… or for sitting cuddled up by a fire with a hot drink to warm your hands and insides. We did both last weekend, though the kids preferred the snow and the adults the coffee and ‘Apple Betty’. Thank goodness for the Internet, so Christmas shopping was a breeze. Now we can just enjoy the holidays as they were meant to treat us: With comfort, friends and joy.

We have had a few really nice days already this year, but today was perfect for a bike trip at Busse Woods. At first the kids complained but then Sabrina volunteered that it might be fun after all. She could talk with Julian while biking next to each other. Also Busse Woods is right by ‘Sweet Tomatoes” her favorite salad restaurant. So we took a 7.7. mile tour around a lake, through woods and over prairie and then rewarded ourselves with mountains of green stuff for dinner plus serious piles of apple cranberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream.