What happened to February.........

Well I know we had more snow.  Actually this winter has had me see more snow that I have ever...in my life.  I'd have to total several decades of snow to come close to what I've seen this year.  It is beautiful, peaceful and forces us to slow down a bit,  and the kids have had a blasts.    It has made it very manageable that we live in a place that can handle this much snow.  Our street was always plowed within 24 hrs and the main roads were cleared,  so if we needed to get out we could.   It was amazing the amounts of snow piled up in the shopping center parking lots,  piles as high as 12-15 feet was the norm.   The piles are still there,  melting very slowly.  Our yard is almost snow free as we've finally had a week of temps above freezing during the day.   Spring is definately around the corner and I'm ready for it. 

Some pictures to catch up on winter.

We didn't have snow all the time.....

It was one of the most beautiful rainbows I have ever seen.  We had a view of the complete rainbow, hanging over Massunutten Mountain.  The colors were vibrant, especially the part of the rainbow over the dark clouds.  And we even had a partial double rainbow. 

So glad I happened to look out the window at just the right moment,  it didn't hang around too long......

A little Christmas

A long over due post about our Christmas. On Christmas Eve we usually have a nice dinner and the kids each get an ornament that reflects something about them for the year and some new pj's.

Lauren got an ornament with Club Penguin characters, a computer game she enjoyed this year.

Aaron's ornament has Lightening McQueen and Mater from the movie "Cars", one he really enjoys watching.

Caleb's is a John Deere riding lawn mower, similar to his Dad's, one that he loves to ride on.

Hannah got a "book lover" book, which reflects her love of reading.

On Christmas morning I get up and start breakfast, and the kids wait until they hear the "Hallelujah" chorus before they scurry down the stairs. Not sure how that tradition started but it's one we like. Fortunately we don't have anyone who rises really early on Christmas morning, clamoring to get to the gifts.

We start by opening our stockings, which has become one of the favorites of the morning.

Then we eat breakfast and celebrate "Jesus" birthday by blowing out candles on our cinnamon buns, the boys really like this part. I think the girls do to, despite their getting older. It brings back fun memories for them and they like seeing the boys doing what they know they did when they were that age. The fun of a good tradition.

We spend the rest of the day leisurely opening gifts and playing along the way.

I like this picture because it captures Aaron signing what he is seeing in his new book. He's signing "ice cream" in the picture. It's fun to have him "tell" us the things he is seeing and enjoying.

Lauren always makes handmade gifts, nice cards with a sweet poem and usually some "coupons" for things she can do for us. It's always fun to see what she comes up with.


Ken's sister, sent some sweet gifts and the boys just loved the musical cards.

We also did our traditional scavenger hunt. This year, each girl had her own hunt. I write up clues that they have to figure out in order to find a present. They love this and start asking about it long before Christmas, just to make sure I'm on the ball : ). Too hard to get pictures though, it usually involves, lots of giggling, shrieking and running. We do video the hunt and get good laughs at looking at them.

So a little glimpse into our Christmas day.

Cookie Baking

We had fun making and decorating cookies. Caleb enjoyed getting into the action this year, a wonderful activity for him as he loves anything sweet.

We also enjoyed some time with friends making cookies and cards for others. Hannah had some friends from church and our homeschool co-op over for a Cookie and Card Making Party. They made several kinds of cookies and lots of cards. We then packaged them and delivered them to a nearby retirement community. We requested visiting those who would have no family visitors over the holiday. It was a fun and meaningful time as the girls chatted and sang on request to the many residents we visited. The boys tagged along and gave out hugs and waves, which were a huge hit. You could tell it meant alot to the folks we visited and I think the girls were moved by something that seemed so small could mean so much to someone else.

The card makers.........

Caleb loves being part of the action, especially when he realized candy was involved. He took a little break, while snacking on some M&Ms

The cookie makers.........

Here is the gang at the retirement center, getting ready to make our rounds.

Its nice to remember and enjoy both the giving and receiving of the season.

Who else is enjoying the snow???

The back corner of our yard is a wildlife hangout. When it snows it becomes much more obvious all the activity that takes place there, while we're not watching. These pictures were taken the day following the big snow and it's fun to wake up and see that there was a party in our yard and we somehow missed it. As the week went on and the snow remained, it looked like a giant maze of prints, criss-crossing through the snow.

We can recognize the rabbit, deer and fox prints and aren't sure if there is anything else.

Depending on your computer, you can click on the picture and get a larger view, which shows the print trails much nicer. The small picture just doesn't really give the feel of all the activity.

Christmas around the house

Since many of you won't see our house at Christmas, here our some of our decorations. I finally made a new wreath this year. The old wreath, which I had also made, needed to be retired.



Greenery,bows and lights on the stair railings. Though I didn't finish making enough bows for this year, I'll have to finish the rest before next Christmas comes around.

Our advent calender, a gift from a dear friend, and a favorite part of Christmas. Mary and Joseph make their way toward Bethlehem, we also get to add shepherds, angels, wise men and of course baby Jesus.

The nativity was put up on a bookshelf this year. For the safety of both the nativity figures and two cute boys.

The tree, full of an assortment of ornaments, hardly any matching ones, but ones with stories about places we've been, things we love and the kids ornaments that they get each year, that remind them of things they loved years past.

Stockings hung by the chimney with some care.

We also enjoy getting out our Christmas books and having them in baskets around the family room. Of course there is Christmas music and the fun of finding new cds for the holiday. Two of my new favorites......

Can you tell that I love this time of year!

Christmas Traditions

Gingerbread house making with Dad. This is something the girls look forward to doing each year and it was extra fun as the boys were interested in helping out this year. It usually produces lots of laughter, sticky fingers and a unique house. Caleb really enjoyed the icing and the fact that it squeezed out of a tube for easy licking.

Tree trimming ~ the lights are a huge hit with the boys and the girls love unpacking the ornaments and remembering the stories that go with them, especially the ones that are theirs.

We do an Advent devotion each year. This year we read the third in a series, the others being Jotham's Journey and Barthalmew's Passage. The girls love these adventure books that take you through the Christmas story through each of the children's perspectives. Along the way you learn about the culture and history of the time period and the true meaning and value of Christmas.

Of course all of this can be quite exhausting and sometimes you just gotta go to sleep whenever you can. Caleb had just finished lunch and had turned around on the stool to get some help getting down, I guess his head rested a bit too long on the back of the stool and he was out. One of the perks of toddlerhood, the ability to sleep anywhere and in awkward positions, given your tired enough.

For those wondering.....he was put into a comfortable bed as soon as the moment was captured.