A Little More Winter

Every winter I think to myself "Why do I live here?  Why do I live in the arctic, with snow banks so high you can't see over the tops and ice crusted roads?" 
 
The winter blues have snuck up on me... but it's almost over.  Spring is only three weeks away... right?
 
One thing I love about winter is the frost covered trees.  This morning it looked like delicious cream cheese frosting.

Maybe not cream cheese frosting... I think I am just hungry for cake. 

We were lucky enough to take a short reprieve to Dallas.  It turned into a far more stressful trip than what it was worth.  But, for a day I did a whole lotta nothing while Aaron learned about the new combine guidance systems.


Sitting outside, sipping water, reading a good book, and getting a little color on pasty skin was a bit of heaven.

Do see the moth?  I haven't seen any sort of bug for months!

Running water... outside... in February.  Amazing!  (We don't get out much.)

We returned to the Midwest after a short couple of days, and in between snow storms.

We are hanging in there... trying to get through winter and looking forward to spring!



It Was One of Those Days

{Wow!  I haven't been here (on blogger) for over a month... Craziness.  Where did January go?}

It was one of those days when school was cancelled for blowing snow and 40 below temps.

The boys started out clothed but quickly ended up shirtless, strapping various weapons to their bodies for an epic battle--- 'The Chinese vs. The Dwarfs' --- completely their thing.

It was one of those days where I heard a crash in the next room and then a clear, "I am OK!" statement ring through the air. 

It was one of those days where I did not shut the shop door just perfectly for Rex.  Oh yeah, and when he was in our entry way sleeping, I might have accidently forgot about him and started the vacuum.  Well, the combination of the shop door and the vacuum sent him spiraling into an Emotional. Melt. Down. Mess.  Oh, he is so sensitive. 

I tried to talk to him and explain the weather.  "It's too cold out here for you.  Go into the shop where it is warm," I'd try to gently coerce him.  Rationalizing did not work.  Not even bribery with dog treats and food.  I was only trying to help him be warm and safe.  But he was stubborn... refusing to leave the porch... All because I shut the frozen shop door too hard and started the vaccum.

Sorry buddy.

Apparently, he was perfectly fine laying on the porch, in sub zero temps.  There was no moving our almost two hundred pound big baby... I tried.

Snowed In

I feel like a school girl giddy with delight...

I absolutely love being snowed in with my family.

French toast and hot chocolate for breakfast.  No where to go.  Christmas trees to decorate.  A lazy day in pajamas.  Stromboli and homemade/ homegrown caramel popcorn.  An epic Wii battle.

And, only my kids would be insistent to play outside during a blizzard.  Donning snowmobile helmets and gear, they spent hours outside playing in the snow.  They would come in for a couple of minutes to warm up their hands and then they were off out into a winter storm again. 

Can life get any better?


Our popcorn cross pollinated with our decorative/ Indian corn but even the purple kernels still pop!

The boys insisted dressing up the animals in holiday gear.  Boomer was a reindeer...

Rex wasn't havin' it...

But Miss Kitty would put up with a little dress-up time.

Granted, a couple years ago I would have been in tears being snowed in with two fighting boys and an antsy husband.

But, today is great.

Last week was rough.  Aaron has been having laser treatments on his leg (his 'bad' leg- I hate to say it like that--- but the leg he does not have much feeling in) and they went.... alright.  The stomach flu has been going through our house... so we had been puking and rallying for several days.  And then to top it all off, we discovered that the boys had lice.  Yes, head lice.  Awesome. 

So, I was a little.... worked up.... shall we say.  Yes, we will not say crazy.... we will say worked up.

But, today is better.  Today we are snowed in.  Puking is complete.  Head lice is done.  And only four more laser treatments for Aaron. 

And the holiday season is upon us.  It's my favorite time of year.  I know I say that about every season... but Christmas time is my favorite. 

Pumpkins

I love fall.  I love Halloween & Thanksgiving & the fall color palette & everything about fall.

But...

I friggin' hate carving pumpkins.  Words cannot express how much I loathe this task.  My version of hell would be uncarved pumpkins lined up and me having to carve them for eternity.  A little dramatic--- I know.  But, hands down, this is my least favorite task.  Ever.  Give me toilets with skid marks to scrub... but do not give me pumpkins to carve.

Every year, I look for ways to get out of it...

1.  Not bringing it up... which totally back fires every time.  Because then the day before Halloween, the boys are begging to carve pumpkins.  And then it is a last minute jumbled mess.  And I do not do well with last minute jumbled messes. 

2.  I usually try to pawn pumpkin carving off on anyone who shows a spark of interest.  But, unfortunately, because I put pumpkin carving off, the boys have the sudden realization of, "Hey its the night before Halloween and we haven't carved pumpkins yet!"  And then no one was available to pawn carving pumpkins off on.  This very situation happened this year.

3.  Not buying pumpkins never works.  Because Aaron's mom grows beautiful carving and baking pumpkins and squash (our pumpkins never turn out... I am not sure why I keep planting them.)

So, this year, I tried to suck it up--- not wine too much--- and dive into pumpkin art.

There we were.  Elbows deep in cold pumpkin guts (and I have actually held real people guts--- pumpkin guts are much worse.)  The boys had goofy, glorious smiles on their faces in the midst of this 'awesome pumpkin carving.'  I bit my tongue so hard it bled, and tried my hardest no to ruin this for them.  Your only young once, right?  Right.

This year it wasn't hard. Noah completely gutted and carved his pumpkin with no assistance from me.  And Abram needed very little assistance.  So, I guess it wasn't that bad after all. 

The best part of Halloween (besides hiding in the pantry and eating all of the boys' candy) is roasting pumpkin seeds.  They are my favorite... with a little butter, parsley, and garlic.  Delicious!

The holiday season has officially started.  And I love it!  Next up... Thanksgiving.

He Just Gets Me

A co-worker of mine was talking about how her son 'just gets [her].'  With a sparkle in her eye, she shared with me a homemade birthday card with a picture of a momma walrus and a baby walrus on it.  In her eyes, it was the absolute-most-perfect birthday card ever.

This little conversation got my thinker thinkin'...  I have a boy like that too.  One that just gets me. 

Don't get me wrong.  I hold no favoritism for my children.  This child can--- and he will--- press Every. Button. In. The. Book.  And then press them again. 

But, if I am having a bad day... he knows exactly what to say.  If I want to curl up in a corner, basking in peace-and-quiet... he will let me. If I just need some time... he gives it... no questions asked.  If I am cranky, he usually doesn't push 'it'--- whatever 'it' may be.  When it is that time of the month--- even though he doesn't know exactly what that time is--- he knows to be a little more patient.

Most of the time, he and I are on the same wave length.  Thinking the same things.  He knows how my mind works... and I can predict him. 

We can talk about anything.  He shares things with me that I wonder if other ten-year-olds share with their moms.  Immediately, after coming home from school, he will tell me how it was.  Any drama going on... when his mouth gets him into trouble... classmates freaking out... and of course--- his love--- Candice.

I know sometimes I blog more about Abram.  Little brother is more animated... gets into more trouble... has unique needs that not every child has... and still thinks that I am the coolest mom/person ever.  Big brother, on the other hand, knows better.  He knows that I am human... I am a sinner... and I am not perfect.

I know Aaron and I were young when we had Noah.  Ever since the day he was born, we have tried to do the best for him.  And when little brother was added, we tried to do the best for them.  We are so lucky to have them!

"I live for my sons. I would be lost without them." ~ Princess Diana

And We Hiked

As I sit here typing feverishly on the computer... smelling the coffee brewing in the kitchen... listening to the pitter patter of rain on our roof... I can't help but smile.  When was the last time it rained?  Sometime in August?  I love the rain.

Last weekend Aaron had a race.  It seems to be a recurrent theme.  He ran an 8k and his brothers ran a 5k.  They all did awesome!  We returned home after a 3 hour car ride, dumped our bags in the kitchen from our overnight stay at Ryan's... and then we ran to the blonde bloggers house for an impromptu bonfire.  It was a beautiful weekend.

Sunday, we hiked.

And hiked.

Until we reached the top.

It was beautiful.  And quiet.  And wonderful--- to just be with my boys.

And They Ran

"Run Forest Run!" was a mantra I chanted in my sleep.  Why was I chanting this?  Because I worked nights and was sleeping while my boys ran a race.

A big race.

Since I was unable to attend, gramma stood in as the picture taker/ cheer section.

Big brother leaving people in the dust!  Ca-chow!

Big brother got third place out of 30 or 40 kids (& my niece got second--- but we don't bring that up.)

My big brother got first in his age division.

We won't point out what age division he won:)

And, Abram finished in the middle of the same race that Noah and Annika ran.  I wish I could've been there to see him run.  Aaron ran along side of him and they ran the entire race.  Amazing!  Especially considering less than four years ago, he could only walk with a walker and AFO's.  And now he is running a race!

They all did awesome!  I wish I could have seen it.