{Some} Snow

Well, we still haven't seen much snow to really be impressed by, but even a lame snow season will get a few posts just because I really like snow!

The snow came in over night, late on the 30th. The kids were excited to go play in it early on New Year's Eve day, even if the high temperature for the day was only going to be 8 degrees, which for me means that it's too cold to really go outside. But they are blessed to have a great Dad, who braved the cold that my little boys apparently do not feel, so they could go out for short stints--followed, of course, by hot cocoa. Happily, the day satisfied their desire for snow play and their desire for endless amounts of sugar.

The next day, New Year's Day, fortunately, the temperatures got up into the 20's so the family decided to head out for a little sledding expedition. Finding an appropriate sledding hill in Colorado Springs is not always easy, especially if the snow is only 4 or 5 inches deep like ours was. Because of the wind and the dry, light snow, there are places where the snow can drift into deep piles, but hilly slopes are often bare because all the snow has blown off. The day before, the 8-degrees day, Adam and the boys had already discovered that our preferred sledding hill, by the elementary school, was one of those bare-type hills. So that would not work. We'd have to look further. And so it began...

Pike's Peak in all its snowy glory on a bright {crisp} January morning.

I think Josh had the right idea: stick to the backyard, use the slopes already provided by the swing set. But that just wasn't enough for all of the boys, so we ventured out of our yard, and walked in the direction of the nearby middle school.

Tommy was not so sure about our chilly adventure. The jacket alone gave him pause. Because of its warm poofiness, his arms were forced to stick out from his sides giving him little control over them. Not a fan.

With his birthday money, Zach purchased an "intermediate" snowboard. A handful of years ago he got the "beginner" version from his Uncle Ryan and has used and enjoyed it every snow since. But he was ready for more. The new one is still plastic, not fiberglass, but it's slicker and bigger, and of course, he is already a pro. We might actually have to take him boarding in the mountains now.I was surprised when Luke, first thing outside, laid down in the snow and made a snow angel, and didn't even complain about being cold or snow getting into his clothing where it wasn't wanted. Fantastic! It was a great start, and his good mood persevered through the entire outing, which is rarely the case when cold is involved.

Watching Josh pull Ben on the sled gave me a great idea. This is how Luke was transported to the school after he got tired of walking. It worked like a charm, and because it had been so cold there were very few bare patches on the walk, only a couple of spots because of the wind, so I could pull him all the way there. We didn't have one single "I'm tired of walking!" whine there or back.

I was surprised that we were the only ones who had ventured out onto the snowy sidewalk since the snow had fallen; a day and a half after there were no footprints but ours. Then I remembered that the high had been 8 degrees the day before and that I hadn't gone out either. It was fun blazing our own trail.

Another angel in the snow!And then we made it to our destination. There was still snow on the sloping hill above the school, hooray! But not enough to press down the bushes and shrubs, drat. But we're Conlins, and we didn't let that stop us. This is why we sled on plastic sleds and not on innertubes; they may not be as fast, but they are hearty!

On this run, a shrub caught hold of Ben's boot, and pulled it right off of his foot. Zach had to rescue it and toss it down after him.

Josh, on the other hand, took no nonsense from the shrubbery, and if one got in his way, he took it out as he went down.

Zach loved using his new snowboard! And the added benefit was that he was well above the shrubs, so they didn't seem to bother him a bit.

Here's proof that I actually braved the cold too...after taking this photo I volunteered to take the two little ones home, one on the sled the other in the stroller, who were getting a bit tired and cold, while the three big boys stayed behind to sled with Dad. Yes, it might have been in the "warm" 20's, but it was still plenty cold, so I didn't mind cutting out a bit early. And I got in my workout hauling them both back up the hill.

The day ended as it began, a snow-blanketed Pike's Peak looming gorgeously over our fair city, the sunset robing it in splendor. Can't you see why I like the snow? It turns dead brown earth to frosted winter majesty.

I'm still hoping for a "real" snow, the kind that might actually flatten down those prairie shrubs, but at least we got {some} snow and seized the chance to enjoy it.

One One: A Happy New Year

And now we have come to New Years'. Only a couple more posts and I am all caught up!

Our night was pretty full as we rung in the new year with family, friends and fun times.

First up was a little family celebration, where we made our New Year's crowns. Early in the evening I told the boys I had a little project for them. Ben said, "Do we get to make our New Year's crowns?! Yes!" I was surprised that he guessed what I was up to, but it makes me happy it's a tradition they love and look forward to. We had stirfry, served up on our "You are Special Today" plates. And toasted...and toasted...and toasted. We toasted the old year, the new year, our family, the fun things we did, the fun things we'll do, each family member, and toasts. Yes, we toasted to toasts. Once I sent one toast out everyone began throwing them in. Even Luke chimed in with, "I toast!" Our sparkling cider was drained and re-drained. It was hilarious. Please note that in the picture of Tommy below he's holding his binky in his mouth like a stogie, so funny!.
After dinner we went and spent a couple of hours chatting and playing with our neighbors', the Simonds. Adam and I always enjoy any time we spend with Valerie and David, and the boys love it there because their kids are good neighborhood buddies and the house rules are pretty lax so they can go wild. Like jumping off of the kitchen railing onto the couch in the family room kind of wild. {Adam and I just closed our eyes and prayed that their guardian angels were watching them that night}

We headed home after a couple of hours and tucked the three little ones in bed. Once they were sawing logs, we put a movie on for Ben and Zach in our bedroom, locked all the doors and windows, and leaving Zach in charge of his sleeping little brothers with directions to follow for any and every emergency and the understanding that "you are now in charge of the five most precious things in my entire life," Adam and I went to our friends', the Murdock's, for a little adult gathering. We called every 30 minutes, but all was well. It was a fun night being grown-ups, laughing, eating, playing games. And I even got to swap midnight kisses with my sweetie.It was a great start to 2011, and when I think about what came on the 2nd (nasty basement flooding) and wonder if that is some foreshadowing of the year we ahead, I put into my mind New Year's Eve and the fun of the 1st--how fantastic they were--and hope that the power of those lovely days of beginning will be stronger than the bad that came next.

As a final note, even if small goals made throughout the year are probably better, because as those in the know say, "Resolutions are only made to be broken," I do it every year anyhow, and I often keep them pretty well. But this year I only made one because it's an important one to me: make and stick to a budget. That's it. There are other things I'd like to accomplish this year and have plans in action to do so, I'd love to do another 1/2 marathon, I'd like to delve deeper into my scripture reading/study, I want to make the time I have with my kids more (meaningful, appreciated, rich, treasured, you know, more), but as far as true resolutions go, that's the one. Budget. I think I can do it. Sheesh, I KNOW I can do it, and I already am.

I sure hope 2011 is a happy year for you all!

One Foot In Front of the Other

On December 29th, while enjoying a fabulous evening with our friends the Nunnellys, the topic of walking came up. Their son Kimble is just three weeks younger than Tommy, and neither boy has decided that walking on their own is interesting to them at all. We grabbed Tommy to demonstrate where he was on his walking progress: he walks along furniture, free-stands, and will walk holding onto just one of our hands, but he wouldn't move his feet at all once we let go. He'll just stand there look at us, and then plop down on his bum and crawl to us. But that night, when I put him between Adam and I, stood him up facing his dad and Adam held his arms out to Tommy, he actually moved his feet!

His first steps! They may have looked more like a controlled fall than steps, but that absolutely counts in my book. So we tried again. The first few passes between Adam and I were stumbling and wobbly and not more than two steps at a time before losing his balance, but the more he tried, the more steady he looked. Adam and I were, obviously, completely stoked, and he was thrilled with himself. That was actually the best part, he was having the time of his life going back and forth, back and forth!

The most he's done now is about 8 steps, although walking is still definitely not something he sees as a mode of transporting himself from one place to another. Crawling is so much faster! To him it's little more than a parlor trick or a fun game with Mom and Dad. But we are all having fun playing it!
Thank goodness Shaina was there to take her fabulous pictures. The photo below, while not so great because I took it with my phone, I had to include because the moment was so funny. Tommy and Kimble were playing at Kimble's little table when we noticed that Tommy's binky, that was clipped to his shirt, was stretched over to Kimble's mouth. Tommy would put the binky into Kimble's mouth and then pop it out and then put it back in. I tell you, these two were born to be buddies!

You'll Just Feel a Little Pinch

We were able to keep my parents for a few days following Christmas. I love having them here, they are not only my parents, but they are amazing grandparents and wonderful friends to Adam and I. We spent the days together, and it was lovely.

One of my favorite post-Christmas traditions is our "Movie Day." It's a day where my mom and I, who love watching movies on the big screen, pick three of the big holiday movies to see together. Sometimes we do a Movie Day in early June too, for those summer blockbusters. It's not a day for everyone, you have to be a big fan, and you have to have nice cooshie buns. Both of these apply to us. This year we saw The King's Speech, which was amazing; True Grit, which Adam and my dad joined us for and was, well, a well-done western, so if you like that sort of thing..; and How Do You Know, which was awful, really, not worth the time OR money.

But before the final movie of the day we had a little stop to make at Claire's Boutique. See, awhile ago my mom needed to have the earring hole on one of her ears sewn up because it had become too stretched and healed itself right through. The requisite time had passed since it had been sewn back together, and while here for her visit she wanted to get it re-pierced, so we could be together when she did it.

She was a little nervous, even though she knew it wouldn't hurt much. Seeing her sitting on the little stool, her hair pinned back, her face serious, smelling the cleanser, listening to all the instructions and provisos that go along with getting your ear pierced...I was sent back to my ninth birthday, when I sat in a different stool, in a different Claire's, my hair pinned back behind my ear, my face serious, smelling and feeling and hearing the same things. And when I reached down to hold her hand as the piercing gun was lifted to her ear, I could actually see my younger, nine-year-old hand in hers, all those years ago.

I am so glad I could share this small moment with my mom. It meant a great deal to me. Just as she means a great deal to me...more than I can ever say.

A Merry Christmas

It goes without saying that Christmas is a day long awaited, and it feels like it is over in a blink. Ours was exactly that, but it was delightful--filled with family, pleasure and togetherness, and as my friend Beth said in her recent Christmas post, I'm already excited for next year's Christmas!

The boys were warned that they could not leave their room before 7:30am, but as soon as the clock hit that time they could come get us and we would wake Luke, Nana and Papa and get to business. And that is exactly how it transpired. It think they waited in their rooms a full hour between waking up and coming to get us. And I am sure it was agony! But as we had had a late Christmas Eve, the 7:30 wake up call was early enough and I was grateful they stuck to their end of the deal. We did have to wake up Luke, but we let Tommy sleep.

The boys ran first to their Santa gifts and stockings, filled to overflowing, waiting by the fireplace. Santa always brings one "brown paper package" to each person in our house, plus a lot of small items like teeny toys, socks, underwear and candy for the stockings. We are glad Santa is not only aware of the boys' desires for fun items, but also the necessities. It took Luke awhile to wake up, but once he saw that inside those wrapped packages and giant socks there was fun to be had, he warmed up pretty quickly. One of the favorite stocking items brought by Santa every year for all the boys, including Adam, is a bag of pistachios. From my Christmases growing up, I remember my mom always being so happy munching away at her stash of pistachios Christmas morning. I think it made her feel "California." I was surprised to find, after Adam and I began dating, that Adam's family also received pistachios in their stockings every year. It is a tradition that we've happily carried on to our own family.

We did have a little miscommunication with Santa on Josh's gift and he accidentally got a new Leapster game that he had said that he REALLY wanted in the store, only to suddenly remember when he opened it on Christmas morning that he already had it. Oops! Santa fortunately told Mom where it could be exchanged and he got some more parts for his Kung Zhu track at a sweet after-Christmas sale discount instead. I also made a miscount and forgot to get Josh a gift from Zach, who had drawn Josh's name in the brother name draw this year. I am SO thankful that Josh is a flexible, easy going kid (and slightly oblivious)! It didn't even faze him, nor did he wonder how Santa could have gotten that wrong.
Ben found the Christmas Pickle last year, so he got to hide it this year. Zach found it this year. I am thinking both Ben and Zach need to be exempt from next year's pickle hunt to give the little ones a wisp of a chance.
And then began the gift opening from all the rest of the family, their gifts from us, each other, both sets of grandparents, aunties, uncles, friends...they always make out like bandits, but they are so excited by every gift, extremely grateful, and love all that they receive. They also love seeing the gifts that the others in the family receive and are often as excited about another's gift as they are about their own. It warms my heart to remember the joy and excitement of our Christmas morning, gathered around the tree, taking turns opening gifts, smiles that are never-ending, laughter and exclamations of "That's just what I wanted!" or "This is SO cool!" and the best, "THANK YOU!"

I thought I'd be clever and send texts with pictures of the kids and their gifts to all the aunties, uncles, grandmas and grandpas who sent them, to say an instant "Thank you!" It wasn't until later that I realized that, although we had been up for awhile and it was a decent hour in Colorado Springs, when the texts went through to Washington and California it was still very early in the homes of our family, most of whom don't have small children waking them at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning! I am thinking that everyone who got those texts were not so grateful for my clever idea. Sorry all for the Christmas wake up call to those who received them! :)
Tommy eventually woke up and got to opening his gifts. It was nice to watch him leisurely open his presents. He could go as slowly as he wanted because there was no one waiting for their turn to open after he was finished. He played with each item a little bit before moving on to the next one. And of course, if it was something cool, Luke had to give it a try too.We Skyped with my sister, the boys' Auntie Lili and her boyfriend Jason after our {so yummy} breakfast strata. It was great to get to see them open their gifts, hear about their morning, and let the boys open the gifts from them on camera. We were missing them a bunch and having them in the room with us, even if was on a screen, {almost} felt like they were here!
The day was spent playing with new toys, watching new movies, taking little naps, being together as a family (I just love having my parents here to share Christmas with us year after year), cooking, and even spending a little time with friends at a "come one, come all" scone feast at our friends', the Fitch's, house. We finished the day with a delicious beef stew packed with meat, turnips and carrots and homemade rolls for dinner. Then we sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus, ate chocolate peppermint cupcakes, talked about gifts we could give Christ for his birthday, and read the story of Christmas once more. Gotta bring it home.
Yes, with a wonderful, blissful Christmas like this, as they always are, I am already looking forward to next year's Christmas...but I guess that the anticipation is part of the fun!

Unexpected Perks

Before we get to Christmas Day....

While my basement currently contains 11 industrial strength fans, blowing a hurricane around the room, and a dehumidifier that is the size of my washing machine, cranking out heat and sucking in moisture as it runs 24/7:

And my favorite wall in the entire house is missing from where it is supposed to be:

We have found a few perks.

Colorado air is extremely dry. So dry that it just sucks the moisture from your lungs and skin as if the air itself were a sponge, especially in the winter. But over the past few days our house has felt much like a tropical rainforest! Not one humidifier has been in operation in any room in the house to ease breathing during the night because it's unnecessary, and the windows are steamy like a greenhouse. My skin could get used to this!

I now own two short copper tubes given to me by the plumber yesterday after he removed the two pipe ruptures. They have endless potential! Jewelry: they'd look great with some turquoise beading. Musical instrument: a new recorder or ocarina for Zach. Decorative artwork: if Dr. Evermor can do it, so can I! Sell it on eBay: I hear there are crooks out there that are stealing copper wiring from construction sites to sell because it goes for a pretty penny, is copper piping as valuable as copper wire? Hmm...

Three days after we installed our brand new carpet this summer I was sharpening 144 pencils for the elementary school supply list and when I went to empty the shavings container I missed the trash and dropped some shavings on the floor. At that moment I learned this lesson: pencil dust does not clean easily from carpet. So we've had a gray stain, 3 inches in diameter, on our carpet in the office ever since. Well, after the padding and walls are all done, the restoration company is going to clean our carpets! Yes! Goodbye gray stain!

The boys are having fun, just like they did all summer long, using the things from the basement that are stashed in the dining room to make a fort. Complete with secret entrance:

Sleeping area:

And meditation room:

These are just a few of the perks we have discovered, nay, that we have been blessed with, because of this basement disaster. We could add to the list that our muscles are stronger from frantically moving furniture and storage all Sunday afternoon; I have more room in the garage for my car because Adam's has to be parked outside so we can stash basement stuff in there, so it's much easier for the kids and I to get in and out of the van (note: Adam does not see this as a perk); we had a small dripping leak under our kitchen sink that we were going to have to call a plumber for anyway, we just hadn't gotten around to it yet, but while the plumber was here to fix the rupture we had him do the kitchen too--two fixes for the price of one service call is a nice perk; family "togetherness" is at an all-time high (remember that last winter it may not have been finished, but the basement was usable, and during the summer when it was under construction the kids were outside much of the time), now you may be thinking that "togetherness" isn't really what a family needs when the parents are sleep-deprived from racing minds and a baby who enjoys waking in the night, as well as stressed out by a home disaster, and all the kids have the "three-weeks-of-vacation" crazies, but it's working for us! We could go on and on {really}, but I'm sure you can glean the rest for yourself.

Sorry, Hokey Pokey. Perspective. That's what it's all about.