Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

I got a new phone. It is nothing fancy. In fact it was free. "Free" is why I got the phone I did. I didn't have to upgrade my simple plan (that I pay pennies for) to the super duper slapa wapa plan. So basically, the only choice I had when it came to picking a phone, was color...gray or limeade. I chose limeade of course.

I thought the only green thing about my phone was it's color. Well, when I powered it up today, I realized it is GREEN. Like it is made of recycled materials and comes with a Prius as an accessory, and don't forget the "coexist" bumper sticker that goes on the back. All the preloaded backgrounds are pictures of rivers, waterfalls, flowers, dolphins, oceans, etc. The preloaded ringtones are called "mother earth", "on a journey", "trailhead", "soft beams of sunlight", "lightening bug"...you get the idea.

I bet you Al Gore is saved in my speed dial already.

Now excuse me while I go and download the sound of a hummer revving up for my ringtone. Because I really don't buy in to this political movement/distraction.

How To Stop A Freight Train

Our family freight train has come to a screeching stop. Some little bug has been going around and I alone remain to tell the tale. Only I have managed to escape it's fury...so far...but I feel as though I am a prisoner waiting to die.

It has been hard watching each person in my family go through this little doozy (and clean up after each). And now I know all too well the journey my body will have to make...I just don't know when it will happen.

While the little boys were sick, I let them watch some movies (a rare treat in our house). This morning they asked if they could watch some. I said we were going to do other things since they were feeling better. Both kiddos immediately started complaining about their tummies hurting and how sick they were. They even went and retrieved their little throw up containers they were all to familiar with just to prove their point.

I called their bluff when they started jumping off the couch and driving around on the scooter. I had them vacuuming and cleaning the mirrors in no time.

So, if you don't hear from me in a while, you will probably find me in the bathroom, hugging that porcelain bowl.

The Things I Love

On Valentines morning, Christian took the kiddos to breakfast, so I could run.
I love running.

Later, we went swimming.
I love swimming.

After swimming, we surprised Dad at work with balloons.
I love having an excuse to visit Christian at work.

For dinner we had salmon with orange salsa.
That was what Christian made for me on our first Valentines together.
I love salmon.

Later that night, we cuddled on our new couch (I love our new couch),
and watched a movie.

I am in love.

Valentine Warm Up

This girl was lovin' on me tonight.

Warm Winter Days

Today we went skiing, cross country skiing.
This was our first time.
Here is a brief overview of how it went down.

Arrive at parking lot to lodge and trails.
Get everyone safely across the ice to the lodge.
Find out we need more cash.
Drive 2 miles down the road to ATM machine and back.
Get everyone's boots and skis.
Ahhhhh.

Get everyone's gear on.
Start putting Anna in the carrier.
Anna starts biting and sucking my chin...she's hungry.
Unbundle Anna, unbundle me.
Feed Anna.
Ahhhhh, good for another 3 hours.

Bundle back up.
Put Anna in front pack.
Slip locking into my skis.
Anna and I fall.
My ski ends up 20ft away.
Recover.
Get locked in.
Ahhhh.

Don't let that smile fool you.
He made it 10 ft.
Tears each step of the way.
So we put him in here.
Ahhhh.

He loved the rest of the expedition.
We could barely wake him from his semi-comatose state.
When he did awaken, he said
"Let's do that again! I liked that!"

Then he marched into the lodge demanding a granola bar.
He really worked up an appetite out on those snow covered trails.
We told him he had to wait until after lunch.
He said "Ok".
Ahhhh.

Daniel smoked us on the trails.

We made it back safely.
Ahhhh

"Ask that lady if she will take a picture for us."
It was really bright.
"Daniel, stop picking your nose."
Lady, "The camera is not working."
Turn camera on.
Everyone, look at the camera.
Smile.
Ahhhh.

Return all skis, boots, and poles.
Get everyone back in car avoiding the mud puddles.
Drive to country store.
Eat lunch.
Smile at the memory.

Drive home.
Put all the gear away.
Tuck tired children into warm beds.
Ahhhh.

Ice Skating

Yesterday we went ice skating....the three kids and I, and that is why I have no pictures of the outing. But maybe I can paint a few pictures for you.

It was on a small frozen pond, surrounded by a little forest. The air was nippy. It was a clear afternoon. The sun was starting to set. Other children there laughing and playing around.

That's the good picture. Here's the other picture...

...a bloody lip, freezing cold hands, tears. That would be a picture of James.

Daniel's picture would be a smile with a mouthful of snow.

Anna's picture would be of a warm, cuddled, sleeping baby, and I, I breathed a sigh of relief when we all made it back into the car after the ordeal.

This Post is for My Mom

This post is for my mom. I'm sure only she will notice the small details of work we have done, but she gets excited about them, and I am excited about them, so it is fun to share them with her.
Fixing the front porch is the project that is on deck, but we will wait until the deck is cleared of snow. So for now, we are going to enjoy the rest of winter...at least until something else breaks.


Finally, we are bidding adieu to our couch. The couch that was birthed in Florida, a youngn' in Mexico, a teenager in Texas, had a midlife crisis in Virginia, and moved on to a better life in Massachusetts. We are hoping our new infant red couch will have a long, healthy life.

Did the Groundhog See His Shadow?

Today's snow adventures started with the dressing of little hands and feet into puffy, bulky gear.

When I realized our sled was buried under the latest snow, I got out the pool toys and made this little number.

Did you know sleds are to winter as strollers are to summer?
I just learned that.

So off we went, a half mile down the road.
We needed to get some things at the craft store to make Valentines.
The craft store was closed, but getting down and back was an adventure.
Daniel and I had to army crawl over snow piles.
The boat tipped over once, spilling its contents (James) onto the snow.
James gets jello legs in the snow.
We all got stuck.
We lost one boot.
We wore a hole in our boat, frequent inflating stops were in order.

In the end, we didn't end up making Valentines today.
We mostly shoveled and worked on our snow cave.


Maybe we'll make Valentines tomorrow.
I unburied our sled.

Sundays

Tonight during dinner Christian explained to Daniel how sometimes we need to do things we don't want or like to do. To make sure Daniel was listening and understanding, Christian asked Daniel to explain it to James.

Daniel turned to James and said,

"James, sometimes we need to go to church!"