Beating the Winter Blues

I just had my 10th snow day this past week and I never thought I would complain about snow days, but I am complaining about snow days. I really think I am going to be making 4th of July lesson plans for my classroom this year. I just want to finish up some projects in the classroom and I can't seem to find the time to finish and move on! I just want to move on! :) Anyway, obviously winter has been very harsh around here this year and we are just trying to find activities to keep us busy inside and give us something to do. The weekends get hard because I think the girls get bored. We're finding ways to entertain ourselves though (for example, I am FINALLY updating this today! :)). Norah has been big into helping lately. She likes to help unload and unpack groceries, help load the dishwasher and then today she got into the sink. We don't have to wash most of our dishes by hand, but she was interested so I let her go. I think she was at the sink for about 45 minutes, it was great! Easy entertainment and my water bottle was squeaky clean. Hazel loves playing peek-a-boo and she likes hiding behind the curtains and peeking out. I love watching her, but know one of these days she is going to bring the curtains down. Let's hope that doesn't happen!

She had to try some water out of the clean cup

And then she discovered the sprayer

Goofing around with Daddy

Cracking herself up!

I soooooo wish this picture wasn't blurry, but I had to keep it and share.  Blurry or not, I love the emotion in this picture, hand by the belly, pure laughter.  There is nothing better in life than this right here!

Stinker-Winks

I'm not sure how we (Norah) came up with this nickname for Molly, but she is lovingly known as Stinker-Winks around here. I get the first part of the name, even though stinker does not even come close to really describing this old girl. She is a handful and I know it is our fault because we attempted to train her well and get her under control when she was younger, but perhaps we didn't follow through to the best of our ability. Well, it certainly shows these days. She eats toilet paper, toilet paper rolls, children's books, any cards or pieces to children's games, grass and any other unknown disgusting thing she can find outside, she runs away at any chance she gets, she barks at anything she can and she just plain ol' drives us nuts most of the time. But......then there are moments like this! Hazel loves this dog more than any of us do and Norah has been getting in her cuddling lately too. Even though she drives me crazy, I know someday when she is gone I will want to have these moments of her with the girls captured so they can have them when they get older. She is a true Stinker-Winks, but she is a part of our family!

Ha!  The best part about this pic is the tank top. Norah was getting hot, so next thing I knew she had her shirt and pants off.  A girl's gotta do, what a girl's gotta do!

Old and grey
Molly turned 9 on February 2nd
I just had her at the vet the other day for a few booster shot and the vet said he didn't see very many signs of arthritis or anything yet.  I kept my mouth shut but in my head I was thinking, "Of course you don't, she is going to live forever.  Arthritis?  Not this girl!" 

I HATE it when Hazel crawls in this bed with her, but she loves her and Molly needs all the loving she can get, so why not let Hazel give it to her!  Best Buds!

Annual Cashmer Visit

Our good friends Bri and Kyle came a couple of weekends ago with their two kids, Rowan and Kellan. It has become a tradition for us to go to their house in the summer and they come here in the winter; since Kyle is a golf pro it just makes more sense to do it this way! (see their last winter visit here.)  I didn't take nearly enough pictures this time while they were here, but we got a few of the kids and that is good enough!  The kids all played SO well together.  The three girls had a blast and with the exception of a few peeps from Kellan we hardly knew he was here because he was such a good baby! Bri was able to take a half day on Friday and so they got here much earlier than they normally do.  They were here by 6:30pm, so we ate dinner and had a few drinks, the kids played, we visited and then got all the kids down for the night.  Norah had her first sleepover in her room.  We made up a little bed for Rowan on the floor and the two of them slept in Norah's room.  It took them both a little bit to fall asleep the first night, and Norah got out of her bed a few times to check on Rowan (actually it was more like she got right in her face to see if she was still awake :)), but I was able to see her on the monitor, so I headed upstairs to tell her it was time for bed.  After two times of going up there, they fell asleep all night.  On Saturday, the girls all played so hard all day!  We went upstairs, played in Hazel's bedroom and played in the basement.  Bri and I even got out of the house for an hour to go to Peebles and the fruit market.  We had a delicious steak dinner and potatoes with a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad, that I should mention Bri, Kyle and Drew all made while I was giving baths and cutting hair (Rowan also had her annual haircut by Auntie Steph).  We all ate dinner together and on Saturday night the girls had NO problem falling asleep in the same room.  I think they may have said one thing to each other and then they were out.  It was a great weekend and so many more memories made! We can't wait to head down their way in a couple months!

Rowan loved playing with Hazel.  I think Hazel was just excited to have someone paying attention to her.  Norah is still in that "I'm the big sister and don't have to play with you" mode.

Lots of lovin'

Hazel and Kellan just hanging out!  

Kellan Wayne
Such a sweetie baby!

Can't wait for them to grow up together with lots of memories of our annual get togethers.

Snow Days

We had a VERY extended Christmas break this year with three snow days at the end of break. It was fabulous being home with the girls SOOOOOO long, but by the end of break we were stretching for things to do to keep us busy. Norah got very creative over break and I am glad she got to get outside a couple days with Daddy to blow off some steam. Hazel was a wild woman, made a mess in the house, and then every once in a while would sit and read (I enjoyed every moment of watching her do that! Phew! :)) I was very thankful to have those extra days, but am wishing we had those days now. Our household has been sick since this past weekend. I will spare you the details, but let's just say the toilets, garbage cans, and Clorox wipes have gotten a workout. I was even home from school today with a touch of whatever the girls had. I am hoping this all runs its course and leaves for the winter. Here's looking to a healthy rest of the month.

Drew and Norah headed back to the huge hill behind our house for some climbing and digging!

Norah digging her feet in, trying to make it up to Drew! 

She made it!

Heading in!

Norah's new favorite thing is wrestling.  Here are both girls getting in on the action!
Poor Daddy!

We were getting so desperate for something to do......we actually played fetch with the dog.
Molly was just thrilled!!!!!!!!

Waiting anxiously to see who is going to throw the ball!!!

Molly's bestie is Hazel, so she will gladly throw the ball!

Just another snow day activity.....PLAY-DOH!

Reading
She loves reading books upside down (notice the bunny book!).  I won't panic just yet! :)

And, I had to end with another one of Norah's 'inventions'. This girl loves tape, as we all know, and some of the contraptions she comes up with are hysterical!  I'm not sure what the purpose behind all of this was, but  once she gets taping and constructing, there is no stopping her.

Christmas #3

Our third, and final, Christmas was spent at my Mom and Dad's house. Jimmy, Erin and Thatcher came home and we spent the whole day playing and eating. Eric and Maggy stopped by to help us celebrate too! Thank you for a wonderful day, Gramma and Grandpa. We are so blessed this Christmas season and are so happy we could be with all of our family during the last couple of weeks!

Norah really wanted to make a marbel roller coaster at Gramma and Grandpa's house and of course they had just the materials we needed!  Empty wrapping paper tubes, tape, a table, chair, candle and a cup.  She was good to go for about an hour!

Daddy and Norah working on adding a tunnel to the roller coaster!

Playing with the tools

At this point Hazel was taking a nap, but Norah couldn't wait any longer, so we let her open her stocking.  This satisfied her for a few minutes! :)

Checking out the gift we got for Thatcher.  A Cars road map and some cars. 

Always chillin' in the rocking chair

Her fancy princess dress she got and princess shoes.  I wish you could see the shoes better.  They are clear and glittery and have little heels on them.  She is so cute shuffling around in them and she loves the noise they make when she walks on a hard floor.

Checking out her new Doc McStuffins computer Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Erin and Thatcher got for her!
Well, there you have it!  Another wonderful Christmas spent with family, lots of yummy food and drinks, and lots more memories!
We had such a wonderful Christmas season and now on to a new year!
Thank you everyone for everything this holiday!  We love you all!!!!!!!

Christmas #2

Our second Christmas was our very own on Christmas day. Because we had the Brining Christmas the previous weekend and my family Christmas was planned for the following weekend, we got to stay home and play with all of our new toys on Christmas Day. We had a lovely morning opening gifts, drinking coffee (and maybe a Bloody Mary :)) and hot chocolate, napping and staying in our comfy clothes all day. We hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas day!!!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Coming down the stairs on Christmas morning!  I love Hazel's face!

So excited about her new shoes

They are pros at ripping open presents

Another new princess!  Now she has Cinderella and Belle.

Santa brought this Melissa and Doug ball ramp thingy and it was one of the biggest hits of the day!  Both girls loved it even though it had Hazel's name on it.

Santa brought Norah her very own sleeping bag, so after we opened presents and had breakfast the girls snuggled up to watch their new movie, Stuart Little.

Hazel turned into a wild lady during the movie and started climbing all over Norah.  Then, she decided to lay her head down and give some snugs.  I really thought she might close her eyes, but this snuggle moment didn't last very long.  It was nice while it lasted!

It was such a wonderful Christmas spent at home.  We got to stay home and play all day.  Gramma, Grandpa, Grammy and Papa all stopped by during the late morning and got to see everything Santa brought.  It was a wonderfully relaxing day!