28 February

The things you say......

as we are walking out of school today "Mom, how old are you?  Like twenty something??"

"Mom, I DON'T like corn in pie!"  (Shepards pie)

Love this boy:)

27 February

Right now.....

I LOVE that you come home and use your ipod to take videos, videos of yourself and all your cool Dance moves, your brothers, the dog, yourself eating a cheese stick,  your stuffed animals.  You never know what you are going to find on there. i LOVE that you are getting help to ask questions and make conversations.  It's helping you so much with your friends, at school and you are so much happier and confident.  It's amazing how far your language has come.  i LOVE that you help me to see what is important, and let go of the small stuff, to wait and be patient.  I LOVE that you teach me those things.  Girl, you will and WE will get there:)  P.S. I love your hair in the freshly showered pigtail braids.

26 February

It's time.   Been watching her blog to see when it was time to tap the trees.  We had so much fun with this last year.  If only we knew for sure which trees were maples, hmmmm.  We tried tapping 5 trees this year in the hopes of getting a little more syrup.  Honestly,  it tasted like nothing else I've ever tasted, that fresh syrup, totally unexpected that it would actually work out.    And no, we are not pioneers, we live in the suburbs, seriously. And we may not really get any syrup, but the process is fun (well, wading through that deep snow to get to the trees may be not so fun). But it's about the process and the friends and the memories and life slowing down enough to sit out around that fire all day.  That's what it's about.

25 February

Last week, our girl had her check up with her heart doctor.  She had open heart surgery to fix a hole in her heart when she was 10 months old.  Luckily, her surgery was fairly minor (as far as open heart surgeries go), and she is not expected to have any further heart problems. Still, it was the most stressful times of my life and I'm so glad that is behind us.   It's good to remember where we have been and what we have overcome when we are facing new challenges head on.  At the appointments, they always do and EKG and Cardiac Echo (ultrasound).  This time "cat" came with us and needed to have a "turn" with each of the tests also.  I always get nervous, but things are looking real  good and I'm so happy that the doctor and I got to talk about our favorite ski mountains instead of any further surgeries.  SO back in two years, just for a check up, phew.  SO grateful.

24 February

Today....
a huge heavy wet snowstorm.  Just beautiful and we couldn't wait to get out in it.  Trevor and Josh decided to try out Cross country skiing for the first time (and LOVED it), the little ones snow-shoed and I was left with no special apparatus for my feet (gotta get some snow shoes!)  so I just walked, breathing in the fresh air and taking it all in.  LOVE, LOVE , LOVE being out there.

23 February

February Vacation Saturday.

And just because you haven't seen enough pictures of us skiing, Here's a few more (and Bre was there, just no pictures of her for some reason).  We're packing it all in before winter ends (if it ever ends!).  We had an amazing deal on tickets and ski lessons at our favorite small mountain today so we decided to take advantage (and get some grownup only ski time in). Lucas has really taken off in his skiing since his sitting down incident just a few days ago.  Now he's tackling the intermediate slopes, WOODS trails, and tucking it down the "easy parts" with not even a second thought.  He's also independent on the chair lift and so excited to ride up with his big brother. The kids all loved their lessons, and are improving so much every day, and hay, we are OUT there.  I love how they say they are "ripping down the slopes".  We're getting there, and as Josh says....it will all be worth it someday:)   Another fantastic day of family skiing in the books.  

22 FEbruary

"mommy our goggles are kissing!"

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

21 February

Today....

Hanging at home, resting and recuperating from our great adventure.  Unpacking, laundry, errands.  Finally spending our book store gift cards from Christmas and hitting the library.  Reading and picking up our furry friend (who was so spoiled at my brother's place, thank you!) February Vacation ahhh....

20 February

Skiing Sugarloaf Mountain Day 1:

We got about 8 inches of new powder over night and Kevin headed up before the lift even opened to be the first to ski down the White Nitro in the fresh powder.  He actually had to take a t-bar and hike up some to get there, crazy..... as for the rest of us, the boys headed out early as well and the littles and moms stayed behind to pack up and we would start our skiing day around 10-11.  I stayed with Bre most of the day teaching her on the bunny trails  (I don't care much for powder....pathetic, but my legs were burning!) , and Josh took Lucas out everywhere.  The amount he improved (and all the kids improved!) was amazing.  By the end of the second day, Lucas was turning up a storm on the intermediate trails and Trevor and Aiden were ripping up anything, we couldn't keep up.  SO, SO, Fun, we can't wait to go back and are already planning a 5 day trip for next year.  We closed the place down and on the way home, Josh picked a crummy hole in the wall place for dinner (but the people were so nice), so we didn't end up getting home until 10, totally exhausted.   But really,  the best day. ever.

19 February

Skiing Sugarloaf Mountain Day 1:

Ok, so just to keep it real, I'm not going to pretend even for a second that skiing with little kids is all fun.  First, there is managing all the gear, then bundling everyone up to head over and try to sign them up for lessons while waiting in a total sauna (we ditched that idea real fast).  Then the five year old boy, was thirsty (we hadn't even skied one run yet), crying and hit himself in the eye with his goggles (insert more crying), then took him up the wrong trail for the first run, where he promptly fell, took his skiis off and refused to go ski down anymore (within 5 minutes of our very first run), insert more crying by child and adult alike.  WE FINALLY made it down that OONE run and I peeled my stuff off and  lay  down, totally exhausted and sweaty.  Wow, ONE run down (did I mention just keeping it real?  ...) Then we decided to take turns with the little ones and Josh and I and Audrey headed out for some fantastic skiing on this fantastic day.  WE headed to the top, and once you make it to the top of this mountain you have a good 15-30 mins of great skiing ahead of you.  it was just awesome.  I got a whole days worth of skiing done in two runs, literally.  LOVE this mountain.  That night for dinner, after hitting the hot tub and pool again and getting a nice LONG HOT shower, we headed over to the village again for some melt in your mouth burgers (and a VERY small booth).  The kids watched the fireworks right from our condo window.  Just an amazing moment.  ANother round of cards, and many more laughs.  Awesome Day.

18 February

We're were all packed up and ready to go, 7:30 am on the dot we left for the big mountain after our traditional ski morning Dunkin Donuts breakfast.  This was the big mountain....everyone was sooooo excited.  The wind seemed unbearable as we making the 2 1/2 hour drive there, but we were not going to lose hope of skiing that day, we were all dressed and ready to go!  Finally, we rounded the bend and could see the mountain, it was breathtaking   Well we got there, and the mountain was mostly closed, so we hung at the pool and the OUTDOOR (yes even in that wind!) hot tub until our condo opened up to check in.  We unpacked and hung out at the condo, reading,, talking, playing and studying the trail maps.  Karly said she couldn't wait to take "buckskin".  We noticed that we had brought enough chips for one bag per person.  Love vacation:)  Kevin Got Josh this new "fun" t-shirt from his favorite show, then Josh forged a trail (think we took a wrong turn, and I don't think everyone is going to forgive him for that one!) through some knee deep snow to dinner at Gepettos right in the village.  Any type of food you could imagine and a cool arcade room for the kids downstairs (to keep them out of our hair while we enjoyed mingling after dinner...).  After we tucked the kids in, we enjoyed a couple rounds of our favorite card game, and laughed and caught up with our good friends until midnight.  Just a fun, fun, day....(and we hadn't even skiied yet!!)

17 February

     Today.....it was a blizzardy cold mess outside, we celebrated our best friends girl with some gymnastics and fancy cupcakes.  She ended up with some serious rope burn poor thing.

     Trevor recovered by the fire from a sleepover last night, with some good music.  He's just looking so big these days (notice the pants!) (and PS, I do have plenty of newer larger size pants that fit this boy, he just won't wear them)

      We packed for our ski trip.....We can't wait to head up to the mountain early tomorrow with our good friends.  It's going to be quite an adventure.  God knows we packed enough.  Lucas helped out by taking "orders" and writing them down for our Dunkin Donuts breakfast tomorrow (love, LOVE five year old handwriting!)    I'll see you back in this space when we get back later in the week (and I'm leaving the big camera at home to conserve space).

Remember this:
The other day when we were going out to get K  a Birthday  present for her Fifth Birthday party we asked Lucas what he thought she might like.  He said, "well, she likes Barbies, and we probable shouldn't get her something that I like, because it's about what she likes.  I know we'll get her a diamond."  (Seriously,  true story, I can't make this stuff up), then he went on to say a plastic diamond because her older brother and sister have one.  Yep, it will be a story for their wedding:)

16 February

Today.....
getting ready for a sleepover birthday party and a gymnastics birthday party this weekend.  Skiing lessons on Saturday.  An impromptu visit with Kevin.  Laundry and grocery shopping and packing for our big trip to the Mountain coming up.....so excited.  A softly falling snow and another 4-8 inches tonight, just in time for some fabulous skiing.  Can't wait!

15 February

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Funny stuff.

14 February

2-14-13.

I have never been one that has been totally into Valentine's Day, but if there's a Day to celebrate love and life and friends ....I never miss a party.  This Year I wrote hand written letters to all my loves and left them at their breakfast table along with their favorite vanilla bean and honey cinnamon pancakes (LOVING the new Hannaford Pancake mixes).  They LOVED it, it was simple and I can't think of anything that would mean more to me than getting the gift of words about what someone important in my life loved about me.  I plan on continuing this tradition for years to come.  Oh Yeah, and Bre had her annual visit this morning with the eye doctor and she's in the clear....no glasses for at least a another year!  In the afternoon my volunteering time consisted of watching a friendship movie with Bre's class and watching the Kindergartners have a Valentine's Dance in the gym.  Love that.   Happy V Day!

Inspiring Post for today

Read here.

13 February

In her room.....

Animals and More stuffed animals.  Seriously though , each one has a purpose, a name and a special place in her heart.  Stuffing coming out and all... Love this.

12 February

In their room.....

The nightly ritual, keeping track of their days and all they have going on.  Little brother has to do everything that Big brother does....with his own flair of course.  Love this.

11 February

Trevor (age 10)

 " Why do teachers think we have all the time in the world to do Homework?  Homework, it ruins people's lives.  Teacher's don't understand people's lives, like with sports and stuff.  School should be a thing you do at school and not in your free time....."