Time Keeps On Rolling...

I have no photos and no really exciting news. Things are just rolling along - bumps and all. I guess I could say that -

1. We have a huge leak in our water line and it caused our bill to triple this month. It still needs to be fixed.

2. Trevor is in chess club and loves it. I think I need to learn how to play so that I can give him a challenge. I would never give him a challenge, but it would provide for some practice.

3. Mallory likes to scream and then say, "just kidding."

4. Gage is addicted to all electronics. He wrote on his kindness notes for him family at play group, "I love that she (mommy) watches me play the Wii." "I love that he (daddy) plays Mario Kart Wii with me." "I love that he (Boston) can get to the next level of a Wii game for me." "I love that he (Trevor) helps me and watches me play Wii." "I love her (Mallory) because when I get her up in the morning, she can watch me play Wii." Is this a phase or does he need help?

5. Boston loves that it is just slightly warmer than it was a few week ago and loves to play outside whenever he can.

6. Our elliptical is finally fixed after 4 attempts and we are finally (I am at least) exercising again.

I guess it's good that life keeps on rolling and I am thankful that for now these are the most exciting things that are happening!

Boston's Loot

Boston seemed to enjoy the Valentine celebration at school (what little there was of that) the most. He went through his loot several times that day, spreading it out on the table. He told me who gave him each Valentine, that he got two from one girl, and that he indeed wrote out two of his own to himself! It was cute to see him enjoying his treasures since I know the time will come when it won't be as magical.

From Grandma With Love

Family traditions are wonderful - especially family traditions that involve getting treats from my mom in the mail. I think we have received Valentines from Grandma Julie (I know they're from you too dad) since I was a student at BYU. Of course, she wasn't Grandma Julie then, but my mom, and now the kids have come to depend on this special treat from grandma each Valentines. Zane was sent a Valentines package the February that we were engaged and he has come to look forward to these as well. This year the kids got their candy and dug in very quickly. Trevor dug in so quickly that one of the first Skittles that he ate pulled out a tooth that wasn't even that loose. He had just last the opposite canine the night before (I teased him that he was just trying to make some quick cash!). Mallory got the bonus treats with 2 knitted items - a hat and a shrug. Lucky girl. Gage got his sugar free gummy bears and I got a package of Abba Zabas. Do you know what those are? One of my favorites. Glad mom knew that. I hope she knows that she has already won our love, but she can keep up this tradition for good measure!

A Dinner Date With the Ones I Love

For the past five years or so we have been having a Valentines Dinner that includes the whole family. Why just celebrate the holiday with one person you love when you can include them all? Plus, I have a crowd issue and you know, Valentines Day and restaurants? So, we decorate the dinner table with red and pink and try to include some of those colors in our menu. This year was steak (we left the center pink!), tomato basil soup, french fries (for the littlest), baked potatoes, strawberries, and cherry lime-ades. We decorated sugar cookies for dessert. I hope the kids enjoy this each year and it's one of those memory makers. You never know with boys because they don't say much and Trevor even said that he didn't want to celebrate Valentines this year. It was late at night when he said that and he was tired. But, you know, as the mom, you still want to have a little fun because frankly, most of the other days aren't so much that way. For the record, I had fun. I did. I love the holiday. Who wouldn't love a holiday that involved sweets, hearts, and the color red? So, let's hope the kids had as much fun as I did!

The Big Cheese

I am not talking about any one of my kids. I am talking about Trevor's pinewood derby car! It was a slice of Swiss cheese with a mouse riding on top. I was surprised that Trevor picked something funny, but it was nice to see him working on it and excited about it. The Big Cheese came in second in his Webelo group. It was one fast stinking piece of cheese. He said that was the best Pinewood Derby ever. He has only had two others to compare it to! But, since this one was his last, I am glad his derby career ended on such a high note!

An Essential Schedule

On Wednesday, when the power went out, Zane drove around town looking for a generator. I stayed home with the kids and we all tried to keep ourselves busy. When Zane called and said he had a generator, Trevor got to work on an essential schedule that he revealed to us a few minutes later. I am not sure if we stuck to it or not, but by the looks of it, it would have helped our lives run smoothly while living on the power of a generator!

Meet the Puzzle Man

I thought he might get sick of them and clean them all up in the hallway, but no, Gage is a puzzleman through and through. He puts these puzzles together all day up and down our hallway, only to mess them up and start again. When the power was out and it got dark, you would go down the hall hitting them and stepping on the pieces. He even sits on our kitchen table to get some done if the hallway is full. My mom got him a new "Kung Fu Panda" puzzle while she was here and that one has been put together at least 15 times in the last two weeks. He is starting to need more of a challenge and I am thinking of going up to the 200 piecers. So, after a long tradition of puzzle men in the family (okay, I can only think of one - my brother Brett), it is great to see this little guy at work.

The Big Freeze and The Melt Down

You probably know the what the weather situation has been in Kentucky last week if you have heard the news. We were all iced over, iced in, and without power. I am really grateful that we were without power for only a little more than two days. We all slept in the same room with a generator producing the energy to keep our space heater going and us as well. We used the power of body heat to keep us warm also. Each child had their own space on the floor where their little bed of blankets was made. We ended up with at least 2 in bed with us each night. The kids had wonderful attitudes the whole time. Zane couldn't do anything at work so he went around getting us a generator, hooking up other generators for friends, fueling up our propane heaters, and just keeping us going. There were many positives and blessings throughout this experience:

*Many of the stores still had power so were were able to go out and get a hot meal and more groceries.
*Friends and families came together and made the best of the situation and helped each other.
*I taught the boys some card games and we had so much fun trying to win at solitaire.
*Our wind up radio worked and provided nice music to fall asleep to at night.
*We now have a new generator and many many flashlights!
*It was a good trial run and really helped to prepare me for any future situations.
*I know my mother in law thought I was crazy whenever I said this, but it was absolutely beautiful to see all the ice and snow. It was like we were living in a beautiful frozen wonderland (that snapped trees and made the power go!)

A few downers:

*Dropped my cell phone in the sink while doing dishes in the dark and it no longer works (for now).
*Many trees were split and damaged from the freezing rain.
*It will probably cost an arm and leg to get this all cleaned up.
*The boys will probably have a million makeup days for school and may just end up eliminating summer vacation! Let's hope there is some mercy for this!
*With the power surge, our computer won't start up and I am using Zane's laptop.

I am so grateful to all the men who came from all over to fix the power lines. Whenever we see them out working on the lines, we honk and wave to thank them for coming to our rescue.