Snow day #3

One of our favorite "traditions" on snow days is to go around the corner to the Dye's house to make snow cream. It's so easy--just put out bowls when it starts to snow, and then mix the snow with sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and a splash or two of milk to get the consistency right. Delicious! Going to the Dye's makes it more fun though because they have a great sledding hill and we get to see friends instead of being cooped up by ourselves in the house.

On our 3rd snow day of the year, February 10, 2011, I took pictures. (I didn't even take pictures of the 2nd snow, because it was so wet and yucky, so we didn't get out in it!)

Hannah played in the garage, with the tricycle.


Aaron and his friend Jon get ready for a big ride down!




The driveway was great for sledding, too!


The trampoline was fun!


Grown-ups like to sled, too! Hayden and his kids came down to join us in the fun!


Time for snow cream!




My kids had to go inside for the snow cream. Claire was freezing, and Aaron's pants were completely soaked so he had to change into some of Cooper's pajama pants.


Hannah LOVES snow cream!


Mark had the right idea...this time he didn't even suit up. He just stayed inside with his coffee and computer.


Later that day we had Madelyn and Katelyn over to play, and Jon came down, too. It was good to play with friends even though school was cancelled.


That picture was taken just minutes before the huge meltdown Aaron had from too much stimulation and activity all day! I sent all the kids home and let Aaron have some quiet time to himself.

Snow days are great for memories, but after having 4 or 5 this year, we're really hoping it's all done.

Hannah and Lilli

Hannah's best friend Lilli is my best friend Debra's little girl.  I am so excited they are getting to grow up together!  Lilli is 4 months younger than Hannah, so unfortunately later on down the road she'll be in a different grade than Hannah, but they can still be great friends (and neighbors)!

One afternoon when Hannah woke up from her nap, she was so excited to see that Lilli was at our house!  I was babysitting for a couple of hours, and Hannah could not have been happier!  I was amazed at how well they played.  Hannah actually stayed out of my hair, and out of everything, for the time she and Lilli were playing.  It was almost as if she was showing Lilli all her toys.


Giving hugs...


Pretty girl!


Hannah is saying "Cheese". :-)


Kisses!


More cheesin'...

A perfect day

We had spring-like weather today, around 75 and sunny, and it was such a tease because I know it's going to get cold again.  But it was surely a nice break from the cold, and so great that it happened on a Saturday when we had nothing planned!

First on the agenda...Aaron needed to get off the training wheels.  We took the bikes to the church parking lot and he learned how to do it!  It helped that his classmate who lives down the street said yesterday, "Isn't Aaron a little OLD for training wheels?"  I said, "Yes, he is!" 





By the time we finished, he was riding across the entire parking lot by himself, and he even figured out how to get himself started. I got some video but have no idea when I'll have time to piece it together.

The girls got to ride, too.




And run around like crazy! We've been cooped up too long!


Next on the agenda was painting Mammaw's new door, but that was for Chris to do, so we just played outside at home for a while. Hannah got so filthy she needed a mid-day bath. That's a sure sign of a good time! Later in the afternoon we met friends for a short trip to the zoo. We actually took Aaron's friend with us, too.







And I got my new favorite picture.


A fun time was had by all!

Gingerbread houses and Santa!

Making our gingerbread house...




Then on to the Enchanted Forest with good friends! We go every year to see Santa there, because I always get a great picture and it's just good fun. We all piled in my van and had a blast!  Conner, Sydney, and Aaron in the way back...


Claire and Hannah in the middle, and me and Stacy up front, trying to have grown-up talk while ignoring the noise in the rear!










We got to see how gingerbread houses are REALLY done!


The train is a crowd favorite.


Hannah loved this little white bridge. If I let her out of her stroller she would run like mad over to the bridge. Once I even lost her for a minute and found her over at the bridge!




Loved this gingerbread "church".  I think it's supposed to be Bellevue.


The kids with Santa...real picture to follow. It was a GREAT Santa pic!


Aaron had taken his list but Claire never finished hers so she didn't bring it. That morning Aaron put "Wii" at the top of his list. He had never mentioned getting one prior to that morning, and I was shocked he even thought to ask for it! Thankfully, Santa already knew he would love one and had already bought it!



After the Enchanted Forest we went to a fun yogurt bar for dessert. It was so fun hanging out with our friends!