Week of Unpredictability

Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, so there was no school. We went to a friends' house for some fun! There was a winter storm warning for the next day, so Tuesday was an early out day. It started snowing and continued, but we didn't get the 8-10 inches they predicted, just 6-7. The windy was crazy which made crazy drifts. We could see our sidewalk, but in some places there was a foot of snow. School was cancelled Wednesday and the Governor issued a state of emergency, so Barrett didn't go into work, but worked a few hours from home. He took the boys out in the below freezing temperatures twice! He piled up snow on half the front steps so the boys could slide down on their sleds. It was awesome. They also explored the surrounding neighborhood and found another hill to slide down. It was supposed to be cold and icy in the morning, so Thursday was a 2 hour delay!! Barrett headed into work and I let the boys get bundled up and sled down the steps before school started. It was super fun to watch! Friday was already scheduled to be a half day so Damon only had a few hours of school. It's going to be a rough week when they have to go back to full days:) The temperatures have been extremely cold also, so the snow has stayed and the streets are still snow packed! We received another inch or so on Saturday too! Barrett was supposed to have 2 night meetings this week also, but they were cancelled. It sure was an unpredictable week! And I think the steps are going to have snow on them until April:)

Since I wasn't outside with boys, I took pictures of Miss Hanny this week:) She has gotten such an attitude this week! She just screams and yells at everyone and everything! She was so cute sitting on the chair eating snacks.

 She decided to unload a cupboard, but got both feet stuck in a pot. Barrett thought it was hilarious!

 Hannah was really quite for awhile, so when I finally peeked in on her, I saw her on the phone:)

This was the best! Tommy slid down the front steps and got stuck under the van. His boot came off under there also. He was fine, but it was pretty funny.

Friends are Awesome!

We were so lucky to have some of our best friends come visit. We were friends in Newark and knew each other when they had one little girl and we were expecting Damon. A few babies later, we moved but still got together. They eventually moved from Delaware after graduate school. Lucky for us, there was training in Delaware and part of the family came to visit!!! We were able to meet each other's baby girls:) These two cuties hit it off. Hannah also loved Anne (she's been really stranger shy lately!)!!! We loved playing, visiting, chatting, staying up late, and being with good ol' friends. The moms even went up to Newark to visit a few friends there. It was so much fun!! We missed the rest of their girls, but hopefully can meet up somewhere soon:) I'm almost ready to move next door to them!

 That same weekend, the boys had a birthday party. It was a carnival party with deliciously fun food, games, and face painting. We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends in Dover!

That night, I was able to hang out with 2 of my friends. We went down to the outlets and did a little shopping and went out to eat. It was so much fun!! It was one of those weeks/weekends where you realize the many blessings in your life. In particular, the blessings of people. What good friends we've had throughout the years being so far away from family. We've been blessed to have such wonderful examples and amazing friends. If only we could live by all of them still!!

Some January Fun

My sister's family gave us Skookies for Christmas. They're awesome!!

 It rained a bunch, then froze. The boys loved ice skating on the "ponds" or puddles.

 Hannah loves trompsing around outside!

 These 2 were little besties one day. Hannah wanted to hold Tommy's hand and walk around the house. This picture is so precious...she loves her big brothers:)

 We finally busted out my new BOSCH!!! Tommy was helping me make cookies and Hannah couldn't stand to be left out. She climbed right up there and squeezed her way in. She loved eating the cookies too! It was all I could do to keep her little hands from snatching them as we were placing them on the trays. When it was time to eat them, she threw a tantrum when hers was gone:)

 Hannah climbed up on the table and was waiting for me to get off the phone...

 We started pulling Hannah around on the blanket and she loves it! We also taught her how to play Ring Around the Rosies...her new favorite thing! She is all smiles the whole time. We adore this cutie pie!

 Afternoon dance party. She's getting some pretty good moves.

 My little TV junkies!

Snow Day Fun!

Damon had to go back to school the 2nd. Then the next day it was cancelled because of a snow storm! We made banana snowmen and snowmen sandwiches for lunch, then a white chocolate snowman for a treat and a snowman craft. Barrett got home from work a little early so he could take the boys out in the snow. It was like 5 degrees outside, but they loved it! Barrett ended up piling snow on one side of our front steps, so they could use their new sleds somewhere. It was awesome! He also made a snow pile at the bottom, so they'd go flying. The next day was just as fun but with sun and a little warmer (I even went down a few times...and Barrett busted out his snowboard).

Random photos

Hannah was eating snacks like the big boys.

 Tommy was adamant about making a Santa "like our skeleton". It turned out pretty cute.

 Tommy's craft wall...all but the gingerbread boy were made at school.

 Hannah had to have her baby looking at her while she pushed her stroller around.

 Damon got this Lego set for his birthday and they finished building it the other day. The boys have had fun playing with all these Ninja Turtles. Damon took this picture:)

New Year's Eve 2013

Believe it or not, New Year's Eve was upon us. Barrett decided to take the day off so we headed out for an adventure. We packed the boys' scooters and drove down to Cape Henlopen. It was pretty cold, but we had a great time being outside. The boys scooted around and Hannah loved stomping around too.

 We also went to the fishing pier, but didn't last long because the wind was so frigid!

 We had a fun little dinner of bagel bites, taquitos, and 7 layer dip (Barrett went shopping). Then we had a little dance party. We turned on Pandora and busted out some glow sticks and our karaoke machine which has disco lights. The boys hooked all the glow sticks together and made a big hoop. They jumped through it then we kept making it smaller and smaller. We also threw them in the air and had to hop over them. Tommy made them into chains and we also used them for a ring toss. It was so fun. We put Hannah to bed, then played a card game. Around 8:30 we did a count down with noise makers and sparkling cider! Then the boys were off to bed and Barrett and I watched a movie until midnight and did another countdown. It's hard to believe 2013 is behind us! We're hoping this is the year to buy a house(woot woot!), Barrett's hoping  not to have anymore picc lines, and we want to finish reading the Book of Mormon with the kids (it has been a reallllllly slow process, but we do it every day!) Hooray for 2014!!

Hanny

Hannah has loved being outside with the boys lately. I finally bought her a coat and she is super adorable in it! Those jeggings and boots just make her that much cuter too:)

 My neighbor bought Hannah this beautiful new dress. You can't really tell, but it has a gold tint to it. She was pretty cranky when I tried to take a picture, but I had to!

 She's learned the art of tantrums!! This little fit happened when I took her out of her chair after breakfast. Apparently 3 bowls of cereal wasn't enough!!

 Tommy got a new 2 wheel scooter for his birthday and Hannah thought it was hilarious to see him fly by.