Fun in North Dakota!

We had SO much fun visiting North Dakota for Christmas this year. We did a lot of fun activities, like sledding a few times, skating indoors and out, swimming, shopping, roasting marshmallows in the fireplace, eating, games and chatting. Thank you so much, Grandma and Grandpa Schuetzler! We laughed about a lot of things, so I will put some of my favorite memories in this post.

Here we are sledding:

Hyrum had it easy- he could ride all the way up!

Here’s what Cora and Meagan did while the rest of us were sledding (stayed in the warm car):

We had paper cups that we were using the whole time we were there, and we decided to put funny names on our cups like: Ike, LaShawnda, Darla, and Alfalfa. Maren decided she didn’t want to put a funny name on her cup, so she just put “Maren” on hers. So, Ryan named his cup “Maren” too, and eventually there were three different “Maren” cups that you had to distinguish between.

Here the kids are skating at the indoor rink. Hyrum loved it, but couldn't keep his feet under him, so it took a lot to keep him up.

Eventually Jim just picked him up and skated him back over the first time around. Then I went around once holding him up under his arms (I wasn’t wearing skates). He still didn’t want to be done, but I made him be done. He is getting too heavy to do that very long!

We played The Great Dalmuti many times, and Dallen loved being the lesser peon!

Doing puzzles:

Hyrum seems to be made for the snow, because he never wanted to stop sledding or skating, even when everyone else was freezing cold.

Skating outdoors in the snow (and semi-playing hockey):

What Ryan looked like after having his face in the snow:

Hyrum was Dallen's little shadow pretty much the entire trip. He really loves his uncle, and wanted Dallen to play with him all day, every day.

Meagan threw Cindy a 50th birthday party while we were there, and it looked awesome!

Here’s the birthday girl!

Some funny conversations we had were about making powdered milk in a tub and discussing whether the older kids or the younger kids are more loved in the Schuetzler family (including who is the favorite son).

I made Cora come out and play with us in the snow once. She really didn’t like it when I set her in the snow. I guess she’s our Arizona girl!

We watched quite a bit of Duck Dynasty while we were there, and now Ryan is hooked and wants to grow his beard out long like they do.

The kids both got a ton of attention from the whole family:

Uncle Jim pretty much became Cora’s favorite person during the trip. She LOVES him!

Cora liked to cuddle her cousin (and fall asleep with Aunt Meagan):

Hyrum was so spoiled, he even got held while watching the iPad:

Reading time with Grandma: