MY MOO-EY CHRISTMAS TREE

OK, so my pictures are going to be out of order, but hey, I am new at this. The newest ornaments for my tree are some beautiful hand-painted Russian mosques that my son Jason brought home from his mission and my homemade cows -- I have four of them done and they are so cute on my tree, along with my old-fashioned popcorn garland. I love it!! It is a five-foot tall tree and it fit in the backseat of our car.

Don't you think the tree looks "naked" without the popcorn? I do too.

SNOW~~ SNOW~~SNOW

It seems to snow about an inch every day here. The snow is very dry and is easily removed from the driveway. Makes for an easy workout, but it is so cold!! Today it is six below zero!
Here is a picture of my home with the snow and my red and blue lights ~~ red, white and blue~~ I love America!!
Here is a picture looking down the street. The roads stay snow-covered and are sprinkled with sand, so the ground remains white. I shoveled this sidewalk but the next morning it was completely shut from new snow, alot of wind, and a snowplow.

BRRRRRRRRRRR.....IT'S COLD!!!

It's definitely winter here in Raymond, Alberta! We had a blizzard warning Friday evening through Saturday afternoon, which caused us to cancel our gingerbread house decorating party with the grandchildren for Saturday morning. The forecast was for up to 20 cm (8 in) of snow, but the wind is what makes it tricky because it causes snowdrifts here on the prairie. We have a 3-foot drift at the front of the house and can see the concrete on the back steps.

AND COLD!!! As I write this, the temperature outside is -22 F -- 22 BELOW ZERO. It doesn't normally get this cold or stay this cold for very long (I hope not!). I don't think I will walk to church today.....

Here is a picture of Calvin shoveling the driveway yesterday.

Happy Thanksgiving!!.... well....

not if you are Canadian. Their holiday is in October, and today is just another day to them. No turkey, no Black Friday, no holiday specials, just Thursday!! We did celebrate Thanksgiving last month, tho, with all of Calvin's children and most of the grandchildren (except for Jenna, who just had baby Jace and was in the hospital, and Aaron and his wife and children). We had a wonderful afternoon getting to know each other. And we were VERY thankful, as Aaron's wife, Kristi, had been in a car accident that day and was not injured.

I am thankful for so many things that are not currently a daily part of my life, and I realize more each day how dear my mother, my children, my friends and especially my country, are to me!! But no matter where I live, I am so very blessed to have the comfort of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His atonement, a comfortable warm home, a loving husband, and the love of friends and family.