Christmas in N. Dakota

Sara's entire family travelled to the farm for a grand-ol'-time for Christmas. RJ and Julia loved the time with their cousins.

Highlights with no pictures:

• Christmas Day football game. Yes, Doug played. Yes, Doug's hip suffered
• Christmas Day dinner. Prime rib via Jimmy's smoker and all the traditional trimmings with some Lebanese sides. 

Travel Day

Dulles > Atlanta > Minneapolis > Minot (except Sara's bag went to Miami)

Christmas Eve

We stayed with the Martins in the new Rugby house

View of the back yard ... White Christmas! (this is from Dec 29)

Christmas Day

Officially it was Christmas day when we went to midnight mass. It was our first ... and probably last time trying to stay up until 2am.

Everybody was cooperative, or frozen, for the family picture

While travelling to skiing, church, farm, etc. kids rode with Anna. Doug and Sara had mini-dates :-)

Ping pong tourney and hanging in basement

Grandpa got out the 4x4 and the kids took turns riding off the back on a sled while Jett drove. After several attempts Julia was the first to land off the jump ... despite RJ's prediction "5% chance of success, 10% chance of crying."

Not to be outdone ... RJ went all in. Injuries were minor. We gave him credit for landing in the saucer.

Hanging on the Farm - Dec 27

RJ, the Martins, and Grace decided it would be a great idea to take the 4x4 to a frozen lake. Doug was all in because he needed to get train pictures.

Weather was 'freezing fog' so everything looks nice

Doug got his train picture

RJ was nominated to take this one ... he was more interested in 4x4 sledding

After some train pictures we went to the 'lake' and used the 4x4 for some sledding.

After sliding on our feet, we took grandpa's advice and got some sleds

Three hours later we headed in for dinner.

Skiing at Bottineau - Dec 27

Wasn't a blue-bird ski day ... but we all had fun

Trip Home

Due to weather in Minneapolis our outbound flight was delayed so we missed our connection. We all spent the night in Minneapolis. Doug caught a 10am flight while Sara and the kids were on the 8pm flight. All was not lost ... the stranded folks watched one of the world junior hockey games.

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