Week #2: Snow Days

This Week...

...we had a few snow days. The snow just wouldn't shut off! It seemed like endless shoveling for days, and it was even shoveling several times a day so that it didn't get too deep. 2017 really broke some records on snow fall, let me tell you. The kids enjoyed playing in it, and luckily we had gear for everyone. I didn't have to rush out for boots or snow pants. We've alternated chores, games, puzzles, TV and Wii U time to keep them occupied during these snow days

The kids scooped some of the snow into a pile in the back yard so they could play. Marty thought it was great fun.

The snow was piling up fast in the backyard. It was decreasing the height of the basketball hoop. I could totally dunk that now!

The roads and parking lots all looked like this. It was a mess! I tried to stay home for the most part, but we still had to brave up and venture out a couple times. 

Once the main roads were plowed, it wasn't so bad. And once the side roads were plowed too, it was perfect.

...Jason had his toe nail taken off at the doctor's today. He stubbed it pretty bad a year ago and then a fungus grew under the damaged nail. It has never gotten better. So he had it removed. He's on strict instructions to keep the toe dry, but in an open toed shoe. That may prove to be difficult with all this snow on the ground. He has to regularly soak his feet in an Epsom salt bath. It didn't feel too good the first time he did it.

...we started operation raise funds for the Schouviller's car insurance. Saturday we posted these boxes on Facebook with a little background on what we wanted to do. People were touched by how much they've lost recently (job, house, car) and by the fact that Candace would be coming to help us paint the boxes. I called this plain white box the Candace in honor of this fund raiser. Within an hour of posting, we had met our goal of selling 16. It was so awesome as each person messaged me online to purchase one or two at a time. I finally deleted the post because people kept commenting and ordering. We needed to make a total of 22. 

I also invited my friend Nicole when Candace came to paint boxes so that we could have a good time socializing while we worked. we were able to get all of them painted, distressed, and with handles in about three hours. 

Week #1: A New Word For The New Year

This Week...

...this year my word is thirst. Physically, I've been needing more water in my life for a long time now. This is the year it's going to happen. I have a new water bottle that I will keep filled throughout the day. Hopefully, I can drain some water each day for better health. Spiritually, I've been in need of a jump start to get back in the daily scripture/prayer/journal routine. This scripture from the Book of Mormon is my motto: "And blessed are all they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost. (3 Ne 12:6)" I have missed writing in my journal at church and when I read the scriptures. That was my way of applying what I read and heard. I have missed dedicated time each day to be filled by the word of God in the scriptures and to reflect on how I found Him each day in my journal, not to mention taking time to talk with Him on a daily basis and not getting too rushed along with the rush. I've been back at it, performing these all important dailies, this first week of the year and it's absolute heaven. I didn't realize how much my soul missed these simple things and how much they fill me with the Holy Ghost. Here's to a year of thirsting!

(google images)

...my mom and dad came for a visit. Even though we got dumped on with snow and the roads weren't the best, they braved the trip to town to take us out to McDonald's. It was great to talk and laugh with them. 

...we took the kids to a movie on $5 Tuesday at the theater. We watched Sing. It was a good one to take the kids to. It's an anthropomorphic movie where a theater owner tries to run a singing competition to save his theater. Then we went and got five buck chicken baskets at Dairy Queen with the gift cards that the kids got for Christmas. It was a perfect outing!

...the kids went back to school. Christmas break is over, yo! The temperatures were super low the day before they went back which got us a two hour delay. That was nice for all of us as we tried to get back into a routine. ;) 

Spring seems so far off...

...we celebrated Paul's birthday! He is 11! He's no longer a Cub Scout. He gets to go to 11 year old scouts. He's super excited about this. I admit that I'm excited to help him work on his requirements. Paul's birthday was the start of a storm that hit over the weekend and dumped a ton of snow. We decided to cancel the family birthday party and just celebrated on our own. Paul wasn't too upset. He started the day off with his birthday cereal-Cinnamon Toast Crunch- and finished with his presents. 

A couple of our shoveling helpers

Week #33: The Barber Goes Home

This Week...

...Elder Barber went home. It's always so tough when the good ones go home or get transferred. We get so attached to them and have such a great time helping them in sharing the gospel. We took Elder Barber and Elder Johnson out to lunch at El Sazon, and then we did what any self respecting mission leader and wife would do. We stalked his girlfriend on Facebook! She's really cute!

...we had to hit the river while Grace was with us. Jordan and Kellen met us there. The kids got their swim in and then we made our way to We Ice. It was the perfect treat on a hot day! And it was so fun to hang out with friends by the water!

...Jason was a guest speaker for Paul's Webelos group. They were working on the First Responder adventure. The boys had questions for him and then he handcuffed Paul as part of his belt tour and showed them his car.

...we went to the High School track to run some laps. I also threw in some stair climbing. They had lots of energy to begin with, but were feeling it in the end. I tried to encourage them, but also push them to do more when they felt like they wanted to give in and give up. Sometimes in life, the lane painted on the track stretches long before us; it seems that we cannot go another step, that the end will never come. But each step that we keep taking draws us ever closer to the finish line until we realize that we went farther then we ever thought we could back in the moment of distress. I want my kids to push through their limits and continually make new ones for themselves. I want them to push past "I can't!" and always find a way to make their hopes and desires happen.

We stopped off for some Yoplicity after all our hard work at the track. I think the general consensus was in favor in My Froyo over Yoplicity.

...walk time with Marty! He's such a good boy to wait at the sidewalk corners (and I am speaking of Marty. Hehe!)

...we played several rounds of Rummikub, with our toes. No, not really. Benjamin was just messing around.

...I went on a ride along with Jason. It's fun to see a little bit into his work world. He just does what he does because it's become such a part of him. His car is his office, and the community his work place.

...we put a fire pit in the back yard. Naturally, we had to invite friends over to enjoy it. (I'm not a huge fan of smelling like smoke so I don't know that this was actually a good idea...) Ben and Connie Beus, Raliegh and the boys, and John and the kids came to BBQ with us.

...we camped out in the backyard for one of Paul's Webelos requirements. Jason lasted quite a while with us. Once the air mattress lost air, it wasn't all that fun for him. The car racing down Madison at 2:00 am didn't help much either. Emma slept under the stars with Marty and everyone else did great in the tent. It was also a little chilly!

...we did some rock painting as well. Painting projects aren't necessarily my favorite because of the potential and actual mess of it all. However, it does occupy little ones for quite a while on something other than video games. Yep, I can handle the mess!