Snowmageddon

The snow this year has been bonkers to say the least. And these pictures are actually just the beginning. I had no idea at the time what we were headed for.

 We ended up having 3 snow days in Cache Valley in January, which is almost unheard of. To get one snow day in Utah is quite the blessed event, but to get three... yeah, nuts. One of the days, school was cancelled because the temperature was close to -20. WHAT??? Yeah, crazy! When temperatures are that cold, it's almost hard to enjoy having a day off. But my kids did take an advantage on this particular day, when it was warmer, but just tons of snow.

 I tried a tried to get a picture that would do it justice, but still, the pictures don't really capture it. Although this picture does look like a little slice of heaven to me.

 Several times, I felt like I was shoveling the snow into this pile by the street, and then the snow plow was plowing it all back onto my driveway, in a constant battle, because there was just not enough room for all the snow.

At this point, I would be okay with not seeing anymore snow again for awhile. But, I tell you what, there was a winter a few years ago that we got one snowstorm, in April, where snow was on the ground for less than a day; and I keep saying that I would take this winter over that year any day. (Although there have been quite a few people who have had to deal with flood damage, which I don't envy.) Maybe we could find a happy medium.

New Year's

These are out of order, but I realized as I was writing my last couple posts, that I had never posted about New Year's. So here you have it!

 On New Year's Eve my parents and Nick's family came to our house. Somehow I convinced Sara to have her girls sleep at our house, because then they wouldn't have to keep their girls up so long, but we could also party longer.

Maybe now the best idea... The girls did not go to sleep much earlier than they would have if Nick and Sara had just taken them home. Eh. We still got to party longer. Totally worth the sacrifice.

 This is all of us playing a game called Dixit. For some reason it's one board game the kids really like. Although strategy goes out the window when they play.

 I like to do a fake countdown with the kids earlier in the night so they can participate but I don't have to deal with grumpy kids the next day. We had fireworks, pop-its, noise makers, party hats-the whole shebang!

 After several tries, I finally got an action shot!

 On New Year's Day, Sunday, we had the Bingo party at Grayce and Teep's house.

 Some potty themed humor above and below...

 ...And some more.

 This is all Andrea wanted all night.

 Jensen, practicing for his ever-important role of "uncle."

 And to continue the party, on Monday the 2nd, we went sledding in Honeyville.

Don't ask.

February Random

Here are my random pictures from February...

 This is Exhibit A for why my house looks the way it does. (and my car, and my purse, and our church bags, and the bathtub...) Everywhere Grant goes he packs a bag of "hings" to take with him. On this particular day, it all just happened to get dumped in Cam's saucer.

 Meili and Grant painted a nutcracker together that they got from the Anderson family Bingo party.

 Pictures never seem to capture the sweetness of babies. But I will keep trying.

 These are the before and after pictures from Cam's first legitimate haircut.

 Before (Love that face!)

 After! Look at the difference!

 Meili made this on my phone for Cam.

 Meili had this idea to make presidents out of cups for President's Day Family Home Evening.

 The intern that is working with me told me about a family night her husband's company was hosting at the ice rink, so we took the kids ice skating for the first time.

 Watching Grant on ice skates for the first time was like watching Bambi learn to walk... and I absolutely died laughing!

 For how much they both struggled, they loved it so much, and the employees finally had to kick us out when it was closing time.

 Another favorite, sweet memory of Grant.
Our (hopefully) last snow storm of the year, I got out the snowblower quickly before taking Meili to school. Grant automatically got out his little plastic lawn mower and "helped" me in his pajamas. He was super diligent, and so proud of himself. 

 I told Meili to go down and clean her room, and didn't hear from her for an hour. When I went to check of her, this is what I found. Would I prefer a clean house, or a napping child? It's really a toss up in my mind!

 I foresee them having a really sweet relationship in a few years. (And a lot of wrestling matches!)

This month Cam started sitting up on his own, playing with toys, and eating solid foods on his own. All three equal a game changer in my life. You can see the floors in my house for the first time in months if that tells you anything.

At his doctor's appointment, I don't remember the exact numbers, but he is definitely my most average child as far as height and weight. Meili and Grant were on opposite extremes, and he's somewhere in the middle.