Realizing Your 7-Year Old is Smarter Than You...

We have had LOTS of snow days this year, 6 so far and it is only January. Of course, when there is snow and ice outside it means we are often in the house WAY too much. So Kyle and Cade have figured out how to pass the time, they are both learning to play chess. This is not a game I have EVER spent time playing or devoted the patience to learn... until Cade asked me Wednesday if I would play with him. How do you say no to a cute 7 year old who is asking you to play a game with him? Little did I know, I should have! He began by explaining the names of the pieces and the moves- at which point my head is already spinning. He did great at maintaining his patience with the countless times I asked, 'What can this guy do again?' while pointing to yet another piece and taking my time making each move. I caught on a little- but it reinforced what I already know- he is MUCH smarter than I am already! Look out for the teenage years!

Christmas Bliss

We had an extremely blessed Christmas this year filled with family time- including the opportunity to have both kids wake up at home on Christmas morning and trips to both parents despite the weather.

Cade opening a gift on Christmas Eve...



...and Christmas morning.

Morgan, Christmas Eve

Morgan, Christmas morning


Gingerbread house making



Lounging with new Christmas gifts

Our first trip was to Kyle's parents...

Playing around inside...

...and outside.

Gift opening...

...and posing with new, matching P.J.'s.

Next came a visit to my parents.

Time with Great Grandma...


...and Grandma...




...and of course, more gifts!

The greatest gift of all was the opportunity to spend time with family and to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior! It was fantastic to wake up Christmas morning and hear the excitement in our kids' voices as they discovered new presents under the tree and notes in their stockings from Santa. It was also a delight to sing a rousing rendition of 'Happy Birthday to Jesus' as a family before opening our gifts, recognizing that He truly is the greatest gift! Thanks to everyone for the cards and updates we've received this holiday season. May you continue to be blessed in 2010!

The Tooth Fairy Revealed

Cade lost a tooth yesterday, the first in nearly a year. He was excited to put the tooth under his pillow, hoping to wake up to some money in its place.

Not his best picture-
but a missing tooth just the same

This morning he informed me that he was pretty sure Dad put the money there because he felt him reach under his pillow in the middle of the night when he came in to tell him goodnight. He told Kyle the same, and with an anxious Morgan looking on, Kyle told Cade he was just checking to see if the tooth was still there, which it was. Cade told him, "I don't think so!" but with a little more convincing the tooth fairy's identity remains a mystery- at least for today!

Best Snowday Ever!

Thanks to a windy, wintry mess- we had Thursday and Friday off from school. I decided to work Thursday while it continued to snow, but Friday blessed us with the perfect opportunity for a day of adventure after the winds died down!

After some morning lounging and packing up we headed out to enjoy our winter weather.

Morgan is really picking up skiing this year and will follow along right in our tracks. She is starting to decide it is much more fun to go fast down the hill than to follow me as I try to get her to slow down and cut back and forth across the run! Look out for this little daredevil!
Cade mastered this rail with big smiles and we convinced him by the end of the day to try out Gunbarrel and Headwall- the 2 black diamond runs on the hill (nothing compared to his youngest skiing experiences in Idaho, but not bad for Iowa skiing). He skiied both with no trouble and decided his goal was to ski top to bottom, straight down without stopping. One more trait he picks up from his father!

Thanks to Cade's selection after his daring black diamond runs- we finished off the trip with a tasty treat at our favorite Mexican restaurant with great food...
...and a little fun. Yum!

Perfect snow day!!!