Think Spring...

What to blog about this week!?!?  I don't remember what we do in the week until I download the pictures each week...

 

On Tuesday we had another S*N*O*W Day.  The boys had to help dad shovel!  Izzie even made it outside for a minute.

 Aiden tried to throw some snow off the porch and it ended up all back in his face!

 These two munchkins LOVE the snow, but I think it can go away now.  If we have anymore snow days, I won't have to make plans for the 4th of July... I'll be at work!  The only positive about the snow right now... it pushes off MUD season for now.  Ugh, I cannot even imagine what our 'yard' is going to look like this spring.

 What do you do with all the fresh snow in our yard?  Make SNOW ICE -CREAM!  I made this with some students way back when I was student teaching at Elk Mound.  We use a can of sweetened condensed milk and just mix fresh snow (no yellow snow) into the bowl until it is a good consistency and flavor.  You can't mess it up!  Another way to do it is with evaporated milk and 1/4 cup sugar.  It's a cheap, easy way to entertain the kiddos and enjoy a sweat treat.

 Mix in a little chocolate syrup and it's chocolate ice-cream!

 Friday night, we had some friends come and visit and have some Ted's Pizza.  Ashton shared his truck with Reese.

 We spent a lot of time in the unfinished basement... where all the toys are and the kiddos can RUN!

 The boys got a little table for Christmas from Nana, and we decided that we needed two more chairs for when Elle and Elise come and visit.  The boys were pretty excited to put them together.  They have to help dad with EVERYTHING he does!

 With 3 of the 4 chairs put together, Ashton picked a 'different' spot to sit.  ;)

 We can't wait for Elle (and the entire Rueber family) to visit next weekend.  Aiden is pretty worried about Elle sitting in HER chair.  *Last time she was here she had to sit on a bin of blocks.

 In the box, Ashton found a 'Couch' made of styrofoam... he doesn't fit on it so well. 

It is crazy with all the connections that they make!  As I was driving home from picking them up on Friday afternoon, I tried keeping track of all we talk about in the car:

~ We point out ALL the COLORS of the houses we pass.  They are accurate 90% of the time with their colors.  We still get yellow and green mixed up.

~We point out all the barns and whose side of the window it is on.  When I ask what is in the barn they say, "Sleeping cows... cows eating... and poop!"

~They boys LOVE it if they see buses.  'Kids riding on buses going home.'  Aiden even pointed out a 'baby one' (short bus).

~Daddy has taught them where the 'Poop Plant' is (the sewage plant we now drive by).

~Aiden will point out all the 'people doing' and 'mans running'.

~They look for tractors... 'Green John Deere' and 'Red Case ones'.

~Every time we cross the river, they ask to go swimming.  I say, "No, It's too cold!"  They then ask, "Daddy swim in the river?  Car swim in the river?"  I hope not!

 

Last but not least, On Saturday morning Missy and I ran the Shamrock Shuffle 5k in Eau Claire.  We Sham-rocked and Shuffled our way through the ice, slop, snow and rain.  I am waddling like a penguin today as my hips and legs are sore!  Once I get moving I am fine, but if I sit down I stiffen back up.  This was the first of the season with NO training.  Our goal is to improve our time with each race we run this spring and summer.  Thanks for including me in your group!

 

Counting down to M.E.X.I.C.O!!!! One more week before Spring Break.  Think SpRiNg...



S*N*O*W FUN!

Has it really been Three weeks since we have moved into our new place?  Oh My!  Nope - no pictures of the place all decorated... I was on a mission today and have some things set for Adam to hang but that is as far as we got.  It is feeling more and more like home every day!  We had a ceremony last night as Adam drilled the first hole in the wall - to hang curtains in the boys' room... enough of Ashton waking up with the sun!!!!

 

What have we been doing the last two weeks?  Let's see...

 

We went to watch Mikayla dance one last time... Ashton was getting into the game.  He kept saying, "Dribble. Shoot. Run. Missed."

 Aiden just looks forward to the popcorn and the halftime show.

 The best part is after the halftime show, when Mikayla joins us in the stands.  The worst part, is when Mikayla leaves to go sit with her friends.  These two little boys LOVE her and watching her dance!  I taped her dances on my phone and they fight over my phone to watch "Kae-Da Dance."

 Something else they like watching...

 Some wildlife critters in the back yard.  Adam started to feed some birds, we have squirrels, and now deer.  A LOT of deer.  I am fine with that as long as we don't get raccoons, bears, or coyotes!

 These two little boys LOVE shovels.  "Sho-del"  Hopefully the snow is just about done for the year...

 I am not sure who is more giddy... the boys helping shovel or Daddy playing with his new snow-blower  ;)

 After all the hard work, time for a ride on the sled.  I think it's funny how Ashton is hanging onto Aiden's hood.  Like that will save him from tipping ;)

 THIS is what a hat will do to your hair:

 Saturday, February 28th we had a get together with all of our Little Friends.  This was the Second Annual Little's Party.  Caz turned two just before Ashton and Aiden, and Reese turned two just after the boys so we do a little party to get all the kids together.  This year Caz hosted a sledding party! 

 Shovels... maybe next year they will see how cool sledding is and not having to shovel.all.the.time!

 Caz was giving snowmobile rides, but it broke down before the boys could have a ride ;(

 How do you get a picture of some of the kiddos at the party?  Stick them in a snow bank!  That way they can't scatter as fast...

 Busted - eating snow.

 Ashton was shooting hoops all night.  He was actually making quite a few!

 The crew.  Notice some mommies (and daddies) holding the kiddos in the picture.  Maybe in 15 years, prom/homecoming pictures will be a bit easier to take.  Most all these kiddos will be in the same class or just a year apart while going to school at Menomonie.  I think we have some fun times ahead with all the families and our kids!

 The Dad's had a pretty comfy spot...

 Ashy still shooting hoops.

 Aiden borrowed Caz's Harley for a quick ride.

 Thanks for a great time!  Next year we host... Oh Boy!

 

Proof that the boys do get along sometimes and can share.  By choice they shared my phone AND they shared a chair.  They TOUCHED without tattling on each other...

 Proof that they didn't HAVE to sit by each other...

 It didn't last long, but I have proof.  ;)

 Started fighting quite the colds... Art projects one night it was.

 Speaking of colds... this was a pretty rough week for us.  I stayed home with Ashton on Monday, Adam stayed home with both on Tuesday, I had to get them early from day care on Wednesday, I stayed home with Aiden on Thursday, and Nana stayed home with them both on Friday.  Whew - We (including myself) are now on the mend after 5 days of fevers, a lot of coughing and snot.  It wiped these two out... they have NEVER been so sick that they laid on the couch for days and days. 

 Saturday we were going to have a get together at the house, but canceled because of being sick.  Debbie and Megan still came over to visit the boys and bring them their Birthday Presents. 

 They are spoiled!  Balls, blocks, Giraffes, and ELMO!
~Thanks Debbie and Megan.  The boys look forward to you two playing with them!

 So I found this next picture on the camera as I was downloading the pics for this week...  We obviously are making this new house feel like home!  Daddy lets the boys eat yogurt (by themselves) in the living room of our BRAND NEW HOUSE on our BRAND NEW FURNITURE.  We can't be afraid to live here, but maybe we can eat at one of the two tables in the dining room and keep our furniture clean for another week or two.  ;)

I cannot believe it is March... Are we really supposed to get 6-10 inches of snow this week?  Please, no.

 

Bring on Spring.  Bring on the MUD!