christmas 2013

Christmas 2013 was interesting to say the least. Oh the best laid plans... yeah...they didn't work out. I was very excited to have an old-fashioned Christmas out at the lake. Our family, my mom, my grandma, and Stacey and Kelley and their families were all going to be there. We were going to have a simple tree with paper chains and have the kids string popcorn and cranberries...and just enjoy being at the lake. We planned for weeks. I haven't had a Christmas eve and Christmas morning out at the lake since I was about 5. Needless to say on the morning of Christmas Eve all my kids started puking and didn't stop until the Christmas night! I cried. Not fair. We were crushed. All plans were cancelled and the kids were absolutely miserable. It wasn't a light G.I. bug either. They all threw up at least 10 times. I think Kameron had the record at 12. It was horrible and hands down THE WORST Christmas Eve on record. The kids could barely rouse from their sick beds to put on their jammies, put out their socks, and take one horrible picture. They were all in bed by 8:30pm. It was an absolute disaster!!

Looking good Johnsons...Looking Good!

Here was our delightful Christmas eve jammie picture. Luckily the kids still had somewhat of a sense of humor and posed with 7-up, saltines, and Imodium. It was horrible...and we texted it to all our family.

Christmas morning they all felt a tad bit better. We were able to open presents, lay around and watch Christmas movies, and play games. But no one ate a thing. The day before Christmas eve I spent 12 HOURS...12 HOURS...baking all kinds of Christmas treats and snacks to enjoy and to take to the lake. Most of which are still uneaten.

Tyler and I never did get it...which was a blessing. I consoled myself by watching this:

 Downton Abbey Season 4...all of it...EARLY.  Merry Christmas to me.

We did end up coming to the lake the day after Christmas and that felt like HEAVEN to all of us. It was nice to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. The lake was frozen perfectly. Black ice...no snow. Perfect ice conditions.

My hero taking me all over the lake. I fear my ice skating days may be done. We love this Norwegian sled. I think we may buy one for ourselves. It provided hours of entertainment. What is so cool is that you push off on the ice and then hop on the runners and can glide all over...and give someone else a ride too. They can be used on ice or snow. Awesome.

When you are the "runner" you get the joy of ice skating without actually ice skating because you are riding on the blades. When the ice is snow packed like it was over New Years it gives you more of the feel of cross-country skiing. If you are the rider...it feels like a sleigh ride. Win-win-win. It was perfect to go all over the lake and get a good work out.

Oh yeah...those pink Hunters were purely for style. I quickly resorted to my Grandpa's old moon boots from 1980 and about 6 sizes too big. Oh moon boots. Come back. So warm and toasty...and ice friendly.

Reilly donned the ice skates though and bipped around.

The old runner sleds were awesome too. The cousins enjoyed launching each other out onto the ice.

 Expert Launchers!!

Bryn and Elle weren't so sure they wanted to get out on that slippery stuff...but once they did they were hooked.

The ice was busy with people...ice skaters, fishermen, people walking all over. At night snowmobiles and ATVs would zip around. I don't think I am that brave.

The ice was pretty trippy. Normally we have a layer of snow on top of the ice. This was a rare treat. We always have to shovel the snow off to make a skating area and that layer of snow muffles all the crazy sounds that ice makes. Ice is pretty noisy. It moans and makes really loud whale sounds. It pops and cracks. Pretty crazy! The kids loved it.

**Disclaimer** The ice was super thick and tested by the old timers (my uncles) before anyone was given the okay to get on it. My kids are 5th generation out here and my family knows the ice. My great-grandpa used to cut the ice in big blocks and store it in the ice house to sell to the tourists in the summer. My uncles used to help him. Tyler also got out the auger and drilled down and down and down and then gave up. That ice was THICK. No worries.

We all played and played on the ice. We had to drag the kids in. It was so much fun. Even Granny got to get some fresh air.

Who would want to go in when you can play on pink ice? It was gorgeous. (No filter was used.)

  

One night was forecast to be super dark...not much moon. Tyler and I bundled all the kiddos up and took them out on the lake. We had everyone grab Christmas candles and set them down on the ice and made the ice glow. Then the kids all laid on their backs on the dock and looked up at the Milky Way which looked to be directly over our heads and in a beautiful glowing trail right over the lake.
 

Then Tyler turned on the music and the strobe light and the dance party began!! We have some wild dancers in the family. By then the little kids were all tired out and ready for bed...and the games began for the adults and teenagers.

The kids (and Aunt Kelley's) favorite game this year was a wild game of spoons. But my personal favorite was this:

This is my new favorite game although some of the things I saw and heard may haunt me for life. No joke. I may need therapy. Still...absolutely HILARIOUS.

Old faithful...Monopoly... never failed to entertain the kids either. They watched movies and played and had fun together.

Check out the cute Santa bags my mom made for all the grandkids. Heirlooms for sure. Along with beautiful handmade ornaments with a circus theme and a toy for the little kids and gift cards for the older kids. Perfection.

All too soon (truly) it was all over and we had to head home (for a few days) and then it was time to glide into the new year.