Day Two of the Snow Fun...Thawing in Progress!

The boys were up and ready to go out quite early this morning! We awoke to LOTS of snow, at least for those of us in Columbia! We got at least 7 inches of GOOD powdery, white snow! So powdery (is that even a word) that it wouldn't even roll or pack into snowballs early this morning. By our second time out, though, it was perfect for all of that! We made several snowmen (including a HUGE one across the street), made a snow fort wall, had a few snowball fights (even behind the bushes), sledded down the hill in the back yard on a cookie sheet, and changed/dried our wet clothes several times!!! Here are a few pictures of the FUN!!!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The snow is already melting away so I'm not sure how many more good snow pictures I will get. The boys and I have had a really fun time! I hate that Roger's been at work missing out on all the fun (though he hates the cold and really doens't like snow since growing up in West Virginia). They're even calling for a small chance of some more snow Sunday night...wonder if they'll be right this time!?! I wish it would do this at least once a year (though I am glad it's not like this here all the time!)! We've enjoyed this snowfall BUNCHES!!!

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

This is our what our house looked like around 6 o'clock tonight! I can't wait to see how much we actually get and what everything looks like in the morning after it's snowed most of the night! I think we should get a good snow like this ONCE a year! The fact that it has come on Friday afternoon (and we now have the weekend to enjoy it) make it even better!!! I plan to have loads of fun with my boys tonight and tomorrow!!!


Austin with his very own snowman he made! I'm sure a bigger one will follow tomorrow! Notice his red cheeks??? He wasn't ready to come in when I was so I bribed him with hot chocolate for now, and we'll go back out when Roger gets home from work...which hopefully is soon! The roads are already covered, and he has to go back to work in the morning before 7...yikes!

Logan catching snowflakes! This was very early when it started snowing hard. Logan is loving the snow!!! It kind of makes me a little nervous for tomorrow because I know they're going to want to stay out in all day (and may even wake up WAY early), but I stocked up on hot chocolate, extra gloves/hats, and we're ready to play!

More pictures to come....

Monster Jam

Okay, so I now officially feel like a redneck having been to a Monster Jam show, but I can't complain about going because both of the boys had THE BEST time!!! We got to go before the show started "in the pit" to see the trucks up close and personal and even met the drivers! The show was extremely L-O-U-D, but the ear plugs helped, and the kids didn't seem to even notice the noise...ok, well Logan held his ears in the very beginning when they cranked the trucks, but I think that was because he wasn't expecting it to happen when it did. This was Austin's second time going and Logan's first. They both would go back at the chance!!! Here are a few pictures from the show, and they sort of go backwards because that's the way they uploaded, but you'll still get to see...

Roger and the boys...

This was, of course, on our way to the car after the show. They continued to talk about everything they saw and their favorite parts on the way to the car, in the car, and some more once we got home. So, of course, that made going to the show worth it to me!

Me and My Boys...

This was taken right after the show as we waited in line so the drivers (mainly the Taz driver for Austin)could sign their flags. They were are really nice and talked to the kids as they signed.

This is the view we had if we looked to our left during the show. Both boys had their eyes glued to the arena floor at all the action!

Austin and Logan both watched every move the trucks made!

Logan

Logan was impressed with the truck tires...at how big, hard, and strong they were. He just wanted to keep knocking on them!

Roger and both boys in the pit

This was taken down in with all the trucks before the action began. They loved seeing the trucks and drivers!

Feeling Sappy...

Okay, so there are a few things in life that sort of take your breath away and make you stop and think...sometimes things happen that we don't understand or are beyond our control. There are tragedies everyday all over the world, yet life all around just goes on pretty normally. When I get upsetting news, I just want to grab onto my sweet boys and hold them tight as long as they will let me! I thank God for each day he has given them to me, and pray that I will be here long after my grandchildren are born!!! Sorry this is a "sappy" entry...just couldn't sleep, and I want my boys to know how much they mean to me and how special they both are! One day, I will have time to print these out and use them in a scrapbook, but until then, this will do...

The pictures aren't the greatest, but they are from a day we went to Monkey Joes and had a blast. Austin was being silly, as he likes to do. Then, Logan, of course, wanted a silly picture like his big brother too!


Logan...my "doodlebug"...I love you to Pluto and Back! Forever and Ever! You are learning how to do so much right now, and everyday you do something to amaze me! You always know how to put a smile on my face. And, even though I know that YOU want to grow up to be big like us, and drive a monster truck one day so you can boom, crash, over stuff because you "have to"...you will always be my cuddlebug and my "baby!" I love you!


Austin...my "snoodle"...I love YOU to Pluto and Back! Forever and Ever! I hope you know how very proud of you I am (and always have been). You are very smart and have always done well in school. I absolutely LOVE your sense of humor and how you "get" sarcasm (and have even before you were 5). You will be able to do whatever you want to when you grow up if you continue in the greatness you have shown us so far! And, it looks like me and your dad will have our hands full with you and the ladies down the road (ha!). You are a wonderful big brother (Logan idolizes you!!! You've already been to Hollywood in his eyes!) We couldn't ask for a better kid! Keep making us proud! You will always be my Austin, Boston...my snoodle...and my sweetheart boy! I love you!

I will cherish EVERY day that I have with my two boys. And, together, our family will build a lifetime making memories and building traditions that will last forever!

Taking Advantage of our Days Off

Being out of school for four days (rather than two) leaves plently of time to do extra stuff! So, we took advantage and went to the zoo Friday. Roger was working, but I met my sisters there so there was plenty of people in our "group." It was Caralee's first time going to the zoo, and she seemed to like the animals, especially when they moved. She pointed LOTS! Logan really enjoyed being able to WALK through the zoo like a big boy this time...staying really close to Mommy (and holding hands when we were near a crowd). Austin, even being 8, was still excited to go too! I must have enjoyed the actual trip too this time because I realized after we got home that I didn't take hardly any pictures...or it could have been that Roger wasn't with me so my time was more occupied by keeping up with both boys! Either way, we had fun! Here are a few pictures I did manage to snap!


Here's a picture with Rianne, Brantlee, Austin, & Logan! Don't know where the other boys were (or Cara)!?!


I had promised Logan we could ride the tram this time. You can see he was more interested in looking at all the things we were passing than the camera! He really isn't interested in posing for me all the time!


Here's the best group picture I managed to get. Austin, Logan, Rianne, Brantlee, Michael, & Robert...only Caralee was missing.

A Little Craziness Just for Fun!

Here's my sweet Austin being "all boy!" This was actually taken on the way back from our field trip last year. I'm not even sure he knows I took this picture! He loves to amuse himself and always does all kinds of quirky, fun stuff to be silly. I think he's adorable...and getting too big, too fast!!!


Here's my little Logan just being silly! It never seems to matter what it he's doing, he's always into something he thinks is fun! I hope he ALWAYS will seek out what makes him happy (without getting into trouble...ha ha!!!)

Happy New Year!

Here's Logan (above) and Austin (below) with sparklers! Logan was quite the pyromaniac! Austin was excited to help light a few this year.




Here's a shot of all the cousins on my side. It's very hard to get a picture with all of them looking! (Rianne, Brantlee, Austin, Michael, Robert, Logan, Jadain, & Caralee)


Logan wanted to eat at "the place with the fire on the table" for his birthday...so here we are at Sumos. Again, I am behind the camera! ;)