What we did today...

This morning at 8am, the outside temperature was 32...

By 9am, it was 30...

By 10 am, it was 28...

You see where I'm going with this?

It. was. cold.

And getting colder.

But we decided to proceed with our plans.

Our outdoor plans.

We're tough...we have hats and gloves and scarves and really warm coats.

This is our 4th winter here.

We are stocked with cold winter gear.

But folks...Old Man Winter doesn't play around...

and we spent a bitterly cold morning downtown at a Christmas celebration hosted by Sprint.

I love it when someone else foots the bill.

There was cookie decorating.

And lots of instruction to our youngest child not to lick the knife you spread the icing with and then dip it back into the community icing bowl. 

There was hot cocoa.

 Grace likes hot cocoa.  No, that's an understatement.  She loves hot cocoa.  She will tell you it makes her all "warm and toasty" and when she says "warm" it kinda sounds like "worm"...that makes me giggle. 

And then there was spillage of hot cocoa...on the craft table.

Nothing says "Christmas decor" like a sticky cotton ball and some pipe cleaners.

 There was an elf.  A really friendly elf.  With crazy real-looking elf-sih ears.

 And of course, the fat man in red. Grace took the opportunity to tell him she had been "really really good"....the jury is still out on that one.

 He was a very authentic Santa.  Even sported a real beard and it wasn't yellow. 

 20 minutes after arriving, we. were. frozen.  I couldn't feel my thumbs and Sam was curled up in a ball in the stroller (although I'm not sure if that was because of the cold or his paralyzing fear of Santa).  But there was a sleigh ride and there was no way I was missing out on that!  Random fact about me:  I like anything horse drawn.  Carriage...sleigh...covered wagon...hay ride.
It is a memory people...tough it out and enjoy the moment!!

The city was so pretty...the buildings were so big.  And we even got to see the horse poo...bonus. I would have taken more photos, but I couldn't feel my thumbs to push the button.  You'll just have to take my word for it.

But then...it was time to defrost. So we found a restaurant that was offering free kids meals. 

We ordered fried pickles.

 I ordered a cup of coffee.

Grace asked for more hot cocoa.  But settled for chocolate milk.

And we thawed out. 

The temperature has since plummeted and the wind chills are below 0.  I think I just heard the weather man say "-15"...which is totally wrong.  On so many levels. 

Praising God for our warm home and closets full of warm clothes.

Oh...and hot cocoa.