8 inches of snow. Doesn't seem to be that much according to our prior life in Michigan. However, when it's in England, it's a major issue. And that is what we woke up to on the morning that we were to DRIVE to Austria. Yikes. Tom was a bit over excited about the snow chains that we needed to have for Austria and put them on for our ride to the motorway. You should have seen the looks! So, five minutes later, we pulled over and spent the next 30 minutes removing them. Luckily the next hour of driving was fine. It was the last 30 minutes that turned into 180 minutes (3 hours!!). Let's just say, I took a walk for about a mile and went back to the car, which had moved about 100 feet.
Ok, back on the road after the channel crossing. Hmmm....the windshield washer fluid doesn't contain antifreeze in the UK and it's 2 degrees. Doesn't work. This is what we saw on the motorway.
So, we had to stop every 20 minutes to clean the windshield. In short, our intentions of stopping at the German Christmas Market turned into a 10 o'clock arrival at the hotel and the next day was pretty much the same. Our 12 hour journey was actually 23 hours!
Anyway, we got there and found such a beautiful chalet waiting for us! 
Tom's parent were also there to give us a warm greeting after a year of not seeing the boys. The kids were more than excited!
Tom's parent were also there to give us a warm greeting after a year of not seeing the boys. The kids were more than excited!So, our week started the next day, on a cog train up to the half way mark of the mountain (imagine The Sound of Music - we were staying right in the area where it was filmed). The snow was beautiful, making the view so great despite the very cold weather! I went up to take a closer look and on the way back heard the train whistle blow. I missed the train, so I headed to the little train concession, only to find Tom and Aiden. We had a great hour spent eating donuts and drinking mulled wine. We never get one on one time with Aiden, so it was a little gift. Tom's parents had the pleasure of watching the other boys at the bottom of the mountain!
That night we had our first trip down to the Christmas markets in town. Again, it was freezing!! The highlight was walking through the nativity scene. We weren't sure what everything meant since it was all in German, but Jeb understood quite well that Jesus wasn't in the manger. He threw a fit, screaming, "Jesus, Jesus!" Sorry, you have to wait five more days!
The rest of the week just flew by. We got beautiful snow at the beginning of the week, but it all melted away on Wednesday. Our Christmas felt more English than Austrian. Lots of rain, but it let up in the afternoon so we could go for a walk to town to see Baby Jesus in the manger.
Here are the other highlights:
1. Tom and Joy having a day away to Hallstatt and taking a cable car up the snowy Dashstein where we were greeted by tons of snow, sled dogs, and beautiful views.
2. Jacob and Aiden learn to ski (kind of). Aiden stood at the top of the hill for 10 minutes vowing not to go down. He came down with Tom and all we heard was giggling!
3. Tubing down the ski hill and using the "magic carpet" to get back up! Jeb loved going down!
4. Salzburg. Not quite as beautiful as we imagined, but we did make it to the VonTropp mansion!
5. Christmas dinner. Couldn't find a turkey, so we had goose. It was good and we'll probably never forget it!
6. Christmas shooting. 24 Austrians shooting off guns that sound like cannons. Still haven't figured out why they do it, but it was so cool!
7. Christmas Eve mass. Didn't understand a word, but the music was pretty and the girls sitting next to me couldn't believe they were sitting next to an American!
The best highlight of all was living like an Austrian and learning a new culture. It all makes so much more sense at Christmas. A nativity in every town. I don't think we ever saw a Santa Claus. Songs about the birth of Jesus being sung. Christmas trees go up on Christmas Eve and the big celebration is the week after Christmas - Jesus is finally born and put in that nativity scene. After all, isn't that what Christmas is all about??
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