Ten on Tuesday

1. We have snow again today. It has stopped snowing but oh it was so beautiful as it was falling. There is something wonderful about seeing the brown dirty ground covered with a clean sheet of white snow that is just amazing.

2. Will has PE club every Monday morning. The last few weeks they have been playing basketball. Will is the youngest there but he loves it. He was so sad yesterday when he got home from school. His team had been eliminated.

3. Annmarie continues to amaze me with her reading. She reads reads reads reads. We went to the Library yesterday and she got probably 10 books. I'm pretty sure she is done with at least 3 of them. I love her and her desire to learn. She has also wanted to help more and more with dinner etc. She is sure growing up too fast.

4. Jeffrey has been outside all he can. We had some beautiful days this weekend. He wants so badly to be as good as Will is in everything. But he also has this sweet sensitive side. He has moved on (for now) from his tantrums. Hopefully this will stay this way.

5. Jed. I don't even know what to say. He is starting to read, he is starting to be responsible (as much as a 5 yr old can be) He loves smoothies and asks me to make them daily. He wants to help so much. It is funny to see this side of him. I love it and love to cuddle with him when he wakes up at 5:30 and I'm all alone in bed. He always wants a hug from me, which melts my heart

6. Henry is talking talking talking. He can see an airplane from miles away. He loves to point them out. He is still super happy. He makes me smile, and this week I have been so thankful for that. I love to see him grow up but it is also sad because he is no longer my baby.

Henry loves his nacho cheese!!

If you cannot tell he is soaked from his toes to his sweatshirt. He loves to be outside and doesn't care how cold/dirty/wet he gets. 

7. Chris and I get to head to Dubuque Iowa in a few weeks for a follow up interview. We are hoping that things go well, but we are also praying to find the best situation for our family. But it is exciting that there is interest.

8. I get to run a RAGNAR!!!!! I'm so excited. It is not until August but, I get to run with a good friend from College. I'm so glad she thought of me. Oh and Michelle I told her you would be an alternate( I know how much you loved running Great River before). It is so nice to have a reason to run. Now if it would only get above 45 here (so I can push the kids in the stroller) I would love to be running again. (side note I have just started the 2nd half of Insanity. I have not gotten this far before. OH MY!!!!!! it is brutal. not looking forward to the next 3 plus weeks)

9. I am often reminded how when we do what we are asked (read scriptures, say prayers go to church) how the challenges in life (although still there) seem to be that much more bearable. I saw this today and could not agree more. "If you don't have time to pray and read your scriptures, You are busier than God intended you to be."

10 Favorite talks from this week

Sweet Moments by Bonnie D Parkin - favorite quote. "Mothers, you are instruments in God’s hands, with a divine responsibility to teach and nurture your children. Little ones so need your kind and loving hand. As you put them first, He will direct you how to best serve them."


Sunday Will Come by Elder Wirthlin  favorite quote "Each of us will have our own Fridays those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us inpieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays. But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sundaywill come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come."

Ten on Tuesday (sort of)

Wow what an awesome week!!! no really it has seemed so long but yet so fun.

Wednesday the monster storm hit!

this is what our car looked like at about 7am. The official for our area was 15 in. I'm going to say we got a bit more. 

Henry loves everything about the snow. He was our happiest kid the 2 days we had to play in this stuff. 

Jeffrey discovered the swing didn't work so well when there is no clearance. 

Jed was thrown and mostly buried by the toss. 

this was Henry's favorite spot for 2 days. He sat here and played but mostly ate the snow. 

What Will does when he is in snow, he eats it. 

Henry got tossed in the snow. He fell a bit deeper that Jed. 

Once again this kid hardly cried. 

Jed wanted to be buried. I think he was warmest here. 

Jeffrey got covered up face up. Not sure this was very smart. 

This was my exercise for the day. I ran up and back. Holy cow my heart rate was high!!

We had a blast playing in the snow for 2 days. Friday was warmer and the snow packed better so we had some good snowball fights. Will learned he can do a front flip over someone. Annmarie learned that snow down the back of your pants is not fun. 

So I attempeted something different for Annmarie on Sunday. I cannot do hair. I do pony tales and that is it. Well I tried this. 

It turned out like this. 

Henry is 2. In every way. On Sunday this is what he was doing when he was not getting into flour, trying to shower in the toilet, putting on deodorant on his head. He is so fun but is a bit challenging. 

On Sunday we had ward conference. The members of the stake presidency had a clear view of our family. They saw the good bad and ugly. As the 2nd hour was starting the 2nd councilor mentioned our family. HE guessed the age of Henry easily and know the order of our kids (we have never met) He then proceeded to tell us his family falls in the same order. Then how he knows it is a struggle, but it is worth it. He got all emotional. I know it is hard at church but I know we need to be there for our kids

Chris decided to dress Jed up in a football outfit. Nice huh. 

Jed went to the bathroom at Costco so I put his hoodie on. Yep I can fit a 6-7 zip up. . . almost.

It seems that Jeffrey thought I set a great example by wearing a jacket too small he grabbed a 2T jacket to wear to wegmans. Oh such fun :)

Yesterday Mount Vernon had free admission because they were celebrating Washington's birthday. So since our older 3 were at school (make up snow day) Chris and I went with the younger 2. I was so beautiful here. It was a cold 20 and full of snow but I can see why General Washington wanted to be here and not in DC.

I assume that it is even prettier in   the spring, summer and fall. But the price was right. 

A view from the front porch. Absolutely breathtaking. 

no talks this week as I had a bit more time with the kids and Chris so we decided to be together.

Extreme randomness

The last little while I have been reading stories if people getting out of debt. It gives me the bug, the itch to pay off debt. Thankfully we only have student loan debt, but I want to start paying it off now. Sadly we need an income before that happens. Hopefully the desire to pay off our loans does not disappear, once we have a job ( that is the big problem here isn't it).

Ten On Tuesday

1. The Olympics are in full swing. On the weekend we let the kids stay up late to watch. Since prime time is at 8 pm here!!! That is so late. Our favorite so far is listening to the announcer for the Biathlon and ski marathon. He is so animated. It is like listening to a soccer announcer from England or Mexico. They get so into it. It makes it all that much more amazing.

2. Will has decided that we need to live somewhere with snow and mountains. This way he can become a snowboarder. Oh they joys of what TV does to kids. Personally I want the strength in my legs that those long distance speed skaters have. Their thighs are bigger than my head!

3. Since it has been cold here what does one do to pass the time or heat up the house? I bake cookies. Needless to say I ate too many and now as I stare at this photo all I want right now is to eat more cookies.

4. Will's school had a colonial day celebration on Friday. Every single kid was dressed up it was amazing! The parents were invited for the music and activity time. I loved watching him dance and sing. I even got to join him for the cotton eyed Joe. He was great. I cannot express how lucky we are to live here for him this year. He has had some amazing opportunities and has learned so much about Virginia. This right here makes me wish all my kids could do 4th grade here.

5. After reading my sisters blog last week, she posted about crock pot meals, I decided it was time to make some of my own. What did I do Saturday morning? I made 13 freezer meals (only 1 is not a crock pot meal). Total cost was under 13 per meal. Plus there is no prior planning. I chose one for last night, lets just say we will not be making that one ever again. Jeffrey and I didn't mind it but no one else ever wants it again.

6. Henry is starting to talk more and more. He loves to pick out the songs we hear. his top 4 are
1. day (today by Stephanie Boyd)
2. Ha-ti ha-ti (what does the fox say)
3. Go (let it go - Frozen)
4. Imber (Timber)

I love how he loves music and loves all types

7. Annmarie has been reading the Little House on The Prarie (which I never read, still trying to figure that out). Last night she came to me in tears. The family had crossed a stream and it rose. They forgot the dog and they all thought it died. She was so sad to lose a member of that family. SPOILER then 20 min later she comes to me still a little misty eyed, but she said they found the dog. I love how good literature makes kids sad, happy and feel all other sorts of emotions.

8. We singed the 3 older boys up for baseball this spring. This will be an interesting experience and hopefully we all survive it.

9. Favorite Quote of the week - from this talk
"Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other."

10. Best conference talks I've read this week (plus the one above)

 How Will Our Children Remember Us - Elder Hales
That We Might "Not Shrink" - Elder Bednar (this is CES not conf)

Ten on Tuesday

1. Proof that Jed does nap!!! I love seeing this.

2. Henry has learned that taking off clean underwear from his head is not as fun as putting it on. 

3. There was no school Thursday or Friday. So we planned to get together at the church with from other friends and do something. Each family brought an activity. Henry loved loved loved painting. The other kids made some melty bead thing and loved that. We were blessed to find other families who wanted to get out of the house and do something fun. 

4. Thursday We made bread, cookies and other baking things. A friend and her 2 daughters came over. Nothing makes a day pass like chatting and baking with a friend. 

5. Friday afternoon it was in the upper 40's. SO we went outside to play. Love having this place in my back yard. Oh and some kids thought is was plenty warm to wear shorts and t-shirts. 

playing a passing game with Chris

Henry Just eating the snow.

6. Saturday a kind kind family took our kids from 10 am to 9 pm. Chris and I went to the temple, did some shopping and had great stake with great friends. It was such a blessing to spend a day with just my husband.

7. Sunday we deep fried a turkey. It was 60 out. This is how Jed decided he needed to dress.

8. The boys eating their "legs"

9. I made a smoothie yesterday and Jed says "Mom you really out did your self. This is the best one yet."

I guess the proof is on his face.

10. I have read 2 wonderful Conference talks this week end. I figured I would post them here. They are wonderful! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

They are both by Elder Maxwell

Endure it Well

Overcome. . . Even As I Also Overcame