This Is Really Playing In The Snow

My brother Daniel and his wife Kim arrived at our home last night and well, they're from Florida so first off they want to know what the white stuff on the ground is :) But it wasn't enough to tell them what the white stuff was we had to show them - really show them.

Kirk's idea?

Take the whole family tubing! Originally we had planned to actually go to a ski resort but since God saw fit to send us some free snow we decided it was better to go "tubing" on a local hill.

We certainly weren't the only ones so we had to do some sled dodging but we did manage to find a "bunny hill" that worked really well for the triplets to slide down on their tubes:





This was actually the first time the girls had ever gone tubing. Kirk has taken Kaitlyn and Caleb to this same hill in years past (even last year after our blizzards I believe) but the girls have never gone. I mean, come on, that's a LOT of kids to try and corral on some very slippery slopes. But with extra hands today seemed like the perfect day to go for it.

I'd say they liked it. In fact, Julianna asked me, "The next time it snows can we build a snowman and go tubing both at the same time?"




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She was the only one of the three who pretty much ran up the hill to slide down again and carried her tube every time and kept suggesting we start higher and higher



As for the big kids - Kaitlyn rivals Julianna in her love of sledding. Up and down, up and down - when I said we would be leaving soon she said, "But I've only gone down 14 times!" I think in 2 hours she had to have gone down close to 30 times and she wasn't doing the "bunny hill" either!





There she goes!



Caleb enjoyed sledding as well but he had a bumpier ride falling off his sled a few times - but bumps and bruises didn't stop him from going again and again. (Thank God there were no broken bones!)







Brother and sisterly love...



Speaking of brothers this was my brother's first real time in snow. He only wiped out once - his first time - but he survived and was willing to give it another try.



It looks like he enjoyed himself!





And yes, Kim got in on the act too and she loved it as much as the kids!





And the cute couple :) Aaaawww...



And the other girls?

Alyssa seemed to enjoy it though she HATED going up and down the slope with her tube, had trouble staying out of the way and preferred for everyone else to just do it for her even if that meant people she didn't know carrying her tube for her!





Little stinker but she sure is cute!



Rachel, as always, spent a lot of her time eating snow but she did actually enjoy going down the slope for a short time (though not nearly as much as the other two)





...and she enjoyed making snow angels!



Yes, Kirk and I got in the act a little bit too though I think Kirk enjoyed the bumps a little more than I did!





All in all it was a great day and we were thrilled to be able to share our snow with Uncle Daniel and Aunt Kim :)

Oh, We Got Some Snow

And for some reason it was enough to cancel school for THREE days!! Of course the kids are excited but it means that the girls have NOT gone to school a single day this week since Monday was a teacher-workday. Oh yes, I'm going crazy.

But at least we got out for a little while today to play in the snow and the kids seem to love the snow more and more every year.

Fair warning: picture heavy! Maybe because the kids are so darn cute :)

I got just one picture of Kaitlyn. Not true - I got a few but none of the others came out - I had the flash all wrong and I washed her out. And of course she was cold and went inside so this is all I got but she's still cute!



Caleb looks handsome playing in the snow - look at those rosy red cheeks!





Rachel loves to play in it but mostly she loves to eat it. Don't ask me why but she really does! Yes, a little gross but aren't kids supposed to eat a pound of dirt in their lives?





"Should I eat it or save it for Valentine's Day?"





Lookin' good without some snow in her hand or mouth.



Alyssa was a little more into playing with her brother in the snow - throwing snowballs is a great way to play!





Sitting on top of the snow mound.



"Helping" Daddy shovel the driveway.



I think Julianna enjoyed the snow most of all. She was out there the longest and wanted to go back out again later in the day.



She even attempted to make her own snowman.



Though her sisters quickly knocked it over and a fight ensued but at least it was an attempt!



"Look mom, snow!"





Daddy gets to do all the work, of course. He certainly does it well :) Thanks honey!



Our first real snow of 2011. Nothing like last year but at least we got covered in the white stuff.





All in all we got about 8 or so inches of snow and the kids are off from school again tomorrow. Well, I did ask for it and my brother and sister-in-law are coming into town tomorrow and THEY asked for it so we got it. Not a ton but enough to take the kids out of school for 3 days, knock the power out in the area and give us some white stuff to play in.

As much as I love snow I'm really hoping that my kids make it to school a few days next week!

Mommy Goofed

I'm bound to forget something but really did I have to forget the camera AND the video camera on my son's big night?

Yes, yes I did and I feel awful.

So, I have no photographic record of Caleb "the strongman" (in costume no less) or Kirk acting as his only son's announcer. Right? How bad is that?

You'll have to use your imagination. It was the school talent show - there were some singing acts, a dancer and a mathematician but best of all there was a cute 7-year-old strongman act that everyone loved.

He stood on his daddy shoulders...

He flipped backwards off Kirk's shoulders his cape flapping in the wind...

He picked up his 10-year-old sister who is significantly taller than him...

He bent a spoon made of pure steel using only his hands...

And for his final act...

He lifted two thirty pound barbells! He only weighs 65 pounds and he was able to lift 60 by himself!

Imagine the excitement and a cheering crowd :)

Imagine me missing all of it on film.

But he did a great job and was adorable. He even was asked for an autograph by an excited fan.

I hope you have some really great imaginations. Of course he did offer to do it for his aunt and uncle who arrive in a week so maybe there's a chance to capture the greatness then. I know you will stay tuned - you wouldn't want to miss it!

Family Visit: Blink And You Miss It

My family swung by last week on their way from Florida to New York. It was a very, very brief stay but the girls got their Amber and "baby fix" for a few hours.

Kaitlyn used her new camera to take some pictures and she wanted to help write up this post. Since she has recently joined the Newspaper Club at school I thought this would be a great place for her to work on her skills!

Now, it's Kaitlyn's turn :) (All the pictures are hers from her camera from Christmas - we are still trying to figure it out - so some of the pictures are a bit grainy - sorry!)


Man! Did that visit go by fast! I was so happy when they arrived, then I'm sad they are gone! That is so not enough time to show them our Christmas gifts!:) I got some pics. anyway.

This is Cousin Amber. She's my dad's neice.

The girls are with Cousin Amber's daugter, Addelynne. Notice the book in the back:)
Aunt Lori. She's married to my dad's brother
who brought us Amber.

Mom with Addelynne.
Sorry we didn't have any pictures of Uncle Steve. I got one but it didn't come out to well.
P.S.- it's a three day weekend and I'm alive! If you know what I've been through the past three, you would understand...