Dallin

We rang in the new year early with some old sparklers we found.  Dallin was not sure at all if he was a fan of them or not.


He couldn't find his shoes on a preschool morning so we improvised (his idea) and wore 2 different shoes.  He was so excited about it until I snapped the photo and he hid his face.

He has been crashing out a lot lately - I think because he has been so tired, but the cute little man is an angel when he sleeps and I can't resist a picture every time.

 

 

He took a shower and was SOOOOO Cold so I wrapped him up in my bathrobe and laid him in my closet while I went and got his jammies!

 

 He has also been trying to to "train" with Tyler - they run, do push ups, and eat vegetables...and the other morning he was admiring his muscles in the mirror.

 

 

On another note- a very funny story about him.  We were at church on Sunday and I got a report that he was climbing the stalls in the mens bathroom and looking over the wall to the person in the next stall....I know of 2 men that he checked in on while he was in the bathroom!  I was so embarassed...but these guys were really good sports about it!  :)  HA HA!

 

 



Winter Dance Recital

Gwendalin had her winter dance recital and did a beautiful job!  I can't believe how graceful she was in her dance.  She has learned so much about ballet and has become very elegant in her movements.  

Most beautiful snow crystals overnight!

These pictures don't even do this crystal ice justice....it was absolutely gorgeous and we woke up to everything looking crystalized....Travis finally told me "yes, it is pretty, please stop talking about it.."  :)  I couldn't get enough.

The "Paps"

We have had Jethro for about 10 years.  He has been trained in bird hunting and has been a wonderful addition to our clan!  At the end of last year Travis started to notice that he was getting pretty worn down after each hunt and would come home and not be able to move very well for the course of the next several days.  So, in light of the pain that it would cause him to hunt (although he is still very good and loves to do it) Travis won't take him anymore and will just take Aggie (she is 6 years younger than Jethro)  - It upsets the "Big Pap" (as we call him) when Aggie goes hunting with Travis but he still is able to move around and therefore we feel a better choice for him to be home.  Even with this cold weather he is struggling with what appears to be arthritis in his hips.   He is the most gentle dog - and it's sad to see him age - so hard.

Tyler's First Chess Tournament

Snow!!

We got some GREAT snowfall on Monday all day.  Which allowed for a slow workday - we played cards midday with some good friends of ours (Wheelocks) and then later that evening when the kids rolled in from school we got dressed in snow clothes and took them out on tubes behind the rhino at the Wheelock's house (they have a large pasture) for some sledding/snow time.  Our neighbor across the street , Karen, saw us getting ready and she came and joined  us - so fun!  Good thing too because I have no snow clothes so my kids took turns riding on her lap.  Tyler was not a big fan - he didn't like the snow on his face and he hates being cold....(must be my kid) but it was a great time anyway. Hot chocolate was a fun warm way to end the evening!

We got more snow last night and school was cancelled today so Hunter shovelled two neighbor's driveways / sidewalks (Bill and Lorna's , and Glovers) and then came and helped me do our walkway as well.  He is an angel!

A few home evenings

We did a lesson on wearing the armor of God and likened the armor to the skin of an orange keeping you afloat and when you don't have it all on you begin to sink....I thought it was a pretty cool object lesson.

 

When I didn't have any clue what to do for home evening one night...I blew up balloons and asked random questions to the kids - as they answered I told them right or wrong...and had them race to the other side of the room with the balloon between their legs...it was hilarious and they loved it!