Winter Fun!

We finally got some snow. Well, it was almost snow. As predicted it started snowing early Saturday morning last week. I can verify that it didn't start here until after 4:50 am. I was up with one kid or another all throughout the night and kept checking on the status of the snow, hoping we'd have something by daylight. We did. Just a couple inches. The snow was followed by rain, making a perfect sledding recipe. The colds and fevers that kept the kids awake all night did nothing to contain their excitement for playing in the snow. We were all bundled up and out the door as soon as the rain let up. The next day was very sunny and quite a bit warmer making it that much more enjoyable to be outside. The melting snow and dropping temps set us up for a very slippery Monday morning and many school cancellations. As for the fevers and colds, well they are the reason this blog has waited almost a week to get posted. It's been a very long and tiring week. I'm ready for spring.

Camryn on Sunday afternoon. Check out the road. We don't get plowed-out down in the south, and when temps drop at night that mess on the roads freezes just like that.

My little snow bunny, dressed and ready to play! She loved the snow!

Ben and Kate at the bottom of our neighbors 'snow' hill. Ben was getting brave by this point. We are all lucky we didn't end up in the ER that day.

Trying hard to make a snow man. It didn't happen.

Sledding at the neighbors' house. They have the perfect slope for sledding, sending kids down into the road and back up the neighbors yard across the street. It's great when there's no one on the roads. Unfortunately the kids that live there also think it's great for riding those things you use to scoot under a car to change the oil. Yeah, they 'ride' that down the hill into the road right in front of cars. Watch for them the next time you come over.

Will's "don't take my picture" face. Makes me laugh every time.

I love the helmet. Granted they did play football for a little bit, but I think he forgot he was wearing it and kept it on the entire time we were outside.

Notice how little snow there really is. The kids had a blast anyway.

Bound to happen. Didn't stop him from doing it over and over again. Will, being smaller and more coordinated, was awesome at it. We really need to get that boy on a board on a mountain!

ROCK STAR

I can't watch this video without laughing. Out loud. Have you ever seen such a serious drummer? Dressed in a buttoned up polo tucked neatly into his belted khakis? Not your typical Rock Star, but he tries hard and he LOVES it. We are going to get him drum and guitar lessons this year as I'm sure you can imagine how painful listening to this day after day after day can be. But I love that he loves it. It's also a great outlet for him. After a hard day of being a perfect little first grader he gets to come home bang on some drums. It could be worse. Katie, Ben's partner in crime, took this video. Maybe we'll get her some videographing lessons while we are at it. This is one of her better ones.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow ...

Or not. He does get kudos for trying though. After a little research he found out you need a power washer, an air compressor AND the correct humidity in the air. I'm sure this is not the last we will see of home snow making.

Happy New Year!!

Jon and I rang in the New Year like real adults, at a real bar listening to real live music. It was great! But before we did we threw our own little party for the kids celebrating the end of one year and beginning of the next. From party hats, to fireworks, goals for 2010 and a countdown it was a complete New Years Eve bash! The fact that the countdown was at 7:00 was only a minor detail that no one seemed bothered by.

Standing in front of our 2010 wall. (Jon and I were on our way out the door. I don't tend to hang around the house in party dresses and high heel boots, much to Jon's disappointment ~ and Katie's ;)

Jon in his very manly New Years Eve hat.


Will getting ready for the countdown.

Writing on the wall. This is our 2010 wall. There are three different sections. 1) In 2010 I WILL ... 2) In 2010 I WILL NOT ... and 3) In 2010 I want ...

I was really impressed with some of the things the kids came up with. Some of my favorites are:

In 2010 I want: to go out into outer space (Will)

In 2010 I will: make us late for school everyday (Katie). She meant to write it on the WILL NOT poster, but it's just so fitting that she put it in the 'will' poster. She does make them late everyday and it looks like that is not going to change anytime soon.

In 2010 I will NOT: listen to Camryn scream (Ben).

In 2010 I will NOT: scream at Mommy (Kate).

Jon and I contributed as well. Having goals written on the wall for all to see, and to remind yourself, makes it all seem quite binding. In 2010 I will compete in a triathlon ... guess I need to start training now that I've put that in writing huh? Jon said he was going to work less, sleep more and exercise. We are going to hold him to that.

Here are the hats we made. It was very fun breaking out the glue gun and getting rid of some of the wrapping accessories we have hanging around the house. These hats are left over from Kate's fourth birthday party, I guess being a pack rat has its advantages.

Jon and I stopped by a friend's house before heading out to Beantown (yes, as in Boston) Tavern. It felt very comforting being around all that Red Sox paraphernalia. The band we saw ~ Cloud Nine ~ was excellent! I was very impressed, especially since the drummer is Jon's trim carpenter. Many thanks to Mom to allow us to ring in the new year in adult fashion! One of the best things about 2010 ... the new no smoking rule in bars and restaurants!! YAY!! We don't get out that much, but it will be nice not coming home smelling like an ash tray when we do. Congrats to North Carolina for finally getting with the program, it's only about a decade later than the rest of the country, but this IS the south.

Numbers

I'm a number person. I love numbers, which might lead one to think that I love math, but I don't. I don't hate math, but I don't really care for it either. Sounds strange I know ~ to love numbers but not love math. The fact that I'm not very good at math could have a lot to do with that, but that's beside the point. So I am a number person. I remember birthdays, anniversaries, phone numbers, addresses ~ anything that has to do with numbers. I love number patterns, the way numbers relate to each other and most of all, how true numbers are. A given amount of something is the same amount no matter what language you are speaking. Eight apples is eight apples. Period. So now here we are at the end of 2009. We are ending the first decade of the millennium. What does this mean for a number person like me? Well let's see:



1) This is the first odd numbered year since the millennium that I am not pregnant for New Years Eve.

2001 pregnant with Ben

2003 pregnant with Kate

2005 pregnant with Will

2007 pregnant with Cam

2009 ~ not pregnant!

(I say that deserves a toast in and of itself!)



2) Since you are bright people you can probably figure this one out, but I'll put it in writing anyway. 2010 will be the first even numbered year since 2000 that we will not be bringing a new baby home. While this was a decision we both made and stand firmly behind but it doesn't come without a hint of sadness in my heart.



3) 2010 will be the year I turn 35! ACKKK!!



4) Everyone else in this household will turn even numbers ~ Jon 34, Ben 8, Kate 6, Will 4 and Cam 2. Even numbers for the even years, odd for the odd. Love it! (Funny how I am the one born in an odd year and don't follow that rule. But I was born in a 5 year, so it's always easy to figure out how old I am, which as we get older can be hard to remember ;)



The last decade of my life, and the first decade of the millennium, has been dedicated to growing, birthing, nursing and caring for babies. It's what I have done for a long time. My body is very good at it. I love newborns. Giving birth is a powerful and amazing gift that we women have. That part of my life has come to an end. A decade of babyhood is about to be behind me, and in the next decade?? Well, I guess in a way I don't really know. My kids will grow, that much is a given. The next ten years is sure to be as much, if not more, of a whirlwind and roller coaster ride as the last. I just pray to God that I am half as good at being a Mom to growing kids with complicated issues as I was at tending to my newborns. I have a feeling that this past decade is going to be one I look back on and wish to relive. I will long for the days of cranky toddlers, irrational preschoolers, emotional kindergartners and sassy first graders. I will beg for five minutes with each of my kids instead of longing for five minutes of solitude. I will miss the days when I just didn't have time to take a shower, get dressed or finish my coffee before noon. My morning runs will be spent day dreaming of time with my kids instead of my hectic mornings with the kids spent day dreaming of running. The last ten years may have been the most life changing, but the next ten will be by far the hardest. I better buckle up and rest up, I have a feeling we are in for one hell of a bumpy ride!

Happy New Year Everyone! Stay Happy, Stay Healthy and Stay in Touch!

Christmas!!

Christmas is nothing short of magical around here and I love every minute of it. From Christmas carols, to decorating the house, making cookies, writing to Santa, having the kids pick out presents to give away etc etc. It's just a wonderful time to be a kid, or have kids is you yourself can't be one. Of course the true meaning of Christmas is pretty spectacular as well, and while we try to remain focused on who and what Christmas is all about, as a kid the idea of Santa and eight reindeer coming to your house is way more exciting that the birth of a baby ~ especially in this house since birthing babies just seems normal everyday life type stuff. It was on a daily basis that I would find Baby Jesus (from our wooden nativity scene) wrapped in one of Camryn's diapers, or in a stroller, or under a pile blankets going 'night night' ~ at least Camryn was taking good care of Him.

Ben with his new electric guitar from Santa. He plays everyday and doesn't sound half bad. I guess it's time we get him some lesson so he can really learn how to play it.


Cam loves her babies ~ the last thing she needed was a new one since we must have over 50 of them, but Santa just couldn't resist besides her list was a little short this year and we didn't want her to feel left out.


Camryn opening her gift from her big brothers and sister ~ a miniture doll house that came with a "mommy" and "daddy". She likes to set up their little table on top of her little table and eat with them. She even gives them plates and utensils, keep in mind they are less than 3 inches tall. It's rather adorable.


Jon made homemade gingerbread last year, little did he know that it would become a holiday tradition. Don't start something around here if you aren't willing to keep it up, especially if I like it! The best part is how wonderful the house smells while it slowly bakes all day. Yummy!!

Santa gave in and brought us a Wii along with the Wii Fit Plus balance board this year. Boy has it been a blast! Katie is kicking every one's butt at bowling ~ she rolled a 220 today!! And the rest of us are just having fun playing all the sports and games. Will can snowboard like nobody's business and Ben has a pretty mean punch in boxing. The hula-hoop game has been the funniest to watch so far. We were all in tears laughing at each other today.

Of course one of the most highly anticipated presents of Christmas day was Will's remote control fire truck. Thanks to Baba and Papa who went to great lengths to get it to us before the 25th, after Amazon dropped the ball. Will was thrilled! I must admit, it is pretty cool. Not only does the ladder extend and swing side to side but it also shoots water! Will has loved it! I wish I had a picture of him when he first saw it, but it was very early in the morning and my camera reflexes were in dire need of coffee after being up all night wrapping presents and assembling toys! But here's a video of him driving it later in the day after I got a few cups under my belt.

And here is Ben in all his musical glory. Drums and guitar. Next it will be a keyboard and some lessons. Our little rock star sure is growing up fast!

Our Maine Visitors

Our visits with Mammie and PopPop always seem to go by in a blink of an eye. We tried to keep our schedule pretty relaxing and open since it was our first weekend back from our Thanksgiving trip. We even spent one day just playing at home and baking cookies, but still before we knew it it was time for them to head back north. Here are some pictures from their visit. (Again the pictures are backwards cronologically, so if it really bothers you start at the bottom and scroll up. I got presents to wrap.)

These are at the Columbia Zoo. I wish I got more pictures, but since I was in the 'cage' with them and we were being swarmed by birds it was rather difficult. The three older kids and I went in with tiny cups of nectar and were instantly attacked. Being a cold day in December the Zoo was rather empty, I guess the bird were happy to see us. Most of the time my arms, shoulders and head were covered in them, making it impossible to get to my camera. It was so much fun!

Ben holding a lone bird. This one was on his head most of the time. I guess I need to show Jon how to use a camera. You just have to see for yourselves, we literally had birds all over us.

Mammie and PopPop reading bedtime stories to Camryn and Will.

Camryn is quite the snuggle-bug. I don't think Mammie minded one bit.

We went to the Davidson town Christmas party. Santa was a big hit but Camryn decided to keep her distance.

Here's Will trying to get a peek at Santa as we wait in line. He was soo excited!

Couldn't have a Chirstmas party without a fire truck. Camryn wasn't to sure about this either.

We had a great visit and as always were sad to see them go. Thanks for coming down to see us, we love you!