Christmas Break

Erin had 11 days off for Christmas and I had almost the same, so the last couple of weeks have been a ton of fun. We spent Christmas Eve at Erin's parents, Christmas Day at mine, and headed down to the Lake for 5 days that carried us into the New Year. I can't remember how many parties were scattered in between. Uncle Dave took the same time off as Erin so we got to see a bunch of him, and Aunt Amy and Uncle Seth flew in as well.

I am now fat, lazy, and still recovering. I don't have much energy to write, so here are the pics:

Hadley hanging her first ornament:



Madeleine helping decorate the tree:



Hadley being Hadley:



Christmas Eve:



Hadley with her hand in her new cookie jar (she takes after her Dad):



Erin and I need a new kitchen but the girls got one first:



Ready for bed in their new Christmas pajamas:



Christmas morning:



Say cheese!:



Wow!:



"No Hadley!" (commonly heard around these parts):



In our new Christmas dresses:



At Butch and D's:



Uncle Dave at the mill, getting ready to unload the SKS on some produce:



Seth doing the same, Dirty Harry style:



Bob teaching Seth how to fire "The Judge":



Uncle Todd makes an apple disappear:



Tunnel Dam and Lake Niangua:

* I read about this place in one of the Lake visitor guides a few years ago and have wanted to make the trip ever since, so we all loaded up and went to check it out. The whole place was spectacular and the hills amazing. You can see a small part of the road we came in on (just barely) on the far right. What you can't see is the fact that it was muddy, badly rutted, and required 4 Lo. None of which would have been a big deal had there not been a barb wire fence running directly along the east side. Fun times! Dave and I can't wait to go back this summer to fish and maybe paddle, or both.



Uncle Dave at the dam:



Up high on one of the dam roads:

* I looked at the GPS shortly after we started going up and clocked over 250' of rise in well less than a half mile. Now I just need to figure out how to put together a ride...



Uncle Dave and Hadley at the Lake:



Hadley, happy as always:



The End: