Frozen

That's what we are here. Feet of snow (it's up to my thighs in the yard and

I'm not short) below 20 degrees for months it seems like and storm after storm. 

Hallie and Blake decided to camp out in the bathroom after their bath to stay warm by the heater in there. 

February flies by

Ok, actually not really. January and February are the slowest short months ever. But we're trying.

These two are best buddies in the morning before Hallie goes to kindergarten (11:40-2:20) and the older Blake gets, the more the interaction.  This morning they had piled pillows and blankets and were flying off the bed, tickling each other, wrestling and I sat in the rocking chair in the boys room taking video.  so fun!

The annual principal reading night.  Anyone can show up in pjs and blankets, find a spot on the floor and all the principals and asst principals in the district read/act out/wear costumes/props--basically go all out--for their story and during intermission they serve popcorn/apples/juice.  The kids look forward to it and it is pretty entertaining. 

 The weeks leading up to a new baby always drag.  When I was pregnant with Robbie to make the time go by faster I broke up the areas of the house and set days to spring clean each one.  I've continued the tradition because it feels good.  I'm much slower this time--like one a week maybe:)  But here was the kitchen and kids bathroom (I took pics to send to my mom since she really appreciates such cleaning:))

 Organizing for our little girl to come.  We had to throw away 1/2 the clothes--yellow stains everywhere, but it was hard because of all the memories that came back looking through them.

 Lots and LOTS AND OODLES of snow. Luckily we have winter loving kids that love to play outside.  There snow forts they built last week were pretty good.

Friday nights at the YMCA (happen often).  Ryan captured "life" with this picture.  We love that place. 

 and here we are at Valentine's Day.  It was like Christmas to the kids and I am so glad that they appreciate traditions so much. That is what we want.  When the woke up an hour early this morning in anticipation I was struggling to remember that.  I love planning things for holidays for our family and it was a special morning (we had extra time to read notes, talk and laugh at breakfast since there was a two hour delayed school opening).

 Our kids have loved their rainbow loom and we decided for V-day cards we needed to put some of those 100's of bracelets they've made to good use.

And Hallie is bound and determined to potty train Blake.  Oh how I wish.  Veremos...

"Does the moon (sun) want to hide in my eyes. It's getting me "

Cousin pen pals

They are the best!

Snow days 101

One of the great benefits that Ryan runs a campus...he sometimes joins the no school snow day team.

2-Year Olds More Aware Than You Think...

Written by Dad:

Last night (Monday), I was sitting with Blake in the rocking chair in his bedroom to say prayers and read a book before he went to bed.  He asked me to help him with his prayer and, after praying for each of our family members, Blake randomly threw in "...and bless Jay, too".  Blake loves his uncle Jay but his including Jay in the prayer was pretty random -- something he hadn't ever done before. Still, I thought to myself "oh, that's so cute that he wanted to pray for Jay."  After prayer, I went through the normal bedtime routine:  read him a story, sang him some songs, and put him down to bed.  As I walked upstairs, I realized all at once that what had just happened was more than just random as I remembered something that happened the day before on Fast Sunday...

This past Sunday, I was fasting for a few individuals who I thought could use some extra help right now in life.  I drove to church separately due to some early meetings and brought some pita chips with me so that, after church, I could break my fast to start getting my stomach accustomed to eating again (ever since I was a kid, I would get severe heartburn throughout the night following my first meal after fasting -- after years of this, I started adjusting my Fast Sunday routine in college to where I break my fast an hour or two before dinner so I can eat something light to get my stomach working again and it has helped a lot).  Anyway, Robbie and Blake got in the car with me to go home after church (we always race the girls home in the van and the first one out of the car to touch our house door wins) and saw the pita chips and asked for some. I said, "those are to help me break my fast but I'll share some after I say a quick prayer, OK?"   I had the thought to say my prayer out loud and Blake and Robbie sat quietly in the car while I did so.   I prayed for each of the individuals who I had been fasting for -- one of which was Jay.  I prayed that he would have the guidance and confidence he needed in all that he is doing right now with work, school, dating, church callings, etc.  I finished my prayer and nothing was said by Robbie, Blake, or myself about the prayer.  We then shared pita chips and had fun chatting on the way home from church.

Long story short...It did not even occur to me that Robbie or Blake had actually been listening to my prayer.  Clearly, Blake caught on to the fact that I was saying a special prayer for Jay (among others) and that he needed some extra prayers.  I can think of no other reason Blake randomly decided to include Jay in his prayers the following night.  It was a good reminder to me of how much kids are watching their parents, how much they are tuned into spiritual matters (more than we give them credit) and, specific to Blake, that we have been blessed with a really special kid.

What our kids taught Ryan and I for our FHE lesson tonight

Earlier this afternoon the three older kids had come in from outside and gone into their bedroom and I heard the door close.  I went downstairs to get after them for not getting going on their "jobs" (homework, jobs, piano).  I walked in and they were acting a little different and kept looking at each other.  I thought they were talking about doing something they shouldn't be doing.  For once though I stayed out of it and told them they had 3 minutes and they needed to get going on their things.

Fast forward to this evening for FHE.  For Aubrie's part she asked if the kids could discuss something in our bedroom for their part.  They ran to get something downstairs and then they all three came up and put an envelope in my hand, didn't really say anything and sat there waiting for me to open it.

This was inside:

A love note and all the money they have been saving for their "fun" money.  Literally all of it. 

They told us that Aubrie had been going to get her chess set and on the way saw her snow clothes laying on the ground.  She started thinking about all the things that we buy for them.  She said, "Everything that we have you give us, our clothes, this house, my wooden chess set, so many books, you bought our lunch boxes and all the food to go in it and you make it everyday, you bought our sleds, our bikes, all our clothes, you are saving to buy a house, you bring us to Disneyland and to Arizona and now to FL, you buy us treats and birthday presents..." (And she went on for a long time naming all the things she could think of)  We said, "but that is what parents do, you will do the same things when you are a parent, we love you and want to take care of you."  Aubrie says, "but then we will be doing it for our kids and not you guys, we want to do something for once for you guys--so HAPPY combined birthday.  Our first idea we had was to wait till the end of the year and when you give us our $100 for not eating sugar for the year, we could buy you a new laptop or something with the $300. But then we just couldn't wait, we were too excited. So, we all made an oath to give all the fun money we had (which was close to $50 for Aubrie, she's been saving for 3 years) and we wanted to surprise you. "  Ryan and I are just sitting there staring at them, like "WHAT?!?!? how are you SO good, and generous and loving and mature and a million other things.  How did you come down to earth SO good and with such huge hearts".   We of course did NOT want to take their hard earned money and told them,  "it means so much that you would think through all those things and be so grateful.  We love you kids so much.  You don't need to give us this money, we just can't take all of this money."  They said,  "we even talked about that you would say that and try to give it back and it will make us sad if you don't take it." (which also seemed very mature to feel that way and express it like that).  Then later they kept saying, "my heart just keeps jumping around" and "I can't stop smiling and even if I try not to my mouth keeps turning up" and "I feel so good inside."

Ryan said, "well, I think that was our lesson for tonight.  You kids have taught us.  We don't need to have another lesson".  

I still don't even know what to feel.  I just am still shocked. I love them so much. I don't want to take all of their money.  AND I don't want to ruin a special experience for them either. They were so excited and just so happy all night.  It felt so good for them to be able to do that.   Ryan and I talked about it for awhile tonight and he came up with a great idea that I think will capture the generosity of the kids and help us remember that goodness for a long time.   For over a year we all have talked about that we need a new dining room table--ours it chipped, dented, doesn't have enough good chairs, etc, etc.  Even the kids have noticed and mentioned it.  We always say that we want to wait till we move from our house we live in now because we want to build one and we want it to be a longer table with a bench on one side (Which will not fit in our house right now).  I found one months ago that is a farmhouse table and I loved it right away.  I saved it on Pinterest for "someday". A few nights ago, Ryan was saying he wanted to do a project together as a family--for him and I to work on and to work on with the kids too, to do/build something together (I think he was inspired by my dad and Wes rebuilding a motorcycle together).  I told him about the table I found and we looked at the plans and talked more about it.  

So, that is our plan now, when it gets a little bit warmer (ok, a lot warmer) and we can work outside on it, we will take our jar of money the kids have donated and go buy the supplies to build it. And then we can build it together.  And I hope that every time we sit down to eat we will remember the kids and their sacrifice to give us all their money and that we are a family that loves each other.  

I have a very grateful heart tonight.