Good things

A very happy birthday boy!

Learning new things and growing to new heights.... (please STOP!)

Attempts at ice skating fun... (o;

Our daily harvest from the unnamed chickens (we need to work on that...)

A Derby well done!! And most "Aarow"-dynamic!!!

Basketball Saturdays

Another great smoothie mustache!

Lost and found memories

(Well hello Great-Grandpa Paul and Great-Great Grandpa Paul!! and....)

our handsome Grandpops Paul!!

"Good things"...I like this coined phrase from Martha Stewart. It sums things up without long, detailed explanations. These are a few of our "good things" from the last couple of weeks or so. Good things are great things indeed!

On a "good things" note, Eric got rid of his hard collar (with permission from the doc) and graduated to a soft one. He went back to work, started to drive and his sense of humor resurfaced this very weekend. I am so happy with his recovery and look forward to better and better days.

Life is good.

Oh.... the winter wind!

Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh-ho! the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
Thou dost not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remember'd not.

Heigh-ho! sing heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh-ho! the holly!
This life is most jolly.

~William Shakespeare

Today it is 27 degrees. Too cold... Too cold. Last winter we had massive snow although I wasn't really affected by it as I was in my bed, warm and neglectful of any winter weather. This winter has been really, really cold... and the wind.... Horrible! Shakespeare knew what he was talking about blowing winter winds and bitter skies. Ick!

Still, we have had one decent snow and managed to play outside until it was eventually covered on top with a blanket of ice. Ice is no fun to play in. This year the boys are all fully outfitted (why did it take 12 years....?) for outdoor play. We have thankfully missed many bad winter storms. With Eric on the blink, it is hard for me to try to dig us out and keep everyone happy and entertained. The boys like Eric. He is a lot more fun... usually!

I wish I would have taken them sledding more, but Saturdays are busy and Sundays I turn into a lazy log of a mom. I am secretly hoping for one more good snow so we can hit the sledding hills a couple more times. Coleman and Tate have been going skiing most Fridays so at least there is that. Thanks Brother Nick btw!

And so, I count down the months or maybe even days til warmer weather. Next year we are going somewhere warm to break up the cold, colder and coldest months. Bermuda? St. Thomas? Florida? Costa Rica? I don't know, but I am sure as heck going to plan it and execute it!!

Until then I will fire up some hot chocolate, dream of sandy beaches and be thankful that we all have warm gloves and a self starter for my car. Just peachy!!

Uh oh!

Someone learned how to use Mommy's iPhone camera.....

I better put it up a little higher.

We love you Finny J!!

Snicker snicker!

Wise words/wiser babysitters

We are blessed with many good, responsible, sweet babysitters. On Saturday, Allison was babysitting. She is 25, fun, and liked by all the boys. Coleman is reading a book where a girl smokes a "fag". Instead of looking the word up, which I guess would have been ok.... he searches out Allison for a substitute verbal dictionary.... She did not tell me about this which makes it even funnier. Coleman told me and still questions my laughing response. I think this is seriously funny!

Coleman: Allison, what is a fag? (not specifying how it was used in the book)

Allison: Ummmm... I don't know.

Coleman: (always confused when an older person cannot answer a question...), You don't know?

Allison: No, but I think it might be a dead cat!!

Coleman: Okay (and probably wondering why the girl was smoking a dead cat....)

Eric and I laughed our bums off at this one. Wise words indeed. Way to evade a potentially awkward response. I will remember that one for a long time!

P.S. That is a cute, sleeping cat NOT a dead one. I looked at the dead cats and..... .that's all I can say. Google has a little bit of everything now don't they?!

Ouchie!

I got this and it HURTS! When it rains, it pours..... Luckily, I think I can fix this with a little work! But, OUCHIE! It is no fun! Me no likie! (o;

New and Improved

OR.....

Better than a broken neck!!

Check out my handsome man's hardware.

Side view

Front view

Our neck saga is not quite over so I will wait to post about our experience. People ask me how I am doing and my reply is always the same, I have nothing to complain about. I have a wonderful husband who will heal and be less reckless (ok, just more careful!!) in the future. He has been a perfect patient. I am just so glad that he is healing well, sleeping better and starting to get his life back in order.

We are blessed.

Wise words

Thank goodness.