A Pretty Good Snow Day

We woke up to snow this morning!  It's really been the first one all year and it was our very first snow day of the year which usually happens in December, not mid-February.  It's been a very mild winter which has been mostly nice but we were all happy to have a good snow!

Gotta scrape the driveway before we can have any fun.

More scraping

Dolly likes the snow

Drew likes it much better than last year!

"Don't take my picture!"

Luke's still looking for ways to get the driveway cleared.

              

     

I think Luke just used his snowball on Drew!

Sam shows no mercy on the little ones

Someday soon Daddy will be ganged up on and regret all the stuff he's done to us.

Looks like that day came sooner than later.

I think I was standing there cheering on the boys yelling "get his face, go for the face!"

"Cheese"

Luke's ready to nail me with a snowball.  Lucky for me he's not a real good aim so I'm going to take advantage of it while it lasts and take pictures of it.

We didn't go out looking for a hill but this worked pretty well.  My main concern here is why does Sam's head look so HUGE?

Whoa!  Big bump!

I think the conversation is something like 
Candy: "Hey Libby, think I could try carrying that huge stick around for awhile?"
Libby:  "Don't even think about it."

Heading down the driveway for a stroll.

The dogs do this every time we go outside.

then one submits and pretends to be defeated...

Only to jump up and take the other by surprise

and show no mercy

Luke's opening his Valentine cards he got in the mail...the boys each scored $6!

This didn't do a very good job of showing how hard it was snowing at one point.

A Slight Snow Day

 A couple weeks ago we got some snow.  It was more like a dusting with frigid temperatures and freezing wind.  But the boys were dying to get out in it so I took about 15 minutes to get them bundled up and let them head out while I went back in the house.

A couple minutes this is what I had at my door...

"Mom, seriously, we aren't dogs!"

Oh, and this I just thought was a super sweet picture of my little, tiny baby.

Working Cows isn't what it used to be...

We worked cattle last weekend.

This is Sam rounding up the cows in the lot.

"Head em up move em out...RAWHIDE."

This is me, feeling a little out of place in my bright green coat, freezing my butt off in the 19 degree weather.  

I thought this calf was cute...minus the manure on his head.

These are cows waiting to be worked.

This is my brother.  He uses those shots to do this...

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 and this...

This was Sam and the Amish boys, and me rounding up one cow and two calves.  I felt very useful.

This is Sam.  I think he actually likes this.

His job was worming the cows.

This is Dad.  This...was one of his many jobs.

Oh, and this cow, she's crazy!  I didn't see it happen, but rumor has it, she pinned one of the Amish boys into the fence last summer!  But Dad says she's a good mama so he keeps her!

I picture the cows shouting "FREEEEDOOOOOMM!" like on Braveheart.

The End to Another Blessed Year

Well, the boys and I are anxiously awaiting Christmas.  Luke especially, is so excited.  He wakes up almost every day saying, "Is today Cwismas?"  He loves everything about Christmas and I don't think the gifts are the #1 priority, he loves the tree, the lights, talking about Jesus' birth.  He doesn't seem to fall for the whole Santa thing though.  He never acts interested in seeing him or talking about him.  It's like the whole idea is a little too far-fetched for his smart brain.  When I ask him what he wants he either says "I don't know, I want to be surprised" or he's very specific "a race car with smooth wheels or an old truck where the front wheels don't move."  He can be such a sweet, helpful little boy.
Drew is almost 2!  I can't believe that one.  He's at that perfect age where he can't get any cuter.  We just sit around and watch and listen to him.  He's so sweet and caring to animals and his family.  He's polite and says "tanks" when you give him something and the best thing ever is when he says "I wuf you too....Mommy."  He likes Christmas too but the thought of Santa is scary.  Today we video taped him saying, "Santa Claus is scary."  Sometimes it's the "Grinch scary."  We've even caught him singing "You're a mean one, Santa Claus." Only picture all this with the sweetest, softest, most innocent voice in the world.
People say I need to write these things down that they say so I need to do a better job of that.  We were remembering a few of them yesterday:
Luke:  "Can I have a ta ta to lay down with?  I'll show you which one."
Drew:  "EE hot, EE burn, EE finger."
Luke:  "Bunny Rabbit get you."
Drew: "Lukie toot, Trevor toot, Mater the greater toot."
Luke: "I don't need to pee anymore but maybe if I get out in the cold it will spice up my dingy."
Drew:  "Eat waffles, please...Mommy"
Again, you have to picture these with slight speech impediments and cute little voices.

Back to School...but not for us!

I've been looking on facebook of all the back to school comments from parents and teachers.  When I saw the comments from teachers about Open House and meeting the the parents and students I almost missed teaching a little bit.  It's such an exciting time with new faces and new beginnings and the feeling of a fresh start and not the monotonous grind it tends to turn into.  Then I saw the posts from parents whose children are going to to kindergarten or middle school or high school.  I quickly began realizing how glad I was that I don't have to go to work right now and my boys aren't going to school just yet.  The day will come when I can't spend every day with them because they'll be in school, the evenings will be full of homework, dinner, and bedtime, and the weekends will be busy.  Eventually I'll have to return to work too and then I won't have as much time.  So as much as I think time is flying now I think it's only going to go faster and these lazy days when the 3 of us are home are the times I should cherish.

A Heavy, Yet Thankful, Heart

While at school subbing today, I came across a blog of a little 18 month old boy diagnosed with a brain tumor.  The little boy was beautiful and as I continued through the site I came saw his obituary.  He only lived to be 2 years old.  He died this past January.  I then went back and read the posts of the days and months leading up to that day.  In early January they received news that there was nothing left to be done and Hospice was to come in.  The mother spent her days holding him and reading to him as he didn't have the strength to do anything else.  They had faith in the Lord and we happy he was with Jesus and free from cancer forever.  One thing that stuck out in my mind was that they said to cherish being a parent and each day with your children.  Hold them, cuddle them, talk to them, and have couch days.  I think of these things often and totally love being the mother of my boys.  But I often find myself wanting to get things done and not taking time to just sit with them, which is all Luke ever really wants.  I am so thankful they are healthy and pray it continues but it just takes one trip to the doctor and a piece of news that could change all that forever.  I ache for this family as the past few months they've been living without their little, sweet son.  How they must miss him.
Also while subbing I began looking through some yearbooks.  The back page were pictures of the seniors along with notes from their parents and baby pictures.  I remember when some of these kids were babies and toddlers, just like my two boys.  How quickly time will go.  I'm sure I'll love every minute of their lives growing up but they are so sweet and cute right now and soon they'll be off to school and our time together will be cut short.  I also look around at some of these high school students who do not having the loving parents as my boys or I did.  It's so sad that they've grown up on their own with no baby picture of them or loving note in the yearbook.  My family has it so good right now.  I do not know what is around the corner but I pray that we continue to love each other in trust in the Lord's will.

The Ups & Downs

I know the old cliche phrase "life is full of ups and downs," but with children, especially mine, that is becoming so true.  We can have so many "downs."  Like yesterday I took the boys to Target, Luke disappeared, the store went on a Code Yellow, blocked the doors, and every employee was in search for my son only to find him sitting within range to hear us eating animal crackers!  I was so frustrated with him for not responding when we called his name.  Shortly after he ran out in the parking lot ready to get himself killed.  Then there is the potty training that is still going on after months and months.  After sitting on the potty several times he managed to poop his pants and not seem to be bothered by it at all.  Then there's Drew.  Between his climbing on everything and also trying to get himself killed and the sleeping issues in which he wakes up about 3-4 times a night I make being a mom sound like a total drag.  But then there are the "ups."  Like when we are outside on the swings and the boys are so happy and laughing together.  Or when Luke says things so politely and takes care of Drew.  Or when he wakes up looking for our new puppy so it will chase him.  Or every time Drew sees me he gets a smile all over his body and runs into my arms.  Or when I pick up a book to read and they both crawl into my lap.  Or when we go to the pond and they could throw rocks in the water forever.  And listening to Drew say "Whoa" every time a rock hits the water.  And when Luke says that my pancakes are the best.  Or when every time I pick up Drew he lays his head on my shoulder.  Yes, I do love all these "ups."  And they always outweigh the "downs."