Ahhh...the joy of winter break!!

This week has already gone by fast with a lot of running but each of the kids has gotten in a playdate with their closest friends! Trevor had one of best friends over for the day on Monday and they just had a blast playing together with the latest boy toy craze...Bayblades!! Emily was invited to an overnight playdate with a friend on Tuesday and Erin invited a friend to have an overnight playdate here on Tuesday night. I don't have a picture of Emily's fun but she was full of stories about her friend's dog, sledding in their backyard and her friend's little brother!! Erin had a lot of fun with her friend playing with the American Girl dolls, Zhu-Zhu pets, crafting, gymnastic stunts and, of course, dress-up! I was even asked to be a runway model judge! Not that I had any idea what I was doing!! =-)

We also started a new family tradition this....or I hope it becomes a tradition. Terry and I really try hard to make it so we have each have one-on-one time with each of the kids. It is so much easier to carve out that time for Trevor as he is the only boy so it seems to just work out more often. But this year, Terry took each of the kids one afternoon/evening out for supper and their choice of fun with him. Each one of the kids came home full of stories and smiles!!

Now tomorrow, we are on to my sister's/mom's for a weekend of scrapbooking.....another family tradition for New Year's Eve!! And of course, we will HAVE to help Chris celebrate his 37th bday and Alicia's 34th bday!! =-) I am so looking forward to getting a TON done. I am ashamed to admit that I haven't finished the girls' 1st grade scrapbook and they are into 3rd grade....and haven't even done more than THINK about their baby scrapbooks. I have a resolution to at least make an attempt to get caught up. Hmmmmm-wonder how that will go?!

Family Fun

We decided on Thursday night to take the kids to a skiing area that has skiing, snowboarding and tubing on Friday morning! Sometimes the last minute plans are the most fun...for kids and adults alike! Trevor was anxious to try snowboarding again, Erin was excited to finally get to take skiing lessons and Emily was content to join Terry and I on the tubing hill. Unfortunately, it was a bit difficult to get pics of the tubing but this picture shows how Emily felt at the end of the day! Rosy cheeks, all snowy and cold but a great big cheery smile on her face! After being a little scared to try it on her own, we did manage to get her to try it bit by bit on her own until by the end of the day she was going up and coming down completely on her own! There is certainly nothing wrong with being a bit cautious, Em-n-Em!

Winter Fun on the Snowboard

It had been two years since Trevor had been on a snowboard so he was a bit apprehensive at first. But after a few tries down the hill it all came back to him! It was fun to watch him and Erin together up on the slopes enjoying their flying trips down the slopes! The protective side of him came out as he stayed close by her for a long while after her lessons were done. However, after a bit he came over and took a few turns on the tubing hill b/c he said he didn't think she even needed him b/c she was doing so well out there. After nearly five hours of snowboarding, he was pretty tired but said it had been an awesome day! Although I prefer to stick to tubing, it was so much fun to watch him enjoying himself so thoroughly out there!

Erin hits the slopes!!

Erin has been begging for skiing lessons for the past two years (at least!) but Daddy was reluctant to let her try. Last year he promised her she could THIS winter and Friday was THE day! She had nearly two hours of private lessons and skied continuously after that. She stopped long enough for only water at lunch and was back out there! The biggest picture shows the smile that was on her face for nearly five hours that day! She was pretty proud after her instructor told us that she was a natural and she couldn't believe Erin had never tried skiing before! Erin's comment was "I've been watching everyone at Nordic Mtn so I know how to do it!!" Go figure - if it something Erin wants to do, you can be assured that she will figure it out! Great job, Er Bear!

If you give a mouse a......

Terry gave me this idea after someone at work brought these cute little creatures in!! Emily, Erin and Ellen helped me put these little guys together that will be sent to school tomorrow for the 3rd graders party. The hardest part of making them was to find the marachino cherries WITH THE STEMS ON!! From there it was just melting the chocolate, dipping the cherries, putting a choco chip on for his head and almond slices for his ears. Even for those of you that don't like mice....aren't these just too cute?! =-)

OK Corral Musical

Our music director does a great job with the students every year with their annual Holiday Musical that is performed. The performance this year was based on a Western story that also incorporated a lesson on bullying and giving others the benefit of the doubt. Above is the girls' class picture taken in front of the decorated entrance going into the gym/auditorium. The teacher's aide painted the cardboard and I tried to get creative with what I had to work with. The students thought it was great....and I got a lot of thank yous from them!!

Erin was a "frontier" person wearing the outfit that Auntie Al got them for their birthday last year to wear to the Little House on the Prairie musical and it has been used many times since then!!

Emily was also a "frontier" person. This was really the first opportunity for "acting" for both of them and they had lots of fun practicing!! I wonder how often we'll hear them still saying...."No, that's not gonna work!"

Middle School Choir Performance

Trevor's first middle school choir concert was tonight. They sang three songs with each being done in three-parts. This was their first year doing three-part music and they did a terrific job!! Uncle Chris, Auntie Al, Mason, Granny, Uncle Levi and Aunt Kayla all made it down to watch the program. Thanks for coming!!! Great job, Trevor. Keep singing!!!

You got bit by WHAT?!

Yikes! This morning the girls were cleaning their bedroom while I was folding laundry. I heard some giggles coming from the living room but dismissed it. Just a short while latery I heard Emily yell "Mom", then Erin cry out, followed by both of them screaming hysterically for "Mom"!! I could tell by the crying that it was more than just an argument. As I rounded the corner from the kitchen into the family room, I see Erin coming out literally covered in blood from her hair to her shirt!!! I (tried to) calmly clean her off while trying to get the story of what happened. As I was cleaning her off, I saw pretty deep tooth marks....aaahhh. Now I am getting the picture. While Erin sits down holding a wet rag to her forward I fly into into the living room to see if Emily is OK as she is very distressed in there. She just says that her jaw hurts and her two front teeth feel a little loose. =-( After trying to calm her down with absolutely no luck I run back out into the kitchen to find Trevor washing the red trail of blood from the kitchen floor. I talked with Alicia quickly to see her thought, let Terry know what was going on (he is working weekends right now) and then head off to Urgent Care. They weren't able to do stitches mainly b/c there isn't much skin to work with there (right below her hair line) so just stronger antiobiotics to avoid infection. After all was said and done, I found out that Emily had asked Erin to help her fold her blanket. While they were doing this, they decided to have some fun and Erin hid under the blanket. Emily fanned the blanket up and run under it as well not knowing where Erin was under there....coming down hard on Erin's forward with her teeth. Thankfully all is well other than a headache for Erin right now but Emily keeps telling me that her teeth are tightening back up. Let's hope so...... Erin will now have a part of Emily with her at all times....her toothmarks. Amazing what can happen with just a little innocent fun with a blanket!!!!

Pictureless......

The last while the girls and I have been reading Carole Marsh mysteries together each night. Last night we started a new one that takes place in Las Vegas b/c Emily wants to learn about the place that Daddy goes to on business once a year. We learned that back in 1911 (about the time that town became famous, to my understanding) the population was 1,500 people. I made a comment that that was nearly 100 years ago.....Erin quickly responded with "Oh, about the time you were born?!" with a big grin on her face. Hmmmmm.

A warm and balmy -10* here this morning at 8:00. So cold that even Erin is wearing her snowpants, boots, scarf, gloves AND hat out to the bus!!!! I had to take Terry's car in to Oshkosh yesterday and I decided that I MUCH prefer my van with snow tires on as the roads are still snowpacked and/or icy in spots down here.

Monday night was filled with doctor visits to find out that the horrible sore throat (with NO TEMP) that Emily started complaining of on Sunday morning and I sent her to school with on Monday (again b/c she had no temp) was actually strep throat. Did THAT ever make me feel not so great!! Erin also had to go in as she got a pretty nasty infection on her toe after stubbing it and ripping off the nail. By Monday night it was bright red down into her foot. So, to make things really confusing Emily's antibiotic is 3xday for 10 days and Erin's is 4xday for 7 days but hers needs to be on an empty stomach. Hmmmmm.

Trevor's first middle school choir concert is Thursday night. He is quite excited to perform as this is the first year singing in parts for him!! The girls will have their Holiday Musical program on Friday. I need to get busy completing the decorations for that so I can (hopefully) get them up today!!

Happy Wednesday!

Another December Snow Storm!!

Just one year ago, we had a massive snowstorm on the day
of Terry's grandmother's funeral. Now almost exactly
one year later, we have just had another huge storm that dropped
nearly one foot of snow on us and then added 40+ mph winds.
There were disappointed kids when I chose to stay home
from my family's Thanksgiving. Ever since totaling out our
van about six years ago, I have become very cautious
during winter storms and then was glad I made that call
when we woke on Sunday to learn that several roads in our
part of the state were CLOSED. I'm not sure that I had
ever heard of roads being closed here before....
Terry didn't have fun plowing in the awful wind and then at 11:30
on Saturday night the plow broke down!!! Terry and I spent
about one hour working on that in the (unheated) garage
before finally crashing. On a good note, though, the snowblower started!!!
The kids and I spent Sunday in our cozy warm house while poor
Terry spent about three hours trying to clear the driveway
so he could get out to go to work this morning. I did make
homemade chicken noodle soup and hot drinks for him, though!

All in all, I had disappointed kids because they missed out having
Thanksgiving with my family, now bitter cold temps, a huge amount of
snow......but it is SO BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE!!!

HAPPY WINTER!!!

New Mode of Transportation!

A 2008 Chevy Uplander - NEW to us!!! Only 36,000 miles with CRUISE, REAR AIR/HEAT AND EXTEND VERSION! An added bonus is it was in Arizona 1-2 winters so little to no salt exposure. Therefore, we will continue to drive "ole blue" as our family vehicle for the winter or until it dies. As it is our "truck" as well, it would be nice if it continues to run for awhile yet!
Yay for us!!!

Cookie Daze!

A Friday off of a school was spent baking three different batches of "edible" cookies and decorative cinnamon cookies that we can paint for fun. Of course the fun will be eating all the cookies for the next few weeks!!!!

Winter Wonderland

Maybe this scene will bring the snow that I am craving?!

Tick, Tock....The Passing of Time

Three years ago, at our school's annual spring talent show, our kids sang Grandfather's Clock for the audience. The girls were in kindergarten at the time and Trevor would have been in 3rd grade. With the passing of Grandpa and my uncle Syd's post of the clock that was seen in many pictures taken in Gpa's childhood home over seas, the memory of the kids singing this song means even more to me.

"Life passes like a dream....."