2018, Missy, and an Arctic Blast.

This was the dashboard scene on Friday morning on the way to work. The Arctic blast is still upon us,

and this is how F+F feel about it.

Last week Seth was at Walter Reed getting prosthetic work done (in bonus news, that means he's on his feet again!) and we got hit with the "bomb cyclone." Which means that- naturally- post closed, I had to go to work anyway, the C-max got stuck on the daycare hill, the kids and I hiked home in the blizzard (accompanied by the wailed sound of "I hate snowwwww!"), and once the kids were in bed after an incredibly long afternoon stuck inside due to 60 mph winds (which included the taste-testing of mini apple pies

and Ford's version of a polar plunge)

I burned off at least half of my New Year's Eve calories shoveling the driveway. (After the ever-chivalrous Seth had Pete and Chris drag my poor, warm weather, city car home.)

So basically, so far, 2018 can suck it. Luckily, we're still basking in the glow of the end of 2017, which went out with a bang of grandparents and Missy's visit and the Rockettes and the Polar Express and a cold, snowy trip to Mystic, CT, which is as magical as it sounds even if we spent an afternoon at a random Urgent Care in Connecticut confirming that Missy had strep. (And the rest of us were- thanks to a sick and miserable December- immune, minus Seth who doesn't have tonsils so handles strep like most of us handle a hangnail.) Missy was a trooper, though, and we crammed a ton of fun into a couple days. As per usual. The highlight reel is here, although photos (as always) don't do it justice:

Miss left on New Year's Eve, and we were left to cope with our post-Christmas blues the best way we knew how: with Vikings game day fun at the Schnacks' (complete with sword fighting in front of the fire)

and an indescribably epic NYE sleepover at the Ryans'. Ford made tamales, the dogs wore new year's hats, the dance parties were even more enthusiastic than usual...

and the confetti cannons turned out to be the best investment ever. 

New Year's recovery involved, typical Nieman-style, the postponing of our resolutions, the skipping of workouts, and a kid-friendly day of beer, football, pizza making, and riding bikes in the house. 

2018 is obviously off to quite a start, and the holidays will be sorely missed. Tuesday morning on the way to daycare Finley shrieked "I want another vacaaaation!!!!" the whole way there.

Me too, kiddo. Me too.

But at least we have horrifying/ hilarious vacation videos like this to remember it by. 

And as if there weren't enough epic photos, our faves of the week include this sweet sword fighting shot

and this completely random one of Finley, just living better than the rest of us. As per usual.

Prost! and best of the new year to all. May we all find the joie de vivre of toddlers (high heels and crowns optional).