Happy Bunco to you...

A Bunco party, if you've never participated, is a madcapped game with lots of fun and a chance to include everyone. This Bunco party was to celebrate Mike's 41st birthday. The kids always have a marvelous time at Christie and Mike's house and really look up to Mason (who is so gracious and patient with the "little kids").

Hannah Montana MOVE over!

Question - what's more entertaining than a 4 year old with a microphone and a guitar? The answer - THIS 4 year old, of course :-) Add in a "diva attitude" and seriously butchered Hannah Montana songs and you have a typical day at my house - life is good - and ALWAYS entertaining!

How do I walk with these things?

Snowshoeing to some, is just another form of exercise disguised as "fun". But, to us it truly is exhilarating and delightful. We've had a rough couple of weeks and the time was definitely right to get out and burn off some bad "mojo" and get back to appreciating each other and treating each other better (read sibling torture here!).

Nicholas's comment: "This was the best day of my life because I learned how to snowshoe." (And he typed this message himself)

Aleah's comment: "I liked it, but I got kind of tired. I LOVE the snow!"

The day had its ups and downs, specifically not knowing we needed a parking pass for the SnowPark, and finding out AFTER we were already dressed and ready to go. But, it wasn't a big deal and we held on to our sunny attitudes which matched the sunny, gorgeous day. And, because we had to adjust, we were able to find a less crowded location for our first outing. Nicholas got the hang of things right away. "look at me, Mom" was a common phrase, accompanied by falling on purpose and lots of laugher. Aleah was a bit more pensive and felt better when we held hands.

And, when it was all over, our pre-made hot chocolate was still hot! (We stopped at Starbucks anyway) :-)

Feelin' a bit BLUE

Ok - we were feeling Blue - that is SEAHAWKS Blue! Nicholas has recently taken an interest in Sports - specifically football and loves cheering for the Seahawks. We've had lots of fun watching the games and I like teaching him about the game. Today was our day - we knew that we were going to the Superbowl and the party was going to be fabulous as our beloved Seahawks won the big one! But, alas, we fell prey to the Favre machine and the frozen tundra of Lambeau field. A bit of a bummer, now we are just blue.... But! the Seahawks will go all the way next year!

Splish, Splash - ways to drain Mama's cash!

Of course, that is a little joke! The
kids are taking swimming lessons - a vital life skill. They are enjoying them and Missy Lou wants to go every day! She is still a bit pensive about putting her face in the water, but really likes to have the pool noodle wrapped around her torso and simply being in the water.

The lessons are only for this month, as next month brings Spring soccer. "Spring" soccer in February? I know, but the scheduling has something to do with baseball. Aleah says she wants to play too, but I'm holding off signing her up until she fully understands the comittment shes making.

Ridin' the rails

On Saturday, Nicholas, Aleah, Grandpa and Gramma and Kathie fulfilled a fun dream by hoppin' on an Amtrak train and ridin' the rails to Portland, OR.

There, we sloshed about in the rain and wound up at Powell's Books, which, if you've never experienced it, is a bibliophile mecca! They even publish a map to the joint :-) Amazing, but admittedly a bit overwhelming if you aren't looking for something in particular.

After the book store we headed to a place called Clogs-n-More with gorgeous shoes! Generous Grandpa purchased a new pair of clogs for Gramma and Kathie (Kathie's shown). Never have I worn a more comfy pair of shoes! It was a super-dee-duper fun day for all.

Zoolights

Zoolights is an annual event at "our" zoo and the kids and I love to look at all the lights. This year there were many new displays and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly - even though we nearly froze!