Winter and Christmas-time pictures!

We went up to Crystal Mountain this past weekend and spent some time in the snow.  We haven't had snow yet this year (but I'm hoping!) and we wanted Miriam to have a chance to play in the snow and experience it.  It is about a 1.75 hour drive.  Luckily, both kids (it is still strange to say that!) slept on the way up to the mountain.  When we got there, we bundled them up in the back of the car and then went to the bottom of the mountain to play.  We had bought a sled and we pulled her around on that, although she said she didn't like it very much because "it was bumpy".  She did, however, enjoy throwing snowballs, making snow angels, using her snow shovel and running/jumping/skipping in the snow.  We also rode the gondola up to the top of the mountain...there was a lot more snow up there and it was much foggier and colder.  Miriam enjoyed the ride up the mountain, and we ate at the restaurant at the top of the mountain.  It was very uncrowded that day, as it was a Friday and it is still early in the ski season....but Miriam enjoyed watching the skiers and pointed them out as they passed beneath our cable car on the way up the mountain.  Mathias spent most of the time in his snowsuit in the baby carrier on my chest.  

Here are some pictures of our trip to the mountain:

Top of the mountain! 

We've also been slowly decorating our house for Christmas.  We normally get our tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, but this year we've been a bit slower than normal.  We also had to get a new tree and some new yard decorations this year, and Miriam wanted to help with all of the decorating.  It has been a great Christmas season so far - Miriam turns the lights on and off every day, she's helped me wrap presents and bake cookies, and she's in charge of turning on the Christmas music whenever we are home.  :)  

Here are some pictures of Miri decorating the tree:

And finally, a quick Mathias update.  He's still fussy most of the time, but he balances it out with an amazingly sweet temperament when he's awake and happy - he smiles, coos, and sometimes even laughs.  Miriam loves to be close to him, and has recently put herself in charge of his "spit-up".  She watches him closely and runs for the nearest burp cloth if he spits up just a little bit.  And he loves to watch her when she's close to him - he follows her with his eyes and gives her big smiles.  

Here are some recent pictures of Mathias:

My tired boys

Mathias has big smiles for his big sister!

He likes to look at the Christmas lights!

Fuzzy hair after his bath!