What a MESS!!!!

D SURE LOVES HIS SPAGHETTI!!!

Blizzard 2011

Fortunately I had went to the store a week prior, not knowing there was a blizzard in the forecast, and I had stocked up on lots of groceries.  On the menu we started off with chicken enchilada casserole.  We also made white chicken chili, homemade pizza, spaghetti, chocolate chip cookie bars, chocolate chocolate chip cookies, brownies, breakfast for dinner and lots of HOT CHOCOLATE!

I had to work the night before when it was freezing rain and ice.  I woke up at noon to this......

Being the ER nurse that I am, I told Aidan to get dressed, we are going outside to see what it's like to be in a blizzard.  I'm all over the teachable moments for my kids even when it involves survival skills.  I told him we should wear goggles so we could see better and this is what he came outside wearing!  I love this kid!

We were talking about snow drifts at one point and the timing couldn't have been better!

The next morning Patrick said he was going to go shovel the driveway.  I went out to check on him and this is what I saw!  We were laughing so hard!  Patrick said, "This might take a while."  It only took 1.5 hours including the sidewalk up to the front door.

Homemade pizza for dinner, with homemade dough!  The smells were amazing!

My drive home Thursday morning from work!  Another moment where I was laughing because it was so ridiculously cold!!

Play time with dad in the snow!!

Emily was so excited to be taller than the mail box.  And yes our street still needs to be plowed.

D came out for about 30 seconds!

Aidan is standing on a pile of snow and is in the trees!!  These are the kind of memories that will remain with my kids forever!  I absolutely love this!!! 

Patrick was so proud of his snow tunnel and I thought this was so cool!!  The kids did too!

Friendly reminders!!

Things I need to remember......

1. Never give Daniel a carrot and let him walk off, I always find chewed up chunks throughout the house.
2. If my 1yr old or 3yr old go into the kitchen, I need to follow within 2 minutes, otherwise they empty out the fridge, placing everything onto the floor:(
3. If the girls get markers out to color, we need to promptly put them away when finished, otherwise I will find nice drawings all over my walls and floors and the guilty victim with a blue mouth (Daniel inevitably always eats the marker tips when finished with his murals)

Snow!

The kids played for three hours straight out in the white stuff (the little ones lasted an hour and a half)!  Playing in the snow is so much fun and I'm so happy my kids enjoy it as much as hubby and I do!  Emily won the prize for conquering her fear of sledding down our big hill all by herself, on her stomach no less; she also won the prize for being the closest to falling in the lake (thanks Dad for always being there to save the day)!  Hannah ate the most snow, Aidan built his fort, and Daniel loved sledding!

Tonight in 3 hours..........

I am in orientation for another job so the  husband and I both got home a little after 5 tonight.  We didn't have much family time (boo), but it was quite eventful, and all 4 were in bed asleep by 8!!!!  Oh and I am definitely not cut out for 8-5 work:)  I love a nurses schedule!

• Said our goodbyes to our nanny, April, who is graduating and moving this weekend:(
• Dinner:  Stuffed pork chops, this is what was said when dinner was ready, Me - Dad pork chops are ready if you want some dinner; Hannah - Daddy, evil Dr. Pork Chop is ready for dinner!  Mommy we gonna eat evil Dr. Pork Chop for dinner!?!
• Daniel busted his lip......lots o blood for such a small cut, his sisters were crying because they were scared for him......so sweet:)
• Meanwhile, Emily fell off the dinning room chair, lots more crying all at once
• Aidan lost his voice, but was able to practice the piano, Jingle Bells, 7 times for his recital on Saturday
• Then Aidan, Emily and Daniel all needed Motrin for cough and congestion
• Daniel would not stop emptying all the tissue boxes in the house and occasionally eating a tissue, gross
• Three books at bedtime = four stories read:)

Somewhere in all of this chaos, I find peace.  God's grace is amazing.

Girly things.....

E and H's favorite way to paint nails.

Christmas Tree!!

We are on our third year of going out and cutting down our Christmas tree!  We went out last weekend to this little tree farm, Starr Pines, about 30 minutes away.  The kids love the tractor ride, the hunt for the perfect tree, the cutting down the tree, and of course the hot apple cider!!

The final result!

It's a reflection of our family over the past seven years, and I look forward every year to see the new homemade ornaments make the tree.  Our Christmas tree is homemade, sometimes stands lopsided, and absolutely perfect!