SNOW SNOW SNOW

** if you are in a hurry, just skip to the end and watch the video of Aaron - I think it is HILARIOUS! **

A couple days ago (I think it was Saturday) we took this picture of our back yard with just a light dusting of snow. (as much as I HATE driving in snow, I think it is beautiful and I love looking at it...)

Monday it started snowing, not hard, just constant, and it's basically been snowing since then. The news tonight said we have received 8 inches over the past 2 days, but according to my very scientific RULER measurements, we are up to more like 10 or 11! Here is a picture taken from the same spot today. (notice the little dwarf pine in the left bottom corner is all but covered in the second picture)


As you can see, the birds are happily eating all around the feeder, which leads to the next photo. It is NOT a great picture, but if you look closely you can see the outline of what we believe is a Coopers Hawk. (looks like a peregrine falcon, but according to Tim's Internet research, peregrines don't often come down and hunt at feeders, but it is common for Coopers Hawks to do that...) At any rate, he likes to come perch in this tree and hunt at our feeder. It is SO awesome to watch. In fact, the first time we saw him, he was perched right on top of that post you see in the first photo, the one the bird feeder is hung on... I almost feel guilty, like I am setting a trap for the poor little birds, but I suppose it's all a part of the "circle of life" eh?



After I got home from doing afternoon carpool, the snow just seemed to call to Aaron, he got out of the van and into the snow. Here he is:

The inner child in me (that has been MIA for about 10+ years) came out of no where and decided to get into the action. I did a running leap/somersault thing in the snow. Amazingly enough, I didn't hurt myself. Aaron (after laughing, being amazed, and wondering what alien spirit had come over me) thought it looked fun and wanted to try it. I ran in and got the camera and took this video:

(I was laughing so hard I about wet my pants, and if you listen closely, you can hear Aaron laughing from under the snow.)

The kids talked me into getting dressed up in my snow clothes and playing outside for them for about an hour and 1/2. It was really fun. I mostly used the time to shovel the sidewalk and driveway AGAIN, and to help the two neighbors shovel theirs as well, but it was intermingled with digging snow tunnels and caves, sledding down the hill, making snow angels, and having a snowball fight with the neighbors.

Dinner was late, my hair was soaked, there is a big pile of wet clothes just inside the front door, and we were 15 minutes late for cub scout pack meeting . . . but we had FUN! (and tonight Aaron told me, "I can tell that you love us mom, because you played in the snow with us for a long time!" You just can't beat that)

sick day/weekend report

Nothing exciting here - just an "I'm sick post." (laced with lots and lots of LDS lingo) so feel free to move on...

I stayed home from church today, keeping Bryan and Caleb with me. Yesterday I woke up with a horrible, awful, terrible, sore throat. (also stuffy nose and all over general body aches... but the sore throat was the worst) I knew there was no way I could do the singing in Primary, so I got a sub. I don't do that very often. I love my calling, and the prideful side of me is pretty possessive it, thinking that NO ONE else could do possibly my job as well as I do! (is that asking for a lightening bolt or WHAT???) Just to be clear here, I KNOW there are lots and lots of people in my ward with more sheer musical talent, but I think I am a pretty good mix of basic musical ability, fun (albeit quirky) disposition, and overall ability to keep the kids attention (the majority of the time))
ANYWAY - my pride notwithstanding, I got a sub and stayed home. I was really hoping for a 2 hour nap, but it was not meant to be. I finally got Caleb to sleep about 10 minutes before the rest of the family got home. Oh well, that's life.

Yesterday Tim decided it was "paint the playground" day. Since we bought a wooden set, the wood is supposed to be sealed once a year, preferably in the fall, to protect it from the elements. Tell me again - why did we buy a WOODEN SET??? Tim bought a couple paints that are supposed to protect for 3 - 5 years. We'll have to see how they live up to their claims. We painted for about 1 1/2 hours, then I got Aaron and Katrina and myself ready to go over to the church to see Aaron's two friends, TJ and Rebecca, be baptized. then we came home, changed back into painting attire and painted for several more hours. I WAS MISERABLE! (I probably made Tim miserable too, for that matter, what with all my wheezing, whining, and "poor sick me sighing.") Then at 4:30 I came in, showered and got dressed up again to go over to the general Relief Society broadcast. It was nice. I really enjoyed Sister Becks talk and for a brief moment, felt up to the challenge of "doing more." - then my stuffy head and overall feeling of exhaustion took over and I'm afraid I didn't get a whole lot out of the next two talks. (although I did get the message loud and clear that I need to be attending the temple on a more regular basis.)

I enjoyed President Uchtdorf's talk. He is just a fun person to listen to. I rode over with my friend Holly, and on the way home she summed it up perfectly when she said after his talks she always feels better about herself. I agree. I think he often manages to hit perfectly that balance between encouraging me to do a little better and try a little harder, while making me feel that I am loved and accepted just as I am. Exactly WHAT he said (aside from that his wife is a great cook and all he can make is eggs and toast) is still rather a blur in my stuffy fuzzy head, but I took some notes, and hopefully they will make sense when I pull them back out to review.

I am totally excited for General Conference coming up this weekend. It is always such a wonderful spiritual boost for me. (was even more so when I could actually sit and listen and HEAR what they were saying - it's a bit trickier with children, but still WONDERFUL!!!

I think that's about it. I am tired. I'm hoping for a good night's sleep tonight, but Caleb has a cold, and I think he is finally going to cut some teeth - so he's not sleeping well (what's new eh?) and a little extra crabby. I think I just heard Tim come home (from a home teaching appt) I know he's supposed to be going out soon to collect fast offerings, then has another home teaching appt at 8:00. I'm thinking if I want to see my husband today, I'd better go up and visit with him now.

thanks for listening. blah blah blah....