Finally 4

Four years old is when the kids start to obey and the tantrums end, right? Anyway Roz finally reached it and she couldn't be more excited. For weeks she came with something new everyday that she wanted to do for her birthday. Anytime we'd do anything exciting or go somewhere fun she'd say, "this is what I want to do for my birthday!"


The day started out with breakfast and bed, her first one, and then to preschool. I joined her with a kids meal for lunch and took her home. The day before she'd asked if she could not have a rest on her birthday so we bagged that and she fought so hard to stay awake in the car. We went to mall, rode the carousel, looked at the Disney store and played in Pottery Barn. She would frequently remind me that it was her birthday and so she was in charge of when we went home. I'd picked out some stuff at PBK while she played and had them wrap it up. They delivered this large wrapped package to us as we left and Roz was so excited. I told her it was from Grandma Cheryl (she send birthday money and we go shop) and she was so confused how the store knew to give her a present or how Grandma Cheryl told them.


We came home and went to Taco Bell for dinner. I know it's pathetic. All day we were trying to convince her of more desirable eats but she stuck firmly to her cheese tortilla idea. We ate at the park, came home opened presents, had cake and ice cream, etc.

(This is a "family cake" she had requested this for quite sometime. I think she meant for us to all be made out of frosting and not plastic figurines. I was going to out wit her and get a photo cake except that every bakery around here machine was broken so she got the figurines instead. Also Morris fam, do you notice the Grandma Loeda porcelin candle holders? It's so fun to use them for my own kids because I remember them so vividly growing up! Do you like how everyone has their own caron of ice cream??)
I just love my little Roz to pieces. The past 4 years have zoomed past me, she's such a mini grown-up, always saying witty things and keeping us smiling.

Webkinz/Date night

Introducing the worlds best toy!!! Webkinz! Seriously, if you don't have one yet it's time to go grab yourself one. You might think it's for the kids but really it benefits you. I never had leverage with chores or anything else I needed my kids to do until these babies came around. The girls, especially Lottie will do anything if she's granted her 1/2 hour of webkinz time. Daily chores and homework are now done so quick. They never get more then a 1/2 hour a day so I'm hoping the novelty last and lasts many more days, weeks and months. They are little virtual pets, except you really have the stuffed animal, that you create a life for. They have a happy, healthy, and hungry meter that each go up to 100. (We've yet to find out if a webkin can die). You are given money to start with that you can do a million things with. Decorate the room, by the furniture, by more rooms, outdoor rooms and completely accessorize. You can talk to your pet and your pet responds. You can invite a friend over to play if you have their username (pen-pals are out the door) and talk. Since Lottie is so small and it would take her an eternity to type the questions and answers, there's premade phrases, you just click on what you want to say and answer. Anyway, it will be so fun for the girls and their far away cousins to get online for a date from time to time and to see each others fabulously decorated rooms.
The best is the life lessons learned. You really run out of money and its not easy to earn more. You have to take quizzes and even get jobs. The jobs are so funny and hard, Charlotte's got fired as a Hamburger Cook several times. She's a much better fence painter. Also their are pre-requisites for certain jobs like the grocery clerk, you need to have passed a 50 point math quiz but you also get paid much higher wages. When the money runs out its the best because they want some fancy new outfit or couch for their pet and they can't get it because they don't have enough scratch! To make their heath improve you have to buy a bath, bathe them and feed them lots of vegetables. It's so funny to see them shop and buy all fruits and vegetables when there are plenty of delicious dessert treats all around. I'm so happy I have a computer to teach my kids the important things in life.
Another great benefit is the arcade. It makes for a very fun, put the kids to bed, date night challenge. I'm proud to admit that Chris and I have done this. They are such fun and addicting games, like the old school Ninetendo games. We recommend Cash Cow and Color Storm.
Find a dealer near you. There's no need to buy another computer game, just buy the pet, there are a variety to choose from and they'll bring joy and happiness to the whole family.

Open House

The funnest reason to have your kid in a preschool is the darling open house they put on. Here are some cute pics from Rozzies big night. The theme was "Hollywood" and the dialogue and songs were so cute. They referred to the audience as the paparazzi which was so true. You've never seen so many cameras flashing in your life. Everyone had to be in all white tops and all black bottoms. I didn't know where Roz would be in the masses of children so my friend Debbie helped me out with a huge black and white bow so Roz could stand out and look so cute. Luckily she was in the front row so she wasn't to hard to find.

She's just such a cute little school kid.

A few other funny things regarding her: Lately she's begun to think outloud. There are echos of voices after I tell her something. I'll say something like "go put on your new tights" and a few seconds delay I'll hear a small voice repeat slowly, new tights. Just random words pop out all the time. Her thought processes are being verbalized and she doesn't even know she's doing it.

Also, the other day she came running out of my bedroom dressed like this:

The first words out of her mouth were "Mom is it O.K. if I wear these when I get baptized." Very random, very funny!

Dinner Co-Op

I'm the most excited girl in the world. Some friends and I just put together a dinner co-op. I will get dinner brought into me three days a week, Mon. Tues, and Thurs. and I have to take dinner out on Wed. I would pick cooking for three other families one night a week any day over cooking every night of the week. I have such trouble planning a menu, making the list, shopping, not eating any of the food I bought because I'm to lazy to follow through with the menu I planned and so the circle goes. My life will now be simplified down to preparing shopping for 2 meals a week, plus lunches, breakfasts and snacks. The other two nights will be filled with Chris BBQing, eating out or some tasty freezer meal from the Dinner Station. I'm always finding excuses and ways to make my life easier that never work, but I think this one really will. So for now lifes peachy. The only pressure on me now is to not get kicked out because my food tastes gross.

Daisys love Disney

All the Daisy's got together and headed downtown to watch Disney on Ice. My girls were thrilled and couldn't wait to be there. When the ticket request went out I just assumed it was for families so we ordered 4, enough for the whole fam. Most of the girls just went with their mom. So Chris definately wins the trooper award because I'm sure Disney Princesses aren't his thing. On the way in he was apologizing to Mason and assured him that someday his sis's would come to some manly event with him. But just look how in love with the show Mason was!!!

He payed more attention then the girls. He was in the zone all night long. Everyone was staring at him and laughing at just how much he loved it. I'm not all that proud because I know its directly related to his T.V. addiction.
All of the adults sat in the back row while the girls sat alone in the row in front. Rozzie was the only future daisy there but sat with the big kids and did good even though she was a head shorter. I was also proud, or should I be concerned, that my girls never got scared. Nothing disturbs them.
Before we left for downtown their leader calls and informs us that some of the girls are going to dress up in princess costumes instead of wearing the blue smock. The smock would have been way easier but I wasn't going to make Charlotte wear it while all the others are dressed up. So it was back in the ole Snow White costume once more. Poor kid, 2 Halloweens and 2 Disney of Ice's later, I make her wear it all the time because it's the only nice one we've got. It still doesn't even fit Rozzie but after she wears it a few dozen times that dress is going to be money well spent I tell you. Am I the only mom in America that recycles costume on Halloween because I'm to cheap and we moved so no one knew we did it last year?

Farwell to Running

I think in a previous blog I mentioned how I can no longer stand running. I had some harsh words that this old hobby of mine didn't deserve. To use a softer tone after I've had time to cool down, I'll run leisurly, no super long distances. I was fresh off of finishing a HORRIBLE race. You can't tell just how miserable my body felt by the pics but here is the slideshow of my happy smiling facade. The pluses to the race were being with Houston friends, talking and catching up on old times. However I was so sick and couldn't admit it to anyone because of my pride. The next three weeks I was still so stinkin sick and I thought it was all because of the race and somehow my insides got messed up. Looking back, I was sick running the race and thats why it was painful even getting to mile #1. The lady who collapsed at the end that Chris had to help administer CPR on by pumping her chest was also no sweet finish. (In one of my pics you can see the ambulance in the background!)
My glory begin a few years back when out of nowhere I decided to run a marathon as a new years resolution. I dragged my good friend Christy into it with me because I knew she wouldn't back out and I couldn't do it alone. (Chris also did it but we couldn't train together because we had to switch of babysitting kiddos). It was the best. Every new mile was such a victory! I remember being so excited after running three miles, five miles, etc. I had never even been on a treadmill before and thought it was crazy the way my body felt after getting off. Christy got sick, hurt her knee, had family drama and still came through like no one else would have done. We had the best longest talks for three hours every Saturday morning. Race day was the best, the trip to Vegas, getting bumped to first class, the free meal voucher, riding on the golf cart to get to our gate, pre-race dinner all of it. The race was so easy, it was a breeze, total enjoyment, no pain, lots of fans, beautiful scenary and plenty of tears from me at the end of my spiritual, emotional and physical victory.

Anyway, this blog was not supposesd to be dramatic. I'm still going to run three miles or so but no time consuming long distances. Oh theres so many thoughts running through my head in a random way so here they are in outline form.
Running is only fun if you have someone to go with , I don't
I don't like going to the gym alone
The locker room at the gym is bothersome to me. I'm scared of the people that have no fear of being naked and I'm scared that someone will see me naked. Why coudln't they pay the extra ten bucks for the lock on the dressing room doors? Why am I the only one that uses the dressing room?
I hate the feeling of being wet and putting clothes on. I feel stinky and sticky the rest of the day.
I love to shower at home and be free to roam around for awhile, which I can't do at the gym because of my fear of being seen naked even with the towel, what if it falls off? I've had that dream before.
I always want to go explore these trails all around my house but I need a bike and bike trailer to do it. I need to trade in my gym fees for a new bike.
I want to have a treadmill to exercize while I watch T.V.
I want to ditch the gym, my lonliness and public nakedness and save for a bike to explore and treadmill to satisfy my T.V. watching in a non guilty kind of way.

Birthday Bash

So the sweet little Lottie is officially six. To celebrate we invited 12 other crazy six year olds over for some fun cookin'. We dressed them all in their personalized aprons (those Avery printable iron-ons are awesome!) and chef hats. They looked so cute. They started at our huge table each with a pile of flour, a pile of dough, some hand sanitizer (a must). Chris was sweet and cut some round dowels and sanded them so each girl had their own rolling pin. It was some good, floury messy fun. They decoratd their own pizza's which looked nasty but we let them eat them anyway.

Next we went into the back yard for some messy egg relay where they had to carry it on the spoon crack it in the bowl carry another egg back to the next person on their team. You could definately pick out the experienced crackers from the not so experienced. Then they had a huge laundry basket full of tupperware and lids that they raced through looking for matches and putting together containers and lids.

After the games and eating the pizza, we rolled out white paper and let them go crazy decorating. They then decorated their own individual sized cakes with piping tubes and had all the soda they could drink. There definately was a sense of relief after it was all said and done. It was all worth it to see just how happy Charlotte was. She was in heaven the whole time, a house full of friends, tonz of cake, presents, etc. Both her teacher and student teacher came to the party. Have I mentioned before how she has the worlds greatest teacher? Charlotte even said the best part was having her teachers come and bringing her two new webkinz.

I just can't believe she's 6!! Where did all of the time go. The feeling is a little bittersweet, the past six years were not the way I always pictured them to be. This parenting business is so much harder then I ever dreamed. There are so many days when the trials are many and the rewards are few. I am so glad I have my Charlotte, I'm sad to know she's six and she's only getting older. Sometimes we sing the part of the song from Cliffords Puppy Days (Mason's a HUGE fan) that goes "love makes little things grow" and I think of my tiny 7.5 lb girl and how big she's got , and I know I haven't done to many things right but that I've always loved her.

Random thoughts & Dr. Suess Parade

I just looked at my blogger account and saw that I have 37 posts in my history. That's 37 more so called journal entries then I've done in the past 10 years in a traditional journal. (I'm exaggerating a little but not much). I've loved having a place to put my funny stories and pictures all together. I love the comments and staying in touch with all of you who are far away.

A friend of mine recently found this blog www.heatherdwhite.typepad.com which she passed along to me. My friend recommended it because of this gals love of vinyl lettering, which I myself really like! At first I read it for the ideas, now I just go look from time to time out of curiousity and amazement. She posts practically every day, there millions of craft ideas, tonz of recipes and very very long entries. She always, in detail, puts down how she makes her projects, where she got the projects, and step by step instructions complete with photos. She is a special kind of public service announcement and whenever I need to feel motivated or like I'm maybe getting to much sleep I just read her blog.

This has led me to the conclusion that there are two type of people in the world, people who motivate (the former) and people like me, who are just there to make others feel better about themselves. I've attached a picture of my very tall pile of socks to illustrate the point. Have you ever let your socks go this long without matching them?

The picture couldn't show all dimensions but believe me, there's a year supply right there. To tell you truth, Chris matched all of these, I think he gave up on the idea that I'd ever get around to it. I try very hard to do the laundry but by the time the clothes are folded and all I have are socks left I throw them in this special drawer where everyone can go look for their own matches.

I'm also showing pictures from Charlotte's cute Dr. Seuss parade this morning at school. She was the pink cat in the hat.

I couldn't talk her into being anything else, the only twist I could put on it was to make her a pink one, since I knew every other kid would also be the "cat". She looked adorable. When they all got together I realized the pink was a pretty lame idea. I should have left it with red and white. I'm sure this was another confirmation to all the parents in the class that I'm a little bit freaky. They probably feel bad for us and want to inform me that there is no pink cat and that they gladly would have lent us some red paper. The truth is it was very intentional. The picture doesn't show the cutest, curliest pink tail, that was the best part. The parade was fun, Mason and Roz loved it. If you ever have your own Dr. Seuss parade here are fun ideas, some from Charlotte's class and some from others. Mr. Brown, front row, far left, the cat with the umbrella, back row middle. There was some kid not even dressed up but he carried a sign with him that said "I've got a wocket in my pocket". It made me laugh, and that parent had it way easier than the rest of us. Don't Charlotte's teachers look the best? I'm really on a campaign for Mrs. Thomas for best kindergarten teacher. Thing 2 is the student teacher whose name happens to be Mrs. Graham.

Most Eligible Bachelor

Sorry to all you other available boys out there to announce the news. Mason hopes you'll still be his friend.

If you're feeling lonely

Before the Flylady
This picture adequately describes my life and looks. A friend of mine jumped on the bandwagon of the fly lady. She is always dropping fly lady language at me and making promises that if I signed up I'd see productive results in my life. So I gave it a shot. Her website is a little overwhelming (www.flylady.com) but there were definately ideas that I wanted to try. My favorite suggestions were:
1. Tthe shining of my sink every night, and that after 28 days it would be a habit so I marked it on my calender to really see if it would become a habit and started shining my sink each night before bed. As promised by the fly lady herself it made me smile in the morning.
2. Getting dressed to the shoes - I really do try this to be completely ready before any kids arise, or at least in my gym clothes and bag packed if I'm getting ready at the gym that day. I'll admit that I don't put my shoes on because I really don't like wearing them in the house.
3. The bedtime routine, I'm starting tonight!! This includes setting clothes out for everyone for the next day.
4. The control journal, haven't done it yet but plan to. This is just some massive big cute binder that holds any and all information important to you, phone numbers, take out numbers, babysitters numbers, Dr.'s, Dentist's, ward list all the info you are always needing that is never in one place.
If any of these ideas seem like they would make your life easier then you should join the list. Also, if you're feeling lonely and just need a friend you should join too! I've had my days a letdown as I open the inbox to find nothing. Since joining the flylady I always have someone trying to stay in touch. Afraid that she might take over my inbox,(I'd been warned) I created my own special account just for her. I signed up and neglected to check it for a few weeks, when I did I had over 300 emails. Today when I checked another 313. I never read them I just go look from time to time to see how many are there.

After the fly lady! If you check out the website and the only thing you take away from it is the shining of the sink it'll be worth it. If you're afraid of her or don't want to look like the finished product picture I'll understand that too.

My Long List

So I'm jumping on the list bandwagon. You're about to be filled with endless facts you never about me. Thanks to many of you for the idea to make one. It's been awhile of brainstorming and now, here it is.
1. I'm not creative
2. I met Chris on a blind date, my first one ever
3. We got married while attending Ricks College
4. We both graduated from Ricks in 1999 with Associates Degrees
5. We transfered to BYU and both got our B.S degrees there
6. I was born in Idaho Falls and my parents still live in the same house
7. I was a very outgoing child
8. My first time to Dallas was for Cheerleading Nationals my Junior Year in H.S.
9. I dated one of Chris's friends from the MTC pre mission
10. I kissed a boy at EFY
11. When I was a kid I would pick up smoked cigarettes that people dropped and smoke them
12. I'm never ever tasted alcohol
13. If I ever had I'm sure I'd be an alcoholic because I have a very addictive personality
14. I once threw a pampered chef party and no one came
15. I was Dopey in the play Snow White
16. I was Alice in Alice in Wonderland
17. I was Gretel in Hansel and Gretel
18. I traveled to NYC my Freshman year for 10 days to a junior actors competition
19. I once removed all of my mom's soup labels to win a prize at school. My had mystery canned goods for the next several years
20. I used to be fat phobic and would not eat any food with any fat in it.
21. I'm now the opposite of fat phobic and love to eat all things with fat in them.
22. Chris was the first person I tried meat with after a long sabbatical
23. I now love meat, especially a juicy steak
24. I love breakfast foods
25. I recently had a bad experience with sausage
26. I'm a total rule follower, I'm very afraid to break rules
27. I'm not rebellious
28. My first business was selling lilacs I picked to my neighbors
29. I'm not very good at business
30. I took my first pregnancy test (with Charlotte) at a gas station
31. Me and my friend saw a neud man in his car at the corner on the way to elementary school and we had to talk to the cops about it. I cried.
32. I was on the American Cancer Society Speakers Bureau and spoke at High School Assemblies
33. I gave elementary schools tours of the produce departments at grocery stores
34. In the Hartman Color Code Book I'm a yellow
35. In the Enneagram I'm a #2 Helper
36. I used to try to change so I wouldn't be a yellow anymore, it's hopeless
37. I used to watch Poka Dot Door and Today's Special as a kid
38. I love chick flicks
39. I really enjoy to listen to music and cry
40. I love feta
41. I'm a hypochondriac
42. I love yummy smells in my house
43. I love yummy smelling hair products
44. I love my clean smelling kids
45. I have a great great family
46. My parents were the most supportive ever
47. My parents never missed any event I was participating in, clear from the West Coast to East Coast and of course in my own home town
48. My dad has the greatest laugh
49. I love late nights with brothers and sisters talking and laughing
50. I enjoy down time after kids have gone to bed
51. I'm addicted to hot baths
52. I love short cut, filed fingernails
53. Long kid fingernails kind of gross me out
54. I don't have any cute clothes
55. I've always lacked style with clothing and hair
56. I have a charm bracelet watch that I love
57. I was National Dance Queen in 7th Grade
58. I cheered at Ricks College
59. I have no musical talents but sure wish I did
60. Sometimes I pretend like I can sing and am American Idol
61. I really wish I could sing
62. I really love Reality T.V. shows
63. I would love to go on Survivor
64. I love any and all things BYU, especially sports
65. I love going to BYU football games
66. Provo makes me happy
67. I own both the LDS super-hits of the 80's and 90's. Now that's some good music
68. I enjoy a book that makes me cry
69. When Mason was born I killed my tailbone and it still hurts when I sit. (like right now)
70. I'm scared to have another baby if my tailbone gets hurt again
71. While I was pregnant with Mason I also had pleuricy, again, very painful
72. I hate the smell of wet rags and towel. I get new washed ones every day
73. I'm not very good with money
74. I spend alot and never have anything very good to show for it.
75. Starting last month I only pay cash for things
76. I'm afraid of confrontation
77. I love the show "The Office"
78. I really can't wait for another Jim and Pam kiss
79. I've never seen an episode of Friends
80. I ran the St. George Marathon and had the greatest experience
81. I ran the Texas Half Marathon and did not have a good experience.
82. Long distance running is no longer for my body
83. I wish I was in an adult ballet class
84. I really like people and need them in my life
85. I clean best while talking on the phone
86. I love a clean house
87. Dirty houses are a little scary for me
88. I love the smell of clean laundry
89. I love dips, guacomole, salsa, 6-layer (hold the olives), cream-cheesy dips
90. I can't stand queso or velveta
91. I love to fly on an airplane all alone
92. I always sneek peeks at People magazine while in the check out line
93. I can't spell very well
94. I don't try very hard at things I do, I'm pretty lazy
95. I love competition and am extremely competitive
96. I'm not a poor loser
97. Giggle belly pain is the best kind of pain
98. I love holiday decorations
99. I don't love chocolate
100. I'm happy I reached a 100

A change of events

Yesterday marked my little guys 17 month birthday. Since a "31st" only comes around 7 times a year we really have to celebrate. I've been realizing how my life has changed since a boy entered our home. I used to feel so girly, all the toys were girly, the clothes, really the whole house. No with Rozzie going to preschool and Lottie gone all day there is plenty of mommy and son time and I love it. It really is so fun to have a boy. I now spend my days building tracks, throwing balls, wrestling, making animal sounds and watching dog movies. It's so fun to dress him and play and have a little mini Chris around the house. He has a few new tricks these days. He closes his eyes and flutters his eyelashes (with his eyeballs rolled up), he Calls Roz-GiGi, Lottie-Joe, Me-Mom (no mommy or mamma), and Chris-Da. This is his newest claim to fame because until just recently he only called Chris Mom. At church, in public, everywhere we'd go he'd point to Chris and reach his hands up to him and repeat again and again "mom, mom, mom". He also learned how to jump and loves to copy anything the girls do. He just has the best personality and makes us laugh all the time. So as a proud mamma, I just want to say one more time-I love my boy!!

My Dream Job

Has there ever been a subject that continues to come up in your life and you wonder if its a sign? That's how I feel lately with jobs. Lately I've been giving alot of thought to my favorite jobs or dream jobs. Then at dinner with some friends the other night, we were talking about jobs that would support our family if we needed to rely on them. The next day a friend was telling me how she was an entrepreneur, a word I can only spell by looking up in a dictionary. Then last night our home teachers came over and asked what I did for a living. When I told him I stayed home with my kids he asked if I had a home business. So the topic of a job is fresh on my mind and I believe I'm cursed to not ever be a career person. Here is why.
My curse started in High School when I had to fill out that crazy survey in a career class that told me what I'd be good at and should look into to studying in college. My highest match, based on my answers, was a traffic controller of a sort, not the kind in a control tower, but the kind on the freeway in a bright orange jacket directing road traffic. Whenever I go to a sporting event or concert and am directed out by these people with the glowing wands I'm reminded of this and I think how great I could do at it.
As a child I dreamed of having long nails and working on a cash register. I was always intrigued by the clicking sound the combination produced.
I enjoyed working in High School at a Floral Shop and a Take and Bake pizza place. It was so fun!! I was always happy and enthused to go in. I got to talk to lots of happy people. It required no organization, no planning, no stress and I really left my work at work when I went home for the night.
Then on to college. I worked at a telemarketing firm, and then at Gringos the mexican restuarant as a hostess then waitress. I also loved this job, it was so fun. Again, you're surrounded by happy people. Who doesn't love to eat out? If someone is grouchy you just dish them up some free guacomole or a side of rice and beans that wasn't included in their meal.
So everything I've loved, the pizza restuarant, being a waitress, the floral shop, or dreamt about - being a cashier, probably would not support a family of 5 very easily.
So I'm feeling caught up in this inner struggle wondering what will become of me if I have to provide for my family. I got a B.S. in Community Health that would yied about the same income as a mexican waitress but certainly not as much fun. I am happy that I got a degree but it certainly isn't a very practical one. Everything practical I would get fired from.
Today on the internet,(another sign that it's time to find a career), I found this website.
6 Careers That Will Take Off Chris had to teach me how to put that link in thus eliminating career #2&3 on the list: computer software engineer and network and system computer administrator.
#1, Nursing seems like the best option if I could only ever deal with healthy patients for some consultations. I could never deal with trama, death, stranger's throw-up, sick kids or anyone even close to death. I would just begin to cry and run down the hall if things got scary.
I plain lack the skills for #4,5 &6. Forensic Science Technician, requires attention to detail, (besides do you really think this career is taking off?), Business Management requires problem solving ability, (I can't even order a meal at a restuarant, I always just tell the waitress to pick something for me and that I don't like olives.) & last is an elementary school teacher. Patience and love of children is where I struggle here. I do however think of all of these jobs, teachers should be making the most money because I just admire them so much for what they do and I'm so grateful that they are doing it, because I know I really couldn't. I'm amazed at the time spent in order to make a classroom run smooth.
I dont' want to bore you with all the other skills I'm lacking to succeed at anything, and I'm not even feeling sorry myself I'm just in deep confusion at what my big career path in life will be when I have to depend on it. Do I just give up on trying to find a solution and up Chris's life insurance or do you have suggestions for me? Your help is definately wanted!
Sorry for such a long blog on a not very exciting topic.
If you reply you also have to tell me what your big dream job is.

SNOW DAY!!!

So today we woke up to the great news that school had been cancelled!
It was all cancelled for this. Can you believe it? Is that even snow out there or a shimmer of white dust? I remember growing up and having school cancelled (for good reason in the Idaho snow) it was the best day because all you did was play outside all day in the cold weather they cancelled school for. So after sleeping in for an extra hour we rummaged through our "cold clothes" to see what we could come up with to keep warm out there. We managed to find some Daddy size black gloves for Rozzie, a size 3-6 month hat for her that didn't even cover her ears. Some rain boots for each of the kids, a size 6 month snow suit for Mason along with some pink mittens. You do what you have to do when you're not stocked and prepared with winter clothes. We might have had the rain boots but it wasn't as bad as the neighbor kid with gardening gloves on.
Charlotte got to go sledding, if you can call it that, for the first time.
And Mason made the cutest trail with his tiniest paws.
We had so much fun while we stayed warm. And then it was inside for some warm hot cocoa and a nice warm bath.
I'll admit it's a little pathetic what they cancel school for here and also the experience my kids are having with snow. I'm very removed from the weather in Idaho because I'll admit I was ready to come in myself after just awhile. I guess I'm officially accustomed to the much better Texas weather.
Here are a few more pictures of our Snow Day.
The neat garden gloves.

The way to small hat.
Those masculine pink mittens.

My dreary and depressing blog

This past weekend has been so sad with only a few laughs along the way. I'm really not that negative of a person but we've had a weekend worth of sadness, that's for sure. It started Friday with this crazy ice storm.
We were headed to Houston to see friends, the house, shed a few tears, go to church. I had to pick Chris up downtown and load and pack the car for the entire family. It took nearly two hours to get downtown, the visibility was terrible, it was raining cats and dogs and even waterfalls off of overpasses and there was no end in sight. We decided it was safest to turn around and head home. All that packing for nothing. On the bright side we were sure to have a relaxing weekend because we had no plans.
On to Saturday. Charlotte woke up and said her heart hurt. We figured it was probably her lungs and took her into the Dr. to be extra conservative, because it was the weekend and I'm scared of pneumonia. Her lungs really were filled with crap, she got a steriod shot in the buns (this was a real wrestling match to get her to hold still for that one) and a hello kitty sticker to make it all better. They also did a breathing treatment in the office and sent us home with a nebulizer to do more at home for the next week.
On to Sunday. She woke up in the night throwing up and went all day Sunday. The good part was she was hacking up some serious slime from her lungs. The best quote and help both came from Rozlyn. While Charlotte was barfing in the kitchen on the floor and herself Rozlyn looked at her amazed and asked "What is she doing?" Apparantley Rozzie's eyes have been hidden from this before but this morning it was for the whole family to see. Chris calmy answered "She's throwing up." Rozlyn shouted back in a disgusted tone "On her feet?" Meanwhile we're all scrambling to help Charlotte and ignoring Mason's screaming because he wants breakfast when all of the sudden it goes quiet. We quickly go to find Rozlyn and Mason (because quiet in our house usually means trouble) she was feeding him water with a straw in the corner. She'd gotten a cup out of the dishwasher, a straw from the drawer and filled it up and gave it him so he'd stop crying. Isn't that sweet!
So here it is Monday. I'm recovering by cleaning and laundering everything we own. However, I'm so happy we didn't end up going to Houston, nothings worse then sick kids on the road and all the friends we were going to see I'm sure would not be our friends anymore if we'd contaminated their kids with ours.