Winter Fun

I suppose I could go back and see if I ever posted about Sal.

Yes, Owen named his salamander, Sal.

Yes, he named his stuffed bear, Bear-B.

Sal is hanging in there.  He is quite low maintenance.  I've actually grown to like the little guy.

At least he has legs and can't get out of his cage.  He eats a few times a week and we don't have to take him for walks.  We don't have to shovel his manure or pick up poop in a baggy.  He is satisfied with worms and doesn't mind keeping to himself.  I have read that they can live up to 15 years though...will he make it that long?  :-)

I let Owen get his own library card!  Well, he can write his name and loves going to the library.  He goes with school and is learning about "borrowing" and not buying.  Yes, it was tough teaching that the books and movies have to go back to the library, but he gets it now.  I don't let that card out of my sight, however, because i don't want somebody racking up a line of credit for me at the library!

I'm amazed that a place that has had mounds and piles and yards of snow piled up the last few winters by this time is brown!  It was even "warm" enough to not put on a jacket (Gabby's choice and I said oh well) for the walk from the car to the oil change office. 

So, we have to find winter activities without snow...

We have a great indoor maze that has just been re-built.  Brand new and lots of nooks and crannies to explore.  Of course we went there when it was very busy so it was no problem for Owen to find a friend.  I am so glad he makes friends easily!

He did stop long enough to smile...

Yes, shorts...

And he managed to convince me to climb all the way to the top and go down the twirly slide...ugh...adults are not meant to go around in circles like that!

Owen can be quite convincing, as I have suggested.

He even convinces Gabby to "paint" her face.

At least he went easy on her!

I am just thankful that it was washable Crayola markers and not permanent!

Where was I, you ask?

I was out.  I came  home and this was the activity that Rog had them preoccupied with.

Yes, we are there:  if it makes them happy, why not?

Don't judge-we do have boundaries and we don't endanger their safety.

:-)  But we sure have fun!

Other winter fun included a visit to friends who just had their first little guy.

He really is cute, but I couldn't get too close of a look because Gabby cried and screamed until I "put the baby away."  

So, when she went to hide in the bathroom, I got a quick squeeze and snapped a photo with Owen ( who was not interested at all in the baby!).

Gabby had not worries about Daddy holding Little Tyler.

Yet another winter activity that is done and passed was Owen's floor hockey.

I don't know if he will be a hockey player but he loves making friends, having competitions, and trying new things.  He has a way of finding someone who intrigues him (usually quite different) and tries to engage them. 

"Junior" was his "friend" at floor hockey--too cute.

Gabby was able to find something to entertain herself with and others too.

Little poser!

There was one game that they had owen play. It's called "What Time is it Mr. Fox?"

The kids are supposed to dribble the number of times for the time that Mr. Fox says it is.

10 o'clock is 10 touches on the puck.

Well, Mr. Owen knows the game so his 10 touches were the tiniest, little touches so he was never far away from the line when Mr. Fox said, "Lunch Time!"

"Lunch Time" is when Mr. Fox runs after the kids and tries to tag them before they get back to the line.

Get it?  He nearly won every time.

No, Roger did not teach him that trick.  He figured it out!

The last day parents got to "play."

These things seem like such a big deal when you're little, hey?

The gym probably felt like a huge arena to the kids as well, hey?

Many more stories of winter to tell, but that will have to wait...

Very busy, but good time of year!  ;-)