Visions of Sugar Plums Dance in their Heads....

Christmas is coming early to our house this year as the official holiday will be spent in the wild and woolly of Wyoming for Sydney and Alex and the big skies of Montana for Tim and me. Tonight we celebrate Christmas Eve, the kids, of course, being more than happy to overlook the date discrepancy with the rest of the world. 

So, with the children nestled all snug in their beds, we wish an early Merry Christmas to All from the Hruska-Larson clan. And, since it's after midnight, we wish you all, a Good Night.

A Christmas Adventure, Griswold's Style

Over the last couple of years, our family has found some delight in "hunting" for our family Christmas tree. We hop in the car, drive up toward Mt. Hood, and spend the day frolicking in the snow and searching for the perfect tree to cut down and bring home. After a fun filled day, we drink hot cocoa and drive home with a beautiful tree attached to the top of our car, tired and happy and looking forward to our next family adventure....  
Hmmm. At least, that's what it looks like in my head. In reality, it looks more like this....


Everything starts out as expected. Tim declares himself the "Christmas Tree Whisperer" and moseys off into the woods to find The Tree with Sydney in hot pursuit. After climbing hills and crossing streams, the Tree Whisperer subdues this beauty:

 

Being raised in the Northwest, Sydney and Alex are fascinated with the idea of snow. They find it mystical and magical and, well, simple. Snow is snow. They have no idea that there are actually types of snow; say, hard snow and soft snow. Snow that is fun to have snowball fights with and snow that you would hope wouldn't connect with your face. Here's Alex learning a lesson about snow as taught by his loving sister.

"Hey, Syd! Take that!!"                                                                    "Yeah?! Missed me! Take that!!"

 

         A black eye later, the types-of-snow lesson proves to be a hard lesson to learn for Alex. But, Tim does his best to avenge his small son...

So, with a black eye and a bruised ego later, we leave the scene of the crime and drink our hot cocoa, heading to the highway for home.  What else could possibly go wrong....?

Ah, hell.

"Hey, Tim? Just out of curiosity, did you attach the tree really well onto the car? Because, it seems to be bouncing behind us on the highway...."

We gathered that run away tree up off the highway and put it up in our living room, missing limbs, road rash and all.  I can't help but think that the Griswolds would be proud.

Thanksgiving at its finest.

This Thanksgiving was one for the record books. For one, my brother came for a visit from the icy depths of Wyoming. Second, my dear friend Amy and her family, also Wyoming natives, trusted us enough to let Tim cook Thanksgiving dinner for them. All this and my birthday too!
 Here are a few photos from the day.....(and as a side note, not only was no one poisoned, Paula Dean would've raved.)

As Promised... (aka Better Late than Never)

Dearest friends and family,

I've finally done it. I've been threatening to create this blog for months (OK, a year but who's counting?) for those of you who are stalkish enough or obligated by blood to keep up with our family (Or both. I'm not judging). So, without further ado.....  Drum roll pleeeaaasse....!

....Welcome to The Story of Us.