Ice Storms

Even ice storms can be a lot of fun when you have no school and the roads (at least the main roads) are clear! Especially when you go sledding with friends who came up from VA.
This has to be my favorite picture of the day!! This is Maggie Tippets, you can't get much more adorable than this, even if you tried!

As proof from this picture...the kids had a great time!

This was a great day to go sledding because it was pure ice, I know it looks like snow but that's not the case. It snowed first and then turned to a freezing rain during the night, turning the snow into ice. It put a couple of inches of ice everywhere. Nice and slick to go super fast, even down little hills!

There was about 2-3 inches of solid ice on the driveway which made a great slide for all the kids to just sit down and go!

Eden didn't know what to think.....look at those beautiful eyes!

size difference

Kind of crazy how BIG Peter is compared to Joseph, who is only 18 months younger then he is.
What might be even crazier is how close Peter is to passing Hannah, who is almost 3 years older than he is.
Sorry the pictures are so dark. Well have to do these comparisons again in the light!

Happy Birthday Pirate JOE!

What a fun, entergetic, hungry kid! I love his quick smile and his ablity to love and to share all that he has with those around him. I won't lie...he drives me batty sometimes, but he always does something to make all of that disappear. He randomly says the most wonderful things without prompting, "Your beautiful Mom," or "Thanks for helping me," or "Your the best mom ever," or "Thanks for dinner, it's really good," or "I love you Mom." How did I get so lucky? What a joy Joseph has been in our lives.

Joseph had a great birthday and he couldn't wait to go to school to get a crown and to bring his treats!! He also couldn't wait to give Peter a card that he made. Knowing that he would be getting presents and cards, Joseph wanted to give a card to Peter, so he could have one too.

We had a little family party the night of his birthday where he got his "pan" and his own food! He also got some great gifts from his grandparents. He couldn't be happier.

Sadly, we had to cancel his orginal party because he was sick and we didn't want to send home more goodies then the ones we bought for his friends. We were able to have it the following weekend. It was fun to have his little friends from church and school come over and celebrate and become pirates as they searched for the treasure! It was a lot of fun. The hardest part was to keep Hannah and Peter quiet while we would read the clues, to let Joseph and his friends figure it out. The whole party was one big treasure hunt with activities and/or prizes at each clue. Alan was hilarious! The kids loved when he would start talking like a poyrat (pirate). He would read the clues and got the kids all excited! Swab the deck ye scurvy dogs!

Joseph was very disappointed that I made a treasure chest cake intead of a "marriage" cake which is what he really wanted!! One day, all to soon, he will get his marriage cake. At least Peter thought that it was a really cool cake!

8 more days!!

My sweet Joe.....needs so much sugar in his blood stream just to keep being sweet!!

Joseph turns the big 5 in eight more days....he couldn't be more thrilled. Every day he asks if it is his birthday, and how many more days until it is! We finally made a chain for him so that he could just go count by himself how many more days and we can stop the madness.

I asked Joseph a week or so ago what he wanted for his birthday. He thought for a moment and then replied...."I want a pan, like the one that Hannah broke at school, so that I can make brownies and cakes in it." I smiled thinking it was just a passing thing. Two days ago I asked him again what he wanted for his birthday. "I told you already...I want a pan so that I can make brownies and cakes." We went to the grocery store, and he started adding to the list...."I also want gummies, and my own chips, and lots of food that I can put into my room." (side note: food to Joseph is any type of junk, cookies, candy, chips, goodies, etc.) We walked past the cake section and Hannah asked if he should pick out his cake. I said no, that we still have time. Joseph then said, "Do you know what kind of cake I want for my birthday?" "No Joe, what kind?"....."A wedding cake"...With a giggle I told Joseph this is your birthday, not your wedding! Then he said with a totally strait face, "Well we could invite over Julia (a little girl from his pre-K class)." Now I have known for a long time that he has wanted to marry Julia, because he is quite vocal about it. But the question I have is, what does a wedding cake look like in a 5 year olds mind? Continuing with the shopping trip....He also wanted a Scooby Doo movie and another movie that has slipped my mind. Then as we were checking out, he proclaimed...."I don't want any toys, just my food, and a pan, and movies!"

I am very inclined to grant him his wish.....but the tale is not over...

On Sunday during Sacrament Meeting, he saw a picture of a Razor Scooter. He looked at me and said, "Mom, I want one of those for my birthday!!" I said "Would you rather have a Razor or a pan and food?" He thought for probably 2 minutes and came back with "BOTH." I shook my head and said that he had to choose which one he wanted, that he couldn't have both. Three to four minutes passed and he looked at me and said, "I want a pan."

I couldn't believe it!! This kid is killing me.....he is 5 and he is so obsessed with a pan so that he can make his own brownies and cakes and how he wants his own food in his room. It cracks me up. I keep thinking this eating thing is just a stage and that one day he will shoot up from his short stature and be taller and not eat constantly. But he has so much energy that he has to have something to feed his fire!

Ice Skating

Joseph has a problem with listening and this post demonstrates it perfectly. "Hannah, Peter, and Joseph get your socks and shoes on, please." "OK, make sure that you have a coat, hat, and gloves, and then go get in the car." We pull up to The Gardens Ice House to participate in their free skate day. We get all the skates, go to put them on, and Joseph is not wearing socks. Nice!! Took a deep breath and asked him if I had asked him to put on sock and shoes. Yes....OK so we are going ice skating with no socks....good. Everyone now has their skates on, making sure they are all bundled up. "Joseph where are your gloves?" "In the car, I didn't want to carry them." Another deep breath. Okay, we will skate without gloves or socks!! Maybe he will get cold enough that next time he will listen!

Hannah and Peter have never been ice skating before and they LOVED it! They thought that it was so fun and awesome!! Joseph was convinced that the ice would break and the he would fall through and drown. I tried to explain that it was only a couple of inches thick, but it fell on deaf ears. Joe and I went around twice and then I left Joseph to take Peter around once, and then we watched Hannah and Peter go around. There were other friends there to watch as well. Mom also got to try out her new camera, which was a lot of fun!!
Joseph did get cold and was crying by the end to go home....hopefully the lesson is learned. I can always hope!!