It snowed....for REAL. The crazy snow-preppers are feeling so vindicated for buying ALL the groceries. Do people truly not already have enough food to keep them and their offspring alive for 48 hours? You don't have a can of soup and some oatmeal packets? Luckily I worked a shift at Hy-Vee the day before weather arrived. It was busier that Thanksgiving and Christmas combined.
We declined to go out and shovel until it was done. Maybe a mistake, considering it took us an hour and a half to dig out the driveway. But it was the most delightful snow day. Church was cancelled and we made good food and watched movies. Absolutely worth the end of day shoveling workout.
Our darling friend Faith invited us over to take part in her families sledding tradition. I am not well-known for my adventurousness or my willingness to be chilly, but even I went down a few times! It was super fun!
Laney was the dark horse and went down first and frequent. Everly got brave after Mark offered a "major award" for the brave ones. AJ refused to go down, so Mark and I expressed our indifference and went inside for cocoa. We've been around this parenting block before.
What do you know? I looked out the window and spied her flying down the hill. By the time we left, she was getting a running start and leaping onto the sled face first.
We've got an official snow day! The kids are out of school and luckily, other folks like to go sledding and let ours join in. I'm not a fan. I don't like to be cold and I especially don't like my backside to sit on cold things. But Anna and Laney aren't wimps like me!
We've been spending lots of time snuggling in bed. These girls love to read and relax.
We're listening to our new favorite Christmas album we accidentally found on Spotify. Good King Wenceslas is especially charming.
The Gingerbread houses are almost 24 hours old so naturally I'm ready to toss them. First we need a couple pics of their cuteness.
And finally, it seems like a good time to start diapering the dog. I am so tired of stressing about her pooping on the new rug.
Before I opened my eyes this morning, I was taking deep breaths and walking myself through the intense litany of Sabbath events colliding with Christmas merrymaking...peppered with random scouting committees and Coming of Age events.
Up early.
Choir practice.
Church.
Home to feed the troops
Quartet performances
Choir practice (that's right...again)
Mathew's Eagle Board of Review
Laney's temple prep fireside
Collapse in exhaustion
We got the kids up and started to beat them into submission...a weekly occurrence. And just about the very moment we had all put on our shiny uncomfortable Sunday shoes...we got the call.
Church is cancelled! But wait....there is still sacrament meeting being held at the Stake Center nearby. We're already dressed so we resolve to go.
But wait! They cancel that meeting too. We get out of those church clothes in record time. Looks like we're gonna have a snow day, folks.
Doesn't take much to scare Kansans into staying home. And I love them for it.
Even Sophie seemed ecstatic.
Just a quick swapparoo in the advent calendar and we were doing our gingerbread houses! If there's one thing I've learned as a mom...when the opportunity presents itself and you've got some time....take advantage. It's probably not gonna happen again.
This year: mini houses!
Precision is key.
Mathew didn't get the memo to change out of church clothes...unfortunate.
Knife skills! We're preparing our kids for adulthood.
Furrowed brow indicates concentration.
The little gingerstructures are drying. That takes only 4 hours or so.
Seems like a good time to walk to the fence and back. It's what teenagers like to do.
The string quartet decided to brave the snow and come through for the rest homes we were scheduled to play at. We felt heroic, I'm not going to lie. I pictured their disappointment when they thought we wouldn't be coming because of the icy roads....in reality, they were a little ticked that we came in the middle of the Chiefs game. We apologized and played our Christmas songs as quickly as possible. Luckily the Chiefs won and the residents were in a forgiving mood.
Meanwhile, back at the casa....Anna had set out all the decorations and sprinkles she could find in the pantry. I love big kids.
In other news....Megan's official learner's permit came in the mail! This girl is street legal.
She always makes this face.
Then I make her smile for me.
And if that's not enough for one day. We had our candlelight dinner! Too bad I forgot to buy the long skinny candles, they finally melted down to nubs after using the same ones for the last several years.
We borrowed a couple from Ethan and scavenged a few from the cupboards where we put thing that don't have a home and VIOLA!
It's been raining and dreary for days. It actually feels too cold for rain, but apparently not. I feel like if you are going to freeze your buns off, at least let all precipitation should be white and beautiful.
And for about 15 minutes today, it was.
We made it into On Track for our yearly tradition of Candyland. As Brian was explaining the drunken process he went through in designing the gameboard, I had a very strong feeling that he forgot to provide dice. Or game pieces. I suppose that's all a part of its Crossfitty charm.
Without a word, everyone dug in their cubbies, purses and gymbags for a suitable marker. We settled on a barbell bushing (big silver cylinder) and we all downloaded dice apps.
We rolled and worked and scaled and cheated.
Perfect way to end a year.
Yin and Yang
Mark and I ended the night chaperoning the New Years Youth Dance. It was fun! And it was also long and loud and we got stuck in the coat check in the freezing Relief Society roonm and being 42 is exhausting. We dance for the 4th time ever. We'll need to chaperone more dances if we're ever going to get out of the single digits.
2018 was pretty great. And I think 2019 might possibly break my heart, but I supposed it's coming anyway. Happy New Year!
School got cancelled today. We all received notification on our various mobile devices during seminary and instantaneously the joy and energy in the air was alive with the spirit. Perhaps the prayers of dozens of tired of teenagers were answered in that moment and testimonies were strengthen.
Either way, we're having waffles WITH strawberries and whip cream.
