A good day...

Yesterday was a good day.  We've all been sick with the cough and fever including both Jim and myself.  It's never a good thing when the parents are sick right along with the kids.  Laundry piles up, dishes pile up, dirty tissues pile up, the thermometer floats from room to room, makeshift beds get made in the living room etc. 

So, since I was finally feeling better yesterday, we went skating.  I have dubbed this the equivilant of my desire to run.  I grew up playing all team sports; soccer especially.  Love it, love it.  But there is something about the solace in running alone, skating alone that I love too.

So when the kids got tired of skating and wanted to play in the snow instead, I helped them back into their boots and kept on skating myself.  I think it must've been a good 45min. of just me going round and round.  It was such a perfect morning.  The sun even came out and what a delight that was.

(With all the snow around here it was simply beautiful to be skating under the sunshine for a bit)

It was Ella Jane's first time on the ice.  Her skates are many years old (about 15!) and were in need of a good sharpen so she didn't really skate per se but was able to master the art of getting up by herself after sitting on the ice. 

Taking both kids was a much different experience than going with only Matthew.  He and I can skate in silence and enjoy ourselves immensely.  We sometimes chat from time to time or show each other a new move or something.  It's fun to see us be braver in what we are learning.  With the two of them together there was playing and arguing.  But I was impressed that they wanted to play this game where they pass the hockey puck back and forth.  It was cute to watch. 

And just the day we all very desparately needed.  What a welcome surprise this ice rink has been to us.  Thank you to my neighbors who maintain it and make us feel welcome.

Sure, why not?

It was only 11 degrees out when the girls and I took a walk over the weekend.  Matthew opted to stay home and sled.  I deemed the air in my face to be too cold and managed to convince the girls that a walk would be more fun.  Which, you know, to each his own. 

Matthew had fun sledding, we had fun walking.

Got to pet the rabbit up the street and that is always a highlight, plus Ella Jane chose to pick up a few ice balls (as well call them) and hide them in the snow for later. 

Like I said, to each his own.

When we got back Janie wanted to know if they could scooter.  Um, yea, I guess.  Sure, why not?  It'd warmed up to 14 degrees after all.  Go for it!  And frankly, the driveway was clear so might as well take advantage of it.

When they got tired of that, they moved on to clearing the ice at the end of the driveway.  It always piles up there and the kids had fun trying to dig it up.  Kept EJ busy for a good chunk of the afternoon.

We don't have the traditional tools that our neighbors have.  There are times where I think scraping ice or whatever it's called is a hobby in this town.  Sometimes you are driving and you may notice people out tackling the ice.  Or at least in our neighborhood you do.  The kids just pull out the little scraper we use for the car!~

You know you live in the midwest when...

You're daughter says "it's snowning again". (no that's not a typo)

Some days you shovel your driveway 2x a day.

You know the difference between the three different snow plows in town.

You can gauge how much snow has fallen based on when it started and how fast it's falling.

The school district calls to tell you there is a 2hr. delay.

I'm sure there are lots more but those are a few that go on around here.

(This picture is from last year but this is how they get rid of all the excess snow in preparation for the next storm.  They bring in the dumptrucks and start loading them up.  I have yet to find out where they dump it all!)

And I'm so excited about the new snow plow this year!  At least it's new to me.  I've never seen it before and based on the fact that it's all shiny I'm figuring it's pretty new. 

Its best feature?  It has a little arm that comes down each time it passes a driveway so that the snow they are plowing in the street does not make the pile at the end of the driveway any bigger.  Have you seen this baby?  I'm telling you, every time I see it I get a little giddy and yell call for the kids to come over.

It's a wonder I don't have a picture to show you all.  Probably because every time it comes I'm always gawking.  It came down this afternoon while I was out shoveling and the driver either took pity on me because I didn't have a snow blower, or he had extra time to kill, or he was just very generous!~ but he asked if I wanted a certain pile of snow removed down by my mailbox and of course I wouldn't turn that down. 

Are you kidding me?  The mound is like 5ft. high and creeping into the road and there is no way I was going to move it all with my little shovel.  It was just going to have to stay there all winter like it has been.  While he was at it he plowed away the big pile at the end of my driveway.

At the risk of boring all you non-snow-dwellers I'll leave it at that but just know I could chat your ear off about this great invention. 

(Jim is currently teaching algebra at the table.  Oy.  Matthew is the only one still sitting there very intrigued!)

Guess who got over her fear of sledding?  She looks a little dazed but was brave enough to make more than a few runs with big brother this afternoon/evening.

I had to look at this picture again because it looks like Ella Jane is starting to fall down the hill.  Sara is actually climbing up and Janie is getting ready to go down.

I love this picture.  Thank you Jim for taking it.  Look at that little smirk on Sara's face!  She really did have a ton of fun even if these pictures tell otherwise. What a great way to spend a Monday at home with the kids.  Back to school tomorrow...on a 2hr. delay.  :)

Tiara and heels...

Although no picture to share it was a pretty dear moment.  The outfit happens often enough~ one of the girls is usually wearing some sort of dress up shoes or tiara.  It happened this morning that Sara was wearing them while helping me with the laundry.

She came downstairs all clickety clackety and marched right into the laundry room telling me she wanted to help.  I realized what she was wearing and it was just sort of this big moment for me.  Fun to see her so dressed up doing such a mundane chore.

If my flash card wasn't filled I would've snapped a picture to share with you all.  After the laundry we got ready for a run and after I got her dressed she mentioned that she needed her tiara.  So on top of the snowsuit  it went and we headed outside for our morning dose of fresh air.

Ice Skating 101...

um, get out there and go for it.

that's it.

We made our debut on the neighborhood ice rink this afternoon. 

We were thrilled. 

Our boy had the motivation and excitement to skate and had such a wonderful playful spirit...even when he fell.

Here's to a new hobby for the next few weeks months of winter.

More pink...

Yesterday, this was Sara in her room as I was organizing everything.  So peaceful and calm I just had to stop and grab the camera.  Love the moments I captured.

With the exception of this last one~ she was reading a book and came upon a person who looked sad.  She was telling me that the person was sad, using her sad face and voice.  I think it's so cute.



Merry Christmas...

~ Jim, Carol, Ella Jane, Matthew, and Sara

A plain Jane she is not...

I have so many shots of Ella Jane in her outfits.  Too many to go through and post here.  You'll just have to trust that the pictures I post of her is how she looks on a daily basis.  So much so that when she came downstairs one morning a few weeks ago in just black pants and a longsleeved purple t-shirt I wondered what was up.  No scarf?  No skirt over the pants?  No legwarmers?  Where did Ella Jane go?  I've come to really love what she creates as outfits.  I have not dressed that child since she was about 3 1/2.  She's always been very independent when it comes to getting things done and getting dressed is no exception.

One of the reasons I just love the new header is because it sums up my kids so very much.  Those books by the way are in ABC order.  Oh yes, my friends.  Only the work of my 7r. old could create that and the bright colors and accesories, well, we see it everyday so what better pictures to portray my children then what they are 'into' at the very moment?

She wears summer dresses and tank tops all the time.  It gives new meaning to the word 'summer dress'.  Slip a longsleeve shirt underneath and you've got year long clothing. 

She's so very proud to have me take her picture.  She's got a braid that is fading here but while it was in she loved it.

This girl knows how to layer!

Ella Jane is the one in the middle~ clearly teaching Sara (on the end) how to pose for photographs.  She is rarely just standing with two legs straight.

See the skirt over the pants on Sara?  That's the work of Ella Jane.

Lately she's into wearing Sara's clothing.  Oh yes, these are size 18mon. I think.  They are a little highwater on Sara but so fun and loungy.  In fact Sara still wears a different pair of stripey pants that I just love but are size 12mon.  I bet by summer they'll be a nice pair of capris.  :)

Do these photos not make you smile?  I love her sense of fashion.  Her really big thing just the last couple of days have been to embelish what she already has.  So, she's made glitter stars, cut them out, and taped each one to one of her dress-up outfits, we've glued ears and colored on an extra winter hat, oh!~ and tied pipe cleaners together to make a headband and attached a hair clip to go with it.  Where does she come up with these ideas?  It's entertaining for sure.