Right out of a Hallmark Christmas Card...Almost!

"I'm Dreaming of a white Christmas,

 Just like the ones I used to know. 

Where the tree tops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow."

Growing up in the Tropics, Christmas time was ALWAYS hot, rainy and green and NOTHING lite the Classic Christmas song. But it's those kind of Christmases that I knew and LOVED but for some reason in my head Christmas was always suppose to be white with snow and one of those scenes right out of a Hallmark Christmas Card. 

 You all have probably received one of those Christmas cards like the ones below. You know the ones with cabin or house all aglow right beside the pond that has been cleared off and made into a ice skating rink. There is always snow on the ground and on the trees, that in some cards are decorated for Christmas with lights and bright balls. There is always people skating, some grown ups are always in pairs and the kids appear to be racing. The women are always wearing beautiful long dresses with a hand muff that looks cozy and warm. While some people sit on the bank by a small warm fire with a mug of Hot Chocolate in their hands.It is a lovely scene that always shows up in movies like Little Women and songs like White Christmas. Which by the way is one of my FAVORITES!! I live near the Arctic and I still love the idea of snow falling on Christmas. It is a scene we have all put in our mind as the classic Christmas scene. We all sing the song White Christmas that says "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas just like the Christmas cards I write, may your day be merry and bright and may all your Christmases be white." I am actually singing that as I write. hehehe  Here is one card I found to show what I am talking about.

 You see isn't that beautiful? I feel like I should be there! Thankfully I do live where this is possible. Our neighbors and good friends Tim, Karin and Ida have helped achieve my own Christmas card.  I love having neighbors like them! They have the piece of land that is next to our house. They call it the pasture. No it doesn't have cows or horses on it...yet, but the pasture actually has theirs and our green house on the open lot. But the lot also has a very uneven surface. which during the summer becomes the "pond" where the kids float boats or wade in the water. I have blogged about that before. This summer it was quite full and I thought "this would be the perfect ice skating rink in the winter" I mentioned it to Keith but then I kind of forgot about that idea because there is all this grass that would be in the way. Last year we got dumped with snow before it really got cold so the ice didn't form thick enough to actually go ice skating and shoveling a few feet of snow on ice can not be very fun I assume. But this year the weather has been great.  Very cold with very little snow. Which allows the ice to get REALLY thick and allows for some time of ice skating before the ponds are buried in snow. The other day Karin went out to the Pasture with a shovel and cleared a small area to skate in with Ida.  When I saw it I was EXCITED!!! This is what I have wanted to do since I saw the pond!  So the other day our family joined them in a afternoon on the pond.  I was a bit worried because I was afraid time would slip away with out me getting dinner on the table at the normal time, my kids needed a bath and it was a school night and bed time needed to be observed. But as Karin and I talked we decided that those issues were not the important things at the moment. Ice skating with our kids and family were! I sometimes forget that and feel I need to be the "on schedule" and "get stuff done" kind of mom. I am realizing that those schedules are adjustable and you can always throw the book out the window. My First Priority as a mom is to my kids! It was nice to just relax and enjoy the nice weather, the kids, and the fun! I think that is why those Christmas cards always draw me in. It is the simpleness of the picture that is so lovely. It's the beauty and wonder that you see and know that everyone is having a good time. I love that!

  

Every night since we have been out enjoying the ice pond. We don't have skates...yet. They are in the mail and I hope they arrive before the snow does. But we enjoy just sliding with boots on. I am finally able to feel like I am really in a Christmas card. Though I am not elegantly dressed and the pictures we took are not vintage. It really is fun to be able to let my boys grow up with the simple pleasures of living in the north. Check out the fun we have had!

Keith decided to help make the little  rink into a full pond rink and now it is actually a good size ice rink.

 Karin with the kids

Ida and Kaden

Isaiah was having more fun trying to balance on the wood bridge

 Kaden sliding

and falling

 Karin~ About to preform a triple loop double toe.... but we didn't get it on camera =)

Karin let me borrow her skates for a little while.

I'm FREEEEEEEEE!!!

 Glad my middle name isn't Grace!

 It was so much fun!

 Such grace! Such poise! Observe I am doing that NOT in ice skates and in my boots.

And since I have decorated my house for Christmas already and the holiday season is upon us I will wish you a fun Holiday season and hope you soak up and enjoy the simple pleasures in life and not get carried away with the hustle and bustle of the season. I guarantee dinner will get put on the table even if it is NOT at the usual time, the kids can get a bath tomorrow, and family time together is WAY better then all the other stuff that try to occupy our time!