One last February post

Some photos from around here during the past month...

Watching the snow pile up around our shed

After the largest amount of snow, Grandpa brought his skidloader and cleared the drive.  The kids loved the pile of snow...and they could even sled/snowboard down it!

One night when Micah was supposed to be in bed, he came out asking me to take his picture.  (Later I realized that I don't think that's what he was saying...he needs some help with speech.)

Looking across my front yard towards the hills.

 

I opened my front door one morning...

Micah trying to roll a rather large snow ball.

Micah snowboarding.

February Musings

We are approaching the end of February.  This has been a different winter compared to the past couple...lots of snow...and a possible storm coming over the weekend to welcome March.

Tomorrow the boys and I are going to their biological brother's adoption.  My friend and her son, another biological brother, are going as well.  I find it's stirring emotions in me...excitement for the family, yet sadness that my boys are not growing up with their siblings.  That's the thing with this whole adoption thing...it's bittersweet...not sure how the boys will react to being back in the courthouse.  I don't know if this will trigger any emotions and feelings leading to challenging behaviors...but we're honored to be a part of their brother's special day, regardless of what we may need to deal with.  I'm hoping to get some photos of the brothers together...but you probably won't see them as I don't like to post photos of other people's kids on my blog without permission.  It will be fun to see the social workers I used to work with...and I'll probably leave feeling relieved that I'm no longer part of that world...we'll see...

Next week Mark has kindergarten testing.  Can't believe that it's that time already.  Zach is loving kindergarten.  It's fun to see him trying to sound out the words.  Mark is finally starting (emphasis on starting) to understand the potty thing.  He will occasionally independently go in the potty...so there is hope that he will be trained by the time school starts in August.

We're in the midst of our 6-month dental visits.  I took 2 kids this week...2 next week...and 2 the following week.  Josiah just got new lenses for his glasses.  I need to take Mark in for an eye exam at some point.  Micah needs a speech evaluation (rescheduled due to snow).  Mark needs dental and physical exams for kindergarten.  Autumn needs an appointment to monitor her scoliosis (diagnosed last year...monitor yearly).  I should be able to catch up on all the latest magazines at all these appointments!  :-)

And can I say...I'm so excited that it's almost March.  That means spring (and the dreaded time change) is just around the corner.  I'm so excited to see what plants I have in my flower beds.  And what color the flowering trees are on this property.  I can't wait to see the trees on the hills around us turn green.  And March is also the month that we get an addition to our family...some chicks.  So exciting!  Our garden, however, will probably be planted late.  First of all, because we don't have one yet.  And second, because at the rate we're going, we'll have snow on the ground in April.  Hopefully it will dry out enough by the middle of May for us to dig up and plant a garden.

Valentine's Day

It's a tradition around here to do a fun supper at Valentine's Day.  I wasn't feeling very creative, so it was a bit more of a stretch this year.

 

We had grape juice mixed with Sprite to drink.  We had candles on the table...a very rare occurrence at this stage in our lives.  We got out the goblets...only broke 1...and served tea in tea cups w/saucers.

Jell-O Jigglers (cherry flavor)

No creativity here...bought a package of Little Debbie's little cake things, unwrapped them and put them on a plate.  :-)

Everyone was quite excited!

It was fun having Randy home...many years he's on the road on Valentine's Day.

Beautiful!

What a gorgeous day!  The sun is shining in on me.  The sky is clear.  The snow sparkles.  The trees, coated in snow, are like a fairy land.  It's enough to have me spouting poetry!  When I woke up this morning, the full moon was golden and shining just above the hills, across the valley, on all that snow that fell yesterday.  Then it dropped behind the hills, but to the east, the sky started getting pink.  It is now 7:22.  All the kids are bundled up and outside to play.  Another "snow day" (no school).  It's not every year you get off school for Valentine's day!

Have a lovely weekend!

Random

I'm trying to write more frequently in hopes that I will want to write again...just haven't been into blogging as much as I once was...to many distractions perhaps.

So they're predicting a snowstorm this week for us...first it was 1-3", yesterday it was 3-6", today "they" are predicting around a foot of snow.  More snow days for the kids (they've already been off 6 days).  And more "what am I going to do with them here" days for me.  I love having my kids home...in the summer.  Because then we can develop a new routine (or lack thereof).  But a day here and a day there is not enough to develop a "what we do when we're at home" routine.  I am thinking that cleaning will play a big part in the routine this week.  :-)

Different of my friends have been posting on facebook about loving (or hating) winter/snow.  Which got me thinking about this.  In general, my favorite season is whatever's next.  Yes, I know, I tell my kids all the time...be where you are, don't get ahead of yourself, live in the present.  So...here are my "thoughts on winter"  (or possibly morphing into thoughts on seasons...depends on when the kids wake up!

I love winter.  I love wearing turtlenecks and jeans and vests.  I love that I don't sweat.  I love to watch the snow falling from the sky.  I love to drink hot beverages...coffee, tea, hot chocolate.  I love that it's easier to get the kids to bed because it's dark outside.  I dislike getting kids dressed and undressed to go play in the snow...seems that by the time I get everyone out the door, someone is back...either to come inside or because they need their glove put on (again).  I do not like being cold.  My favorite winter, if I could choose, would include sunny weather regardless of the temperature and periodic snow storms.  I'd prefer a few warmer days in between the snow storms as a promise that spring is indeed coming.

I love spring.  I love the shades of green, the colors of the daffodils, tulips, and crocuses pushing up.  I love being outside without freezing (depending on the spring).  I love the fresh air.  I love that we can wear sweatshirts instead of coats/gloves/mittens.  I dislike mud...and spring usually brings mud.  Spring also brings allergies which are challenging for some people around here.  Spring is also a time of transitioning from the school year to the summer schedule.  And since a little person around here is HIGHLY sensitive to transitions, spring can be a challenge.  This year I'm especially anxious for May and June because I want to know what is in the flowerbeds at this new house.

I'd love to continue this about summer and fall...but the kids are stirring...have a wonderful day!  Today or tomorrow I need to venture out to the store...I'm dreading it...everyone will be there stocking up on stuff...oh well, so it goes.  Mark has occupational and physical therapies today so perhaps I'll stop while I'm out...or perhaps I'll push it off again...shopping with my 4-year-old and 5-year-old can be interesting...

Not much to say...

...it seems...  During the last storm, we lost electric around 2:15 am on Wednesday morning.  It came back on around 12:15 pm Thursday.  I'm thankful for the generator.  And thankful Randy was home.  He stayed home until the power came back on line.  The ice on the trees was beautiful...but there was a lot of damage in our county.  Today I was busy catching up on laundry and baking and running errands.

Sunday

Busy weekend...

Friday night the kids had quiz practice and I did some shopping.

Saturday we played catch-up...doing all the odds and ends that have been left go around here.  In the evening, Randy's family came over and we celebrated the February birthdays.

Today...church followed by a Fellowship Meal followed by Bible Quizzing.

Another storm is a possibility for tonight...so I'm guessing no school for the kids tomorrow....we'll see!