It was perfect to spend a few days with my mom before flying out. Not only did we get everything done so that we actually got to enjoy Christmas, but the weather was fabulous. She of course had tons of snow, so we got the winter wonderland of snow shoeing, and sledding. The first night we were there, Kieran and mom donned their snow gear, snow shoes, and head lamps and tromped into the night in search of a Christmas tree, and while in the end, the didn't come back with one, Kieran made it about 75 yards up and down a hill in the dark before deciding it was too much and heading back.

Mom and I went out and got a tree Christmas morning, and we decorated it later that day. The tree was a little charlie brown, but I like trees where you can see in and actually see all the decorations. The ones that are two full look like a sheet with stuff dropped on top to me.

Santa came and ate the cookies, but was nice enough to have left once for Kieran.

Presents were simple and easy. It was actually quite nice not to have the intense plethora of gifts. I'm sure Kieran would have liked more, but no stress to this one at all - it was literally what I'd picked up randomly the week before.

Akira discovered kissing her own reflection in the mirror. Repeatedly. There were so many kisses on the lower section of the mirror that it became one big smear. It was terribly cute as she'd crouch down below and pop up on herself with a smile and then a kiss.

Sledding was fabulous. We tromped down sled runs with snow shoes, and then had the run of them. Brian kept trying to extend one run so that from the back of the house you would end up almost at the pond. It didn't work in my runs, but he swears he made it that far once ... until I discoved that the only way he'd made it was by pushing past the hitch spot with his hands, which in my books means he didn't.

We also managed to pull of a gingerbread house from a kit, but it took quite a bit of doing, and in the end was held together entirely by the cardboard frame and lots and lots and lots of frosting. I put it together Friday night, and Kieran was thrilled to find it the next morning.

Nice to have a lot of fun in the snow before heading to CA.