Snow Day!!!

I remember as a kid being so excited when we would get out of school because of snow. Well...with us living in East Texas, I thought our kids wouldn't get the chance to experience such joy. BUT...yesterday Alec did get out of preschool because we got a good 5 inches of snow! It was a lot of fun for the kids and for Eriik and I too. When we first woke up the electricity was off, but it only was off till about 8:30...just long enough for me to have to make my coffee in the Perkerlator on the grill. . Ava was the first one up and after eating breakfast and getting bundled up ran outside before we even woke Alec up! She kept taking her gloves off though so she got cold pretty quick. After Alec had breakfast we all went out to build a snow man....I love how easy the snow was to pack it was perfect for building a snowman! Eriik went into work yesterday morning, but he always gets off early on Friday's. So, when he got home he got to join in on the fun. During Ava's nap Alec and Eriik went to work on a snowman in the front yard. I took tons of pics since I knew the snow would be gone by today...and for the most part it is. Our snowman in the front is still hanging in there but leaning dangerously to one side. Anyway...here are our pics!

Taken looking outside our front door yesterday morning...soo beautiful!

Our home yesterday morning.

Sooo excited!...or so cold...not sure.


Snow Angels!

Lovin the snow!

The back yard snowman...it was Alec's idea to use the sand shovel and rake as the snowman's arms.

The front yard snowman

This pic was taken just an hour ago of Alec and I trying to hold up our poor melting snowman.

My sweet 5 year old...

Well...it just hit me that I never posted pics from Alec's 5th birthday party. We ended up having his party 3 weeks after her turned 5. I wanted to seperate it a a little from Christmas...so that maybe it would be a little more exciting. So...we had an all boy bash at Kids Station. The kids had a great time running, jumping, climbing, and playing on video games. I enjoyed that it was on a very slow friday night and we practically had the whole place to ourselves!


Let me take this opportunity to share a little bit about what Alec has been up to lately. He is still my sweet sensitive boy who cares very deeply about others. He is still very giving, and considerate to others needs and wants. Man...I wish I could be more like him sometimes! Anyway...he is a really special boy...for real...I'm not just saying that because I'm his mommy! :) Anyway...as far as changes he has become a lot more goofy this past year. He is always goofing off with silly voices and comments....it's a boy thing I guess. One specific thing that he does a lot is talk and walk like a robot. His dancing always cracks me up too. He is also reading Bob books now...which is a lot of fun for him and for us. He is a smart little guy. I can't believe this is his last year of preschool! Where has the time gone!

See what I mean about the whole silly thing!! He thought it would be hilarious to put his face in his cake!

These two are fun to watch.


I wish I would have gotten a picture of all the super hero decor on the other walls...they have it set up really cute.

Snow Snow Snow!!!

Well, we had a great time visiting with Eriik's family in Colorado last week! They have a time share in Pagosa Springs, CO. So we got to stay there for a whole week! It was so much fun seeing the kids play in the snow. This was Ava's first time to see the white stuff. We did a little skiing, sledding, hiking and more fun snow activities. Alec turned out to be a really great skier! We also had a picnic in the snow which was surprisingly nice! It surprised me how warm it felt because of how dry the air was. When we went snow shoeing, and had our "snow picnic" we got so warm that we took our coats off even though it was only 35 degrees!!! We also celebrated Alec's 5th birthday while we were there. He turned 5 on the 3rd...I can hardly believe I have a 5 year old! He is also having a birthday party with a few of his little buds so there will be more on that later in the month. I've got TONS of pics but I will try and narrow them down. :)

Alec was all smiles the entire time he was in ski school. He loved every minute of it! I thought for sure he would get frustrated with all the falling, but he didn't. All smiles!

Alec was the only "A class wolf pup" that day, so he got to have the instructor all to himself!!!

The first mornig we were there Alec couldn't wait to get out in the snow!

Don't they look cute in their trasformer birthday party hats?

Nanny brought a giant cupcake maker....so cute.

Ava loves her Poppy...not sure why he's pointing a me?

The three cousins!

Nanny/Poppy Christmas...lots of fun presents!

Uncle Aaron pulled Ava and Alana in a sled the whole time on our hike. While Eriik helped Alec with the cross country skiing!

Our "snow picnic" We found a dry spot under a tree...it was perfect.

A "Flu-ish" Christmas...

Well, we had a wonderful Christmas this year here in Longview. It was so great to have my mom, sister and niece with us! However, we were all a little under the weather. For weeks Eriik, Ava and I have had a bad cough off and on, and my mom had the same thing. We were just glad that Alec haden't gotten any of it....well...it all hit him on Christmas Eve before bed. He was running a high fever and had chills. At least all the gifts the next morning distracted him from feeling bad for a little bit. Anyway...he battled fever for around 3 days, and this morning I took him in because he was up all night and he has a double ear infection. Soo...hopefully he will be well before we head out to Colorado to see Eriiks fam.

Dispite all the sicknesses, we really did have a great Christmas and enjoyed each others company. Here are some pics!

The Sunday before Christmas.

Our snowman lost his hat this year.

Making ornaments with MeMa



Making Christmas cookies

Look at poor Alec all wrapped up in a blanket with chills and a fever! He's holding cookies for Santa...although Santa may have bypassed the "germy cookies" this year! He still left only crumbs to be polite :)

This pic was taken just yesterday when Carson came over for a visit. Don't they look so angelic :)

A Christmas Carol for you!!

Well, Alec and Ava wanted to sing for Me Ma who is with us from MO and I had to get it on video. So...here is a Christmas carol for you...we did the same thing last year...so I guess that makes it a tradition! Alec had to have the toy microphone to sing, and Ava ended up using the cord as her microphone...too funny. Anyway...hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas parties and programs...

Well, we have been staying nice and busy this Christmas season with lots of fun stuff. Shortly after my last post we had our small group Christmas Party at our house. We had a ton of fun with the White Elephant gift exchange. Alec and Ava also had the Giving Tree Christmas program at their preschool. They get to bring a gift to give to underprivileged kids and place it under the Christmas tree in front of the church. Then they sing a couple songs...actually Ava's class of two year olds mostly just stood there while the music leader sang...it was cute though. Alec's class sang some fun songs and one of the songs cracked him up the whole time he sang it. It was "I'm Gettin Nuttin for Christmas" ...too cute. Then, this past Sunday night Alec sang with the other preschoolers at our church. I was asked to lead them this year, and let me just say it was a little stressful at times....it was like herding cats to get them on and off stage! The kids were adorable minus a little scuffle between two brothers while singing "Silent Night" which caused Alec to fall off the risers! He was fine and got right back up....the whole thing was pretty hilarious!

During the White Elephant exchange.

Mer, Amy, Christy and Sabrina at our small group party...what's up with all the scarfs!!!
I didn't get the memo I guess :)

Ava carrying a doll to give at her preschool program


Alec and his class right after singing at his preschool program

Oh Christmas Tree...Oh Christmas Tree...

Well...we chose to do our annual Christmas tree cutting on a good day. It actually snowed the entire time we were looking for and cutting down our Christmas tree! It snowed right here is east Texas...how fun is that? OK... I say it snowed....it was more of a flurry...but that's still news worthy around here! The kids were really excited and didn't seem to mind too much that is was really cold. It took us a long time to find just the right tree (I can be pretty picky), but it was a lot of fun!

This isn't our tree...just a pic when we first got there.

Sooo excited!

On the hayride out to the trees.



We were trying to get a pic of the snow flakes all over us...didn't work out so well :)

Can you see the snow falling? It was much more impressive in person!

They loved good ole "Smokey"

The finished product! The kids had fun helping.