Home for the Holidays!

Hello Friends and Family,

Bethany and I are finally home for the holidays. The drive was not as bad as we had feared, we left very eary (5 am) on the 22nd and made it through Chicago before there was any traffic and were home by mid afternoon. Ashland has had copious amounts of snow and this year is proving to be the best I can remember for sledding and skiing.

On Christmas eve Bethany, me, and Christy went sledding at Valhalla in the Chequamegon National Forrest with Bethany's Mother, and her younger siblings. It was a beautiful day out, and we had a great time playing in the fresh powder. I Even got to ski for a bit while the kids were sledding. After we came home bethany and I did our usual Christmas eve activities with her family, reading Luke 2, and singing carols, and then went to church with my family for the candle light service.

On Christmas day Bethany and I awoke at an unnatural hour to drive to the McPherson's house to open presents with the children. We had an excellent time, and with the kids, played a bit of Super Monkey Ball, ate butterscotch Pull-a-parts, and went back to the Hammond house were we were still so early that no body had woken up yet. Christmas went very well there as well, I have included a picture of me with my favorite dog Nora. to the right.

Christmas day was finished off with a tromp through the snow on our snow toys, with my sisters and Karl (Janelle's boyfriend). Bethany would have accompanied us, but decided that she was more comfortable reading under a pile of blankets with a cup of tea.





We have been happy to spend the last few days enjoying the company of our family, playing many board games, and skiing. I hope that everyone else had a great Christmas as well, and we hope that all of you that are traveling get there safely. Happy New year, and good skiing to all of you!