Another snowy day in Kennewick

The kids are loving the snow. As Ellie put it, "Mom, I am going to stay out here forever". Snow pants are the best invention. I don't remember having snow pants when I played in the snow. I would play until it got too cold and then would come inside and strip and couldn't got back out and play unless I wanted to put the cold, wet clothes back on again. Ellie and Hayden don't know how lucky they are. Ha!

I have plenty of snow angels in my yard ;-)


Ellie was trying to bury her brother and since I was shoveling the driveway...


... I thought I would help


Ellie taking a rest on her snow couch


snowflakes on eyelashes


Ellie has the most cheesiest grin and I try to get to say something so that it doesn't look so forced... this picture she is saying "macaroni and cheese"


Hayden doing yet another snow angel. My yard is blessed

Cable Bridge Run

Hayden ran the 5K Cable Bridge run this morning and completed it! Woohoo!! I couldn't be prouder of him.

Jessica and Hayden before the race...


... crossed the finish line

Hayden said that his left foot was hurting. We will practice running throughout the year so that we can get in better shape to run it next year. How old can kids run? I wander if Ellie could run it next with us or would a four-year-old be too young? I don't want to unknowingly damage her growing body... maybe Jared would know that answer to that.

Living Nativity

Every year Ellie's Pre-school teacher, Mrs. Roxanne, gives the kids a pizza party, buys their tickets for the living nativity and ends the evening with hot chocolate and birthday cake for Jesus at McDonald's as their Christmas gift.

Lydia waiting for the play to start


Ellie.... also waiting... and passing the time by making faces.... hahaha!

I have not had taken the opportunity to check out Cathedral of Joy's Living Nativity in years past and I sure have been missing out.

I definitely rate is a must see this Holiday season!

This was the last scene in which everyone came to see the Savior.


Here is 'Mary' and 'Joseph' up closer

The kids thoroughly enjoyed it and I think this will be a family tradition. Cathedral of Joy did a great job!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

We have been having very cold and snowy weather lately. In the single digits most days. Hayden has loved it because school has had a two-hour delay every day this week with Wednesday being a early release... he was only in school 3 hours 20 minutes. Ha! Last night we received more snow. Here is a couple of pics that I took this morning about 6 am.

Hayden wanted to shovel snow and I wasn't about to fight him about it so I let him. Since today is trash day he had to make a path to get the trash can to the road.

Ellie is training for a government job so she was supervising. ;-)


Hayden wanted an action shot


Of course the diva had to have a picture of herself in her new coat and snowpants

We are suppose to get 1-2" more of the white stuff today. The kids are prepared for the snow and will thoroughly enjoy during the Winter break.

I think the snow will stick around for Christmas. Yiippee!

I hit a milestone this year... I am not terrified to drive in the snow... It only took 13 years living in Washington to get there. Ha!

Christmas Dress

Tonight was Hayden's all school concert and Ellie wanted to look pretty so she wore her Christmas dress that Grandma Elizabeth bought her. At the concert there was a 3rd grader that had the same dress. Ellie found that pretty cool.

Stylin' and Profilin'

Ellie loves hats. If she could, she would sleep with one. The hat she has been wearing today came from Grandma (mom). Mom had gotten this hat at work when she was "Boo"ed. It was in her cubby/mailbox filled with candy. She gave it to Ellie and Ellie thinks she is too cool. So I thought I would take a few shots of her in it.

Can you tell she hates the camera?!?


Have to get a close up


Here is a close up of the hat. After Ellie's approval of the pictures, I was given the permission to blog about it. :-)

Christmas Cookies

The kids and I went to Great Grandma Eileen's house to help bake Christmas cookies. I came by earlier in the week on Wednesday and had made a batch of Jim Dandy's, Chocolate Toffee bars, and some Triple chocolate chip cookies. We wanted to save the cookies that need decorating for the kids. Unfortunately Ellie is the only one that wanted to help. Hayden was too busy watching the Dish channels in the spare bedroom. I guess there was a marathon of some sort. I must be a horrible mother to not even have cable at the house! Hahaha!

First on the agenda was another batch of Jim Dandies. Boy are they good. They have maraschino cherries inside. Part of the cherry juice is put in the batter. Hmmmm. The batter smells out of this world. After putting the frosting on top, Ellie top them off with sprinkles.

Next it was off to make Spritz cookies. Grandma bought herself a new Spritzer and it worked wonderfully. I didn't know how easy it was to make these type of cookies.

Ellie put the chips in the center of the cookies


The master sprinkler at work


Is that perfection or what? ;-)


Now time to sprinkle the Christmas trees


She did a great job


She was very proud of this one. ;-)

We ended up making 8 dozen of the Spritz cookies! Ellie enjoyed helping out and we will probably do this yearly until Grandma can't do it anymore. I love the holidays.

Managing

I can't believe that I have two weeks left of my first quarter. Woohoo! There is so much to do but I know that I will survive. I have clinical tomorrow, a final on Friday, orientation for Winter clinical is also on Friday, class and a final exam review on Monday, a day off Tuesday, final test for one class Wednesday, and my last final on Thursday. A ton of studying to do in not a whole heck of amount of time.

Need to think positive and encouraging thoughts. I can't forget to deep breathe and try not get too stressed out. Deep cleansing breath in.... and slowly breathing out. Okay, I feel better. Onward to studying

Happy Thanksgiving!

This morning we woke up early and did the Turkey Trot. It was chilly. Even Jessica said that Colorado hasn't gotten this cold yet. The kids and I did our 1 mile walk and Jessica did the 5K run.

Hayden and Ellie with their shirts and numbers


Had to get a picture with Aunt Jessica


It is hard to tell put Hayden is going along with the aerobic warm-up exercises


Hayden and Ellie at the starting line

At at the 1/4 mile mark Ellie starting complaining of her legs hurting. I put her on my shoulders for a couple of minutes but that was hurting my back too much so we went the rest of the way at her pace. It was slow going.

The kids at the end of the race. Hayden was trying to act tired. Ha!

The kids played at the bounce house they had at the park and we headed home.

Pre-Thanksgivig

Since the kids are with my ex on Thanksgiving and Jessica and Matthew are spending Thanksgiving with Matthew's family... we had Thanksgiving on Wednesday. We had a blast!

Before company came over Michael and Mandi colored while Ellie played on Mandi's Iphone.

We had 15 people over which is a good number for us. It was Me and the kids, Grandma, Aunt Leslie, Mom and Joe, Mandi and Michael, Jessica and Matthew, and Uncle Henry, Aunt Kathy, Ruben, and Eileen.

Eileen is such a teenager with her zebra cover for her phone and "texting 2000 message a day"! Holy toledo batman!!!

After dinner Michael broke out Rockband 2 and we all played.

The boys setting up and picking out a song


Marvelous Matthew on the drums


Magnificent Michael on guitar


Hot Fingers Hayden on bass


Hayden bowed out after a tough song and Eye of the Tiger Eileen was his replacement


Mom and Aunt Leslie were so moved by the music they had to hug each other


Ellie was in awe of the band's brilliant performance

There was a break and switching of band members. I call this group The Babies because they are the younguns of the bunch. ;-)

Jamming Jessica on bass


Eye of the Tiger Eileen moved to drums


Radical Ruben was on guitar




Mandi was enjoying the ambiance of the evening

Oh, I can't forget the most important band member of the night


The crazy chick dancing in the front row! Hahaha!

All three of us girls (Me, Jessica, and Mandi) played a 3 song set and of course we rocked. With all the good food, good company, and playing we were tuckered out. We are going to bed and get ready for the Turkey Trot in the morning. I am hoping that it stays above freezing.