Snow day x a lot = fun times

When I think of February 2014 I'm going to think of white, washed out, piled high, bitter cold: Snow!  We have had one snow storm after another and in between super cold.  It has kept piling up.  So this winter I'm grateful for warm clothes, boots, generators, heated floors, and the list goes on.  We haven't had a regular week of school since before the new year and it is March 8th as I write this.  So what have we done during all of this snow storm time?  We have shoveled, dug tunnels, made forts, snowball fought, made a snow man during one of the later storms since the snow was wet enough, made lots of cookies, and drank plenty of hot chocolate, ate lots of warm soup and plain ol' just had a good time.  I personally enjoyed the excuse to make cookies with my boys then snuggle and watch movies.  

This winter has been one of the worst that a lot of people can remember.  However having snow on the ground for months at a time is the way that I pictured NJ to be like in the winter.  To be honest I've been disappointed in the last winters that we have experienced.  So finally a year that lives up to my expectations.  When I hear people complain about the snow or the weather I am reminded of the poem and I heard Elder Bednar say when I was a little girl and it has stuck with me ever since.

"Man is a fool
when it's hot he wants it cool
when it's cool he wants it hot
always wanting what it's not
never wanting what he's got....."

That poem is a reminder to me that I need to soak in each day for what it is, and enjoy it  I thank my God for the extremes that we get to feel because "feeling" truly is a gift.

Family Snow Ski

I have been looking forward to the day that I would take my family to the mountain since I was a young adult.  I worked up on a mountain for a season and would see families skiing down together.  Oh to share the joy of skiing with my kids.....what bliss.
The day has come that the stars aligned that we made our voyage as a family to a near by ski resort. Wanting so badly for things to go well and for everyone to have a positive experience, I have been orchestrating this day for a couple of years. We signed Adam and Zachary up for a half day of ski lessons.  Andrew went easily into daycare and Josh and I took off to the slops for a little time of our own.  All I could think about was our little guys and if they were having a good time.  However there were a few moments that I would cursing down that I was fully into the moment.  (Gosh, I love snow skiing!).

Josh and I got to the ski school a little early to spy on our mankis one and two.  They looked like they were doing well.  We got to see Adam go down the little hill a couple of times.  We saw Zach practicing some of his new acquired skills as well.  When Josh went to pick them up the report that he got on Zach was that he did a good job and that he was super helpful to the other students in his class.  He was picking up their skis and helping other kids with their equipment.  What a guy!  He is just naturally charitable!  That is a characteristic that so many people spend a lifetime trying to fake/receive and Zach is gifted with it.  I'm such a lucky Mom.  Adam's report was also shining.  His teacher told us that he did awesome and that he was ready for the slopes.  I think Adam was really ready to take off those uncomfortable boot and didn't like the idea of leaving them on so when his teacher came back and told him that he could keep his skis and boots on he didn't like that.  Once he knew that he could take off the boots everything was fine and he told us how much he liked it and that he was ready to go out again.  Even thou we wanted to Zach wasn't ready so we decided to call it a day.  We picked up Andrew enjoyed lunch outside under the sun and went home tired and happy!  It was a positive wonderful day of learning and skiing.  I'm on my way to having one of my long time wishes come true, which is to ski down the mountain with my most favorite people (my family) with me.  Doing my most favorite activity with my most favorite people.

Soccer Fever

Zach has been playing soccer this past fall and now as indoor soccer.  He has really enjoyed this season and really been trying hard.  He is a good team player and always tried his best to do what his coach tells him to do.  His confidence really started to grow when he played golly for almost the entire game and he did a great joy a lot of the parents in the stands were impressed with how attentive he was.  He took face shots and and really did a good job.   Few games went by and he was really into it.  At one point in the game Keiran (his friend who is a good head taller than him) fell and he was right there to pick him up.  His coach got a big kick out of that.  At right at the end of the game he scored his first ever Goal!!!  Everyone got so excited and cheered for Zach and his team.  His friend was so happy for him too because he picked Zach up and spun him around.  It was one of those proud parent moments.  Everyone was thrilled for Zach and the Rec coordinator presented Zach with the game ball.  Now Zach and Adam play indoor soccer in our kitchen almost every night.