SNOW DAY!
Why does this NOT happen on a school day????
It is Saturday,
two weeks 'til Christmas,
8 more work days before winter break,
and 8-12 inches are expected today...2 pm and the snow is still falling...

We had planned to make cookies this morning
so it was a good thing the dough was already chilled!

Grampa would be proud that Owen is already learning
to perfect his dough-rolling skills!
Yes, that is chocolate on Owen's face...admit it:
You "taste-test" too!

Gabby didn't really get the whole making-cookies thing,
but she liked playing in the flour!
You'd never guess our end-product could be so pretty! :-)
Well...we think so!

"Mom, what now?"
back-up plan is always:
"make a fort!"

This time they figured out how to climb on top of the fort instead of under it!
I can't wait to build one in the snow piles made by the plow guy who dug us out!

Our craft-drawer also has been dug through!
We traced snow-flakes, colored gingerbread men & Christmas trees, and cut coffee filters to make snowflake decorations for Gabby's party next week...

I love staying in !
However, it is only 2 in the afternoon...
how will we fill the rest of today's hours?????

wrap presents?
make more cookies?
chocolate covered toffee?????
have monster truck rally?
or car races on the kitchen floor?

I asked Rog to pick up some egg nog...hmmmmmm

Yes, Rog gets stir crazy so he "risked his life" to go get some groceries. He was volunteered to make dinner tonight...he chose a pork roast in the crockpot!
:-)
How did I ever take him for granted before?

He just made it back! Yeah!
And, he told me the new forecast calls for 12-15 inches of snow!
CRAZY!

BABY XAVI!

Gabby and I were again blessed to make a trip to see Emmy and Mario in their adorable home where the sun sets into the ocean...

If Roger and I were to have more kids, we would not be sad, but having just two gives us the perfect opportunity to give our kids the gift of experience and travel and seeing family...for it is family that takes us on those travels to so many places outside of our frozen tundra where snow falls by the inches and the roads ice up and the temp drops below freezing nightly (and sometimes daily).

Not many of us can say we've ridden an elephant naked either!
How about that for an experience! :-)

This trip was supposed to be just me traveling to meet my little nephew, but after my "field trip" to see Lori in Oct (that's how we told Owen because he would have been sad to not get to go), I could not go 5 days without squeezing and holding and hugging one of my own little ones. Gabby is not yet two, so she can still fit in the luggage...actually, she fit on my lap for free.

Let me tell you...she was the BEST travel partner ever! And we were so blessed to have wonderful seat/row mates who love kids.

Xavi is a handsome boy with lots of hair (like his older cousin Owen had!).
He has his daddy's mouth and makes the cutest grunts.
He doesn't cry much, but MB also holds him close...so close.
She loves that little boy...like a mother should. :-)

MB and Mario braved the beach with us while toting baby, boards, hairy kids, and lunch. They'd been to the beach, but this was the first trip with all-of-the-above since Xavi's been born.

It was sunny and nice but the breeze was cool and refreshing...
not biting like the frozen air we've felt since returning!

Each time I have the privilege of staying with M & M, I learn something new about food. I picked up some new concoctions and recipes and learned some tamale-rolling skills! Thanksgiving was half traditional (as I've known it) and half traditional-ethnic (as Mario knows it). Mario cooked up turkey, tamales, pasole (yum!), and rice, and MB made up a sweet sweet potato dish. I did what I could...

Sticky hands?

Our days were spent napping, going to the park, taking walks, working on projects, running to get coffee, and taking more walks. We tried to catch the sunset but missed it the first night we went down to the beach...
I forgot Gabby's jacket...who knew she'd be so "c-c-cold" (that's how she says it).

The next night we tried again and were successful...and watched the sinking sun...

What a sight to leave behind...and we remembered jacket!

Back home Owen was happy,of course, to have his "boomba" back,
and they played and played and played.

What happens here and not there???
The snow and boys...

yep...that's after ramming the snowman over and "beating him down"...

winter is winter...
boys will be boys...
cold is cold...
gotta love being home!
HOME SWEET HOME!...

Silly times just hangin' out...
Before I left for my "field trip" last month...

the kids just wanted to play, hang out, and be silly.

One time Owen was wearing one of Daddy's t-shirts...I guess all kids figure out how to do this:

He said, "look mom! I'm a nut!"
I laughed.
Gabby is our little peanut...that's been a nickname because she's so little.
We stopped calling Owen that within a month after being born, but Gabby has retained the title.
So...Halloween came along and it was appropriate...

Gramma and Grampa came for pumpkin carving and Owen couldn't decide which costume to wear when...this is one of the many combinations he came up with...

One I did not get a picture of was a Spiderman costume with a Ray Mysterio (did I spell that right?) mask...goofy kid!
Time to go!

Family...Words for my childrenHow do I let the itch of discontentment get under my skin and drive me to want to change what is already wonderful?
How do my eyes get too clouded to see beauty in our lives...our schedule...our routine?

Innocence...naivete...oh, to see the world with the eyes of a child...
and to forgive and love and trust as a child does...

We go through good times. We go through rough times.
We admire one another at times and get annoyed at times.
We fight.
We love and adore.
We are thankful. We are regretful.
But we prevail. Love endures...and flourishes.

If we complain of being too busy, we are filling our lives with things we don't really want to do.
If we are happy to be busy, then perhaps our lives are full of things we love...

Yes, breaking the routine, playing a game instead or going on vacation for just a bit...
we are revived and can love our days again.

Run circles around your challenges in life!
Laugh
Eat, Drink and be Merry!

Buy cute clothes you are comfortable in...
or you just feel good in!

Get really close to what matters!
and tip well...don't be afraid to be generous...

Accept sloppy kisses and neck-bending hugs!

Let the simple things make you happy...like a stick to wave around or a rope to swing

Love and play with your siblings...even when they drive you nuts!

Don't just give a nod to people on the street...smile and say hello!

And don't worry if not everyone is looking at you.

You are special, beautiful, and I will always be watching you!

If (when) the day comes that you won't let me hold your hand or hold you close...

I will cherish the moments you fought for my attention and affection.

I will never be too far away to love you!

You captivate me and energize me...

You are beautiful!

God is Great.
God is Good.Always and forever