It's Getting Warmer...

I just hope it stays that way. I have heard rumors about another "cool" front coming through, but it's almost March it HAS to be getting warmer. The other day seemed like a warm day, so I thought it was time to break out the double jogger, it has been neglected for 4 LONG months. However, once I got the kids in it and ready to go I realized the warmth was deceiving, their was quite a wind chill. Undeterred I grabbed Ethan's "cold blanket" (ie his down comforter), and tucked it around them and we went about 1 1/2 miles! Oh, it felt so good. I don't know if I can be patient much longer! I love jogging outdoors, I LOVE my double jogger, I LOVE warm weather! I LOVE that the kids are "trapped", they only complain when the sun is in their eyes, time to invest in sunglasses!

FHE

Monday for FHE I decided to make a dessert that the kids have never seen before. It was a big hit. We don't have dessert all the time, and usually it's just chocolate chip cookies ( I always have dough in the freezer). The kids had so much fun! Cupcakes baked in ice cream cone cups!

The Joys!

These are the joys of having a BIG BRUBBER! She watches everything he does and tries to do exactly the same. Here I caught her trying to use the "poppy" just like her "brubber"!

In NO particular order!

My kids are so weird sometimes. The other day I couldn't get them to eat spaghetti. What kid doesn't like spaghetti? So, I thought it was about time we had a spaghetti slurping lesson. They both ate a whole bowl full. Avery definitely needed a bath afterwards, Ethan spotless, no surpise there, he has a "thing" about being clean. He eats with a napkin on his lap most of the time!

Ethan built a tower with Mega sized legos. He was so proud of it!

Avery's new nickname is "the pricess and the poop". The other day she was having a complete meltdown because she had a "poopy butt". Jesse being the great dad and husband that he is got straight to changing her only to discover the reason for the meltdown was because of a "pea-sized" poop.

After being cooped up in the house for like a week straight during the Ice Storm (for emphasis). They were finally let loose when the sun came back out. They had a blast stomping on the crunchy snow. (notice Avery's giraffe rain boots, she will seldom be seen without them. They are actually Ethan's).

The whole ensemble!

Lots of time indoors meant lots of time watching movies. I am so glad that Ethan has become such a great big brother. (Don't worry Jessica, Chase will love his baby sibling. Maybe not right away, but eventually. It took Ethan about a year!!!) This is Ethan holding "sister" on his lap to watch a movie. He did initiate it, and she is surprisingly not fighting it.

We also played dress up a lot. On this particular day, Avery didn't want to be a "princess". She chose to be a giraffe-rainboot wearing police girl! She is sooooooooo adorable!

And here we are making valentine cards for our friends! We had a lot of fun, and I am still finding glitter!

Ethan Says!

Ethan started to go to Sunbeams this year!!! Yeah!!! I was very excited for this new change for him...he was not! When I took him aside the Saturday before his first Sunday as a Sunbeam and told him about primary and what to expect, and that he would no longer go to nursery and play with toys, he looked at me and said "Mom, I am NOT a big boy, I am little still. I will go to nursery OK?"

After 3 weeks of Sunbeams I think he is adjusting nicely. This week after I dropped him off, I remembered that I needed to take him to the bathroom. When I went back in to get him, he was turned around to the older kids behind him, making faces, and making them laugh. I said "Ethan, we need to go potty, then we will come back". Ethan says (to the kids behind him) "Don't worry guys, I will be right back!" He's a little "class clown" in the making! (That's NOT something I like!)

Still Iced In!!!

We're still iced in! Mom and Dad lost their power sometime last night, and the power co said they could be out for 3-4 days! So, this is new, they've moved in with us! It's nice to have the company. Hopefully it will warm up enough to start melting the "ice world" we are currently living in! The kids and I are definitely starting to feel what it's like to have cabin fever. I guess Obama has declared Arkansas in a state of Federal Emergency! (how noble of him). I will keep up the updates (as long as I still have power). Hope you are all warmer than we are!

What we DO on an ICE cold day!!!

OK, so we didn't actually have to spend the WHOLE day trapped in our own house. We woke up at Nana and Papa's, who put up with us because our power was out, and we stayed until lunch. Then we made the SLOW drive home (because Jesse had to get to work to leave for KC), and then we took naps AND then we....


Thanks to Nana Conn Ethan has a policeman costume. Jesse will be happy that Ethan is no longer "borrowing" Avery's wings to be "The King of the World"! I found nothing wrong with it, however Jesse, was a bit disconcerted! I do have to say that he does make a much cuter police guy, than a "fairy guy".

For those of you NOT in Arkansas!

Here are some pictures of the recent weather we have been having. Those of you who have never experienced an ICE STORM (like me), this is what happens. Of course the pictures DO NOT capture what it really looks like. We were only out of electricity for a few hours, but we didn't wait around that long. Not 30 minutes after the power went out, we packed our bags and headed up to my mom and dads in Bella Vista. The roads were awful but worth it for heat and warm food. We have almost a years supply but we hadn't purchased a propane tank for our grill yet so we had no way of heating our food. I am not sure of the final count for people out of power in our area and surrounding areas, but it was somewhere in the 100,000's. We came home this morning and still have power, but Jesse left for KansasC, MO for a week and a half and so I am trapped inside because I am not about to drive on these roads. Anyway, here are some pics, they are pretty amazing, even beautiful.

Ice crystals on the grass.

Icicles on the kids picnic table and trampoline.

Sheet of ice on the net of the trampoline. The cracks in the sheet of ice are after Jesse went out there with a broom and tried to knock the ice off the net so it wouldn't be weighed down and break the net.... it didn't work!

Icicles on the tricycle

The unexplainable way the ice forms on the branches, twigs and leaves!

More pics from our trip to Cali

First Week of Christmas Vaca!!! (delayed)

We flew into Oakland Thursday (December 18th). It was a LONG day! First we drove 3 hours to Kansas City, and then our flight was delayed 2 hours. Luckily we had signed up for text alerts and we just found a McDonalds with a playplace and hung out. Then we had a 4 hour flight to endure! The kids were pretty good! The plane was completely full, and it was a turbulent flight, which meant a lot of seat belt time. But we finally got here and we are having a blast hanging out with cousins, and Nana and Papa Conn. Here's a glimpse of what we've been up to.

The first time I curled Avery's hair!!

Avery with my cousin Christopher at the fish hatchery in Sacramento

Avery with my Aunt Reinalda

Ethan checking out a display with daddy at the fish hatchery.

More pics to come of the fish hatchery! And everything else we did in Cali for Christmas!

New Tag

If you want to play along just bold what you have done!
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a school band/orchestra
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis, eww NO, those things are creepy
10. Sang a solo, nope
11. Bungee jumped, no
12. Visited Paris, no
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea, no
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch, piano
15. Adopted a child, no
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty, no
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France, no
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked , no.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill Mental health is just as important!
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (in general)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke As long as video game Karaoke counts!
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling snorkeling in hawaii.
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud all the time as a child.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business I owned my own daycare!
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone-
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

It's been a while!!!

Things have gotten so busy, but are now starting to calm down (a little). We just had our final Enrichment of the year, and now that that's over with, a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders :) I think it went well, and we had a great turn out. Friday was our ward Christmas party, and that was great too. The kids got to see Santa, and Ethan was very excited to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas, luckily it's actually what he's going to get, and not something he decided last minute. Avery was NOT so excited to see Santa. I thought she was going to pass out, but I made her stay on his lap long enough to get a picture. Here are some pics from the past month.

Our first snow! The day after Thanksgiving!

Picture with Santa!

Enjoying a little Andy's Frozen Custard, after the ward party.

Another attack of the crazy hair. Some days it just has a mind of it's own!

Rainy Day Schedule

Wasn't it supposed to rain? Usually our weather guy is pretty accurate! But one Tuesday he disappointed us! I had a fun rainy day schedule planned for Tuesday, since we had to pass on a play day with friends due to runny noses and sore throats. BUT GUESS WHAT?! NO RAIN!! Well, I stuck to my rainy day schedule anyway, since it did look formidable outside. We pulled out the bounce house and bounced away! I have a feeling we will put it to a lot of use this winter. Avery is finally not afraid of it anymore, and that gives Ethan someone (the right size) to jump with. Here are some fun pics. I LOVE the scary faces. (If I do the scary faces back, Avery freaks out) HA HA!

Once Upon A Time...

Time for another Ethan moment...

Ethan usually goes to bed pretty easily, meaning without much of a fight. However, he likes to procrastinate however he can. Sometimes it's claiming he's hungry again (after his teeth are brushed, prayers are said, scriptures read, and storytime is over) AHHHH! Sometimes, he just says "Mommy, can you tell me something?" Over and Over again, To which I usually say something like "Do you know what? Pigs can fly!" Which HE thinks is hilarious, and that's what counts. The other night, Ethan asks Jesse, "Daddy, can you tell me something?" So Jesse says sure, "Once upon a time, there was a little boy. His name was Ethan. He was a brave boy...etc.etc." Ethan interupts him, and says, "No, No, No Daddy. I am going to say it." "Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Avery, and she was a good girl. She's a was a going to Sonics, and she eated there. THE END." Every night now, he tells us a new story. I know you all are on the edges of your seats awaiting the next one. Be patient they are coming.

Quality Time With Papa

Here are some pics taken with our new camera! I was excited to use it and was able to capture some cute pictures of Avery playing with Papa. It's nothing incredibly FANCY, but I love it still, and I don't claim to be a great photographer so...most of all I'm just glad it does the job. There really wasn't anything wrong with my old camera besides the screen being cracked from a tiff with the baggage loader guys of Southwest Airlines, but it didn't effect the quality of pics. It's like 5 years old, and NOW Ethan is the proud new owner. It will still get plenty of use.

Quality Time With Papa