Cold Friday Evenings

High Energy Activities

The Flu

All ladies in our house were officially touched by the flu this season.

Thankfully mild cases all.

Ladies

These hats,

 

Still make us smile

Spring Fever is Beginning now

And when we returned home late Sunday evening, we did not have to meet this.  This was mostly gone.  Although the records are in, and February 2018 is on record as one of the top 10 snowiest in history.

 

Not having to shovel was good.  Because when it was the boys' turn, it took them two hours to do the drive.

I'd look out the window and they would be shoveling.

Later, I'd look out the window and Ben would be shoveling and Nick would be hitting him.

I'd look out the window and Nick would be shoveling and Ben would be laying in a snow bank.

I'd look out the window and they would both be gone, disappeared.

I'd look out the window and they would be shoveling.

 

Eventually, they got it done.

Waterparks

When we weren't in the snow, we were here.

 

My personal favorite--the waterslide that shot you into a funnel, which you turned through like going down a toilet bowl.  Then you actually went down the drain and flooded out into the landing pool.

 

We slept well over the weekend.

Day 2: Tubing

And on Day 2: We took our time getting out in the morning and chose to tube for the majority of our day.

 

Pushing each other off the top for a good start at things.

 

Getting ready to go with mom and dad (the added weight can't be beat).

 

 

Seriously--we knocked through barriers, and if you can hear Patric we overtook the boys.

If You Can't Beat the Snow

Go Skiing

Two and half hours to the north and we found the perfect spot for a long weekend.

 

And even this guy lost his inhibitions for a few hours.

And all that gear for deer hunting came in quite handy. 

 

Ben--after finding the poles, just making it out of the shed was a task.  Probably because putting your skis on right there isn't really the plan.  But who could wait?

 

After ski school--still all smiles.

 

Then we hit the lifts.

 

Alida, just like riding a bike, preferred to be alone for a little bit while she figured it all out.  Then she arrived as if skiing since she was three.

 

Ben will tell you he loved it, and he loved falling down the most.

 

Elaine stayed close, as she prefers her dangerous activities to be controlled.

 

Nick--always doing things his own way.

Flashback Friday

February 2013: Galveston for the day

February 2018: Igloos for the day

All My Valentines

Sugar and Spice

 

Energy

 

Charm

 

Partner in it all.

And I couldn't imagine a better one.

 

 

So Many Inches

Friday.  Snow day except for the Army, of course.

So we shoveled out.

 

And the neighborhood dogs played while we were all out. 

We laughed at the Alabamians in the snow.

The neighbor came over and helped with her snow blower at the end.

The other neighbors good naturedly wondered how we earned such help and why they weren't allowed to sleep in? Bring some muffins and it would have been a block party.

 

 

Saturday, we shoveled for the second and third time.

Because of course the Army was working over the weekend.

 

By Sunday, the fun had officially worn off.

Worlds Apart

Nine Days in Africa.

 

Returning to Nine Days of Snow in Chicago.

Conversations with Ben

"Mom, you have many arduous tasks."

 

And then a smile creeps into his face. 

 

"See mom, I'm learning all sorts of new vocabulary these days. Aren't you proud of me?"

Opening Doors

I went to the mall recently for an uncharacteristic shopping trip for my most recent business travel.  I was alone; I didn't even carry a purse, just a wallet; I didn't have a timeline to be home.

 

I opened doors for three women with strollers and one person in a wheelchair with a spring in my step and a smile on my face.  That was the best part of shopping. 

February 2008

Cute

And Besieged. 

Facial for Daddy

I'm not sure who enjoyed this more after they found that Santa had brought them a men's face cleansing mask and decided it must be put on a man.

 

He waited patiently and then let them rip that thing off his face. 

The boys would have nothing to do with the offers for their facials.