February 2015 ~ part 1

February granted us some snow and a few temps to enjoy it in! First time we had the sled out this year! Monday, 2/2 was a snow day... we had so much snow the January 31st weekend and on Super Bowl Sunday.  The wind was awful, made the gravel roads impassable, the girls begged Chris to come home and get it out for us, and he did!

Pulling 4 sleds was a bit of a challenge :)

we spent a lot of time stopping to pick up the one who fell off ;)

There poor little faces were bright red and covered in snow, we brought out a few helmets for the littles... see LeaAnn walking in the background! The helmet was a wee too big & heavy for her ;)

But we eventually got it figured out, and pulled 2 and 2 :)

I would whip these two around... I'd hit it just right and make them go airborne... those drifts were good for something!

I turned around and they were both sprawled out, face first... couldn't get my phone out fast enough :)

And I would take it a little easier on these two... they all did so good :) They could care less how cold it was... And NO comparison to last  year... you can definitely tell that the littles are almost 4 & 5. Last year being almost 3 & 4... just one year, it's amazing how much of a difference it makes - click here for last year -  Girl snowmobiling 2014

Snuggling to warm up afterwards...

Super treat for King Dad and Four-tunate Mom... an adult snowmobile day! Saturday, 2/7...  And not just any day, a 40-degree day! The snow was literally melting before our eyes... my kind of snowmobiling ;) Here I think is Dawn playing on a patch of open water on the river...

And here is Jayme getting pulled out of a patch of open water on the river :) dumb decision, all was well, snowmobile is fine, I was fine... if I would have trusted my instinct, I would have went a different way with a running start, but Darryl went across, Chris went across, and it was my turn to go across... I just didn't make it to the other side :)

Photos compliments of Dawn Gericke :)

Chris got more wet than I did...

Darryl said to Chris, "I've always wanted to do this!" And successful they were! Started right up and we continued on with our day... It truly was a super fun trip, it definitely helped that the weather was warm, b/c I'm not sure I could have continued if it would have been freezing out :) And we drove the sled back to Chico's house, drained every tank there was, and it's been housed in a heated shop ever since... with Uncle Chico taking very good care of the grandpa sled ;)

Full length feet heaters! Wish these were around when I was little!

THANK YOU Chico :)

Sunday, 2/8 - Very busy Sunday... and the kids made these adorable snowmen :)

And then Chris left us on Tuesday... like the wild-child's hair this particular morning??

Friday, 2/13 - Lydia got to go to her Valentine's day party, and LeaAnn and I made cupcakes!

handled it like a champ ;)

Finished product!

He did come home on Thursday night... and this was Friday night at 7pm when he finally came home for good ;)

Saturday, 2/14 - the love day!

We took the kids bowling...

With Hogan's, Peck's & Youngblut's

Go State!

Strike!

Sweetie pie CJ!

how cute is this?? :)

And then out to eat at Texas Roadhouse. We never take them out to eat, and all of the girls were very appreciative and loved every minute of it. Here is Lydia singing on the way home :)

A surprise waiting for Ms. LeaAnn... another monkey from Aunt Kris & Uncle Craigy! :D

February truly is crawling... but we're getting there :) more to come...

January 2015

January went by fairly quickly I'd say...  Though we started back to school with a brutal week of cold and some snow. Mon & Tues = 2-hr delay, Wed = no school, TH & Fri = 2-hr delay... whew! That was not an easy way to get 'back into the swing of things'...

This was Thursday, 1/8/15 ... we had a blizzard at 4pm in the afternoon... I was lucky I made it home before this started!  Chris wasn't so lucky, he couldn't see where he was going and gently eased into a ditch :) Craig pulled him out and all was well.

and I put the kids to work :)

We did have a snow day I believe.. Lauren asked Grandpa for a duct tape holder, and viola! What appeared the next day???  This was the snow day, Wed 1/7

A duct tape holder!

Chris made a mystery mix that mimicked a Skyline! So I documented it of course... we have lots going on these days... ;)

Tuesday, 1/6/15 - Ms. LeaAnn got an entire day w/Grammy & Papa all to herself... I think Barb was sick? Lucky for me the last minute plan worked out perfectly...

But then Iowa blessed us with an intermission, and it. was. glorious!
Sunday, 1/11/15 ~ 28-degrees, sun & no wind!!

Mom sent me this cute pic of me when I was 5 :) I loved those jammies... Strawberry shortcake. I saw the doll house that my Grandma & Grandpa Bockle made me for the first time

Oh yes! January was the movie month :) Every Saturday at 11am the Independence theater offered a $1 movie... so we took full advantage, and packed our own snacks & drinks (shhh!)  :D This was the original Despicable Me... LeaAnn's first movie ever!

#sisterdate was my tag, and LeaAnn did do really well. She made it about 1/2-way before asking to "play your phone mama?" Oh yes! And notice her outfit?!? Aunt Kris made it to the top again this Christmas... one of her favorites... she says, "Mom, where's my dress that Kris & Craig gave to me? And can I wear my Craigy boots wif it?!"  :) All. the. time.

Slightly creepy? Yes, I think so.

Saturday, 1/17/15
Fun times at the Wilgenbusch's... I was sad this night... I wanted to watch the ISU game... but we listened to it instead ;)

LeaAnn did fall asleep here! Way to go Craigy!

Elsa made the 1-mile trip up the road ;)

I bet she's glad there are no brothers in the house ;)

absolutely gorgeous sunsets... this was on the way to Monday night dance...

more Elsa :)

another gorgeous sunset...

Tues, 1/27/15
A monkey family! She strategically placed them all in her chair :)

That would be Poconut, Monkey baby & Ruby

Lauren has been working very hard on her Laura Ingalls Wilder project :)

And Grammy made her this dress!  Pattern came from Walmart and then Lauren & Grammy went shopping for the fabric... doesn't it look amazing?  !It's for the final project where she gives a speech/demonstration on all that she's learned.

Super fun night... LeaAnn Smith's 40th! I blame Andrea for my hand-on-hip ;) she called it, but didn't follow through!

It did snow (LOTS) this night! Saturday, 1/31 - beautiful birthday girl :D

Smith siblings!

LeaAnn telling us about her pictures :) and the snowman in jail - ha!