Christmas this year needed a new routine.  In all the anticipation of the holidays, Christmas is just plain hard.  We decided to open our gifts early on Christmas Eve and spend some time with the Whipps.  It was the perfect amount of tradition and change. 

Makes me think of snowmobiling in Yellowstone National Park.

To capture the moment, we decided to go up to Joel's cabin and spend Christmas day next to the wood stove.  An excellent choice.  A few turkeys came into the feeder, and whitetail deer were prancing through the field.  The bison were steaming through their nostrils - it was a great time to be up north together.

Dad taking the Cougar for a spin down the road.

Christmas 2013