I Just Can't Compete with Snow

While trying to getting school work done today Brianne and Liam looked out the window and saw beautiful large flakes of snow whirling and falling from the sky.  Immediately, they threw open the window and screen and stuck out their heads to feel the wet lovely crystals upon their faces.......no more school work today!!  I just can't compete with that wintry blanket coming down!  You win winter snow, Kids have fun!!

Cupcake Wars, here I come!

This girl LOVES to bake!  .....and she's getting better and better too.  She will admittedly agree that her first few batches of cookies were terrible.  She had willing guinea pigs who would taste her goodies and after many weeks of trying she mastered the chocolate chip cookie.  However, before her cookie baking days she loved to make frosting.  (she's still working on the cake part, but that will come.)  This girl can rock on making frosting.  Ohhhhh, so good.  so much better than her mom!

She loves to watch Cupcake Wars, and so she is now inspired to decorate cupcakes....of course!  Her sweet friend Grace also loves to bake confectionery goodies.  The two are now take a few classes at the local Michaels store to better learn how to use the tips and make beautiful treats for the eyes as well and for the palette..  These two girls have grand ambitions....they hope to sell cupcakes this summer.  

Snowmageddon?

 Weather Alert---lots and lots of snow predicted.  Many people called it "Snowmageddon",  While I think that's quite the exaggeration, we did get about 18 inches in two days.  Not bad. Further east and north the got a bit more....one family in our ward had a family member with 4 feet of snow--they had to tunnel out their front door.
The weather began on a wednesday evening.  Delaney wanted go to the library to get a few audio books to prepare for the big snow storm weekend.  Although I would n't take her to our favorite Radford Library, I did take her to the Pulaski Library--good thing too.  We left home when the snow began to fall, but the roads were still clear.  We spent 20-30 minutes in the building. When we came out the road was covered and a winter wonderland had been created.  Beautiful!  but slippery.  Already cars had slipped off the road. I saw one accident (we only live 5 minutes from the library). It was slow going, but we got home....and there we stayed!  YM/YW and Acheivement/Cub Scouts were cancelled for the night!
There was no more "new snow" until Friday morning.....and it came down, and down, and down....
Everyone had fun.....fun in the snow, fun in school being cancelled (Cailin and Connor--not so for Delaney, Liam and Bri.  They at least had to get a little bit done. :}  sort of :}  And, joy for Barry, he had the weekend off too.

On Saturday we lazed around and did  absolutely nothing.....playing in the snow and movie fest.
In the afternoon, the menfolk headed out to check on a few people.  Connor and Cailin had shoveled some driveways for people in the neighborhood--service and for pay. But mostly it was a lazy daizy sort of day, enjoying the beautiful snow.  while out, Barry picked up the missionaries for an impromptu dinner exchange.  Cabbage soup!  They didn't care they were so glad to get out their apartment.  Their mission president said "Stay inside--if it's not safe to drive, then it's not safe to walk!"
Sunday, church was cancelled and Barry, Liam, Connor, Ryan, Elder Scott and Elder Neilson worked all morning getting many people in the ward cleared from their share of the cold snowy flakes, while the girls and I worked on a hot lunch.
After lunch the plan was to have a snow ball fight!  Ohhh, what fun they had!  Liam in particular loved it.  I'm not sure what Elder Neilson did at one point to tick off Liam, but Liam was bound and determined to make Elder Neilson pay for his wrong doings....Liam clobbered him!

Afterwards, we had a great FHE like Sunday lesson and enjoyed more time together as a family.

Not sure what Elder Neilson did to tick off Liam, but he was out for vengeance.  

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Maybe it was the "little" in the sentence of "have yourself a merry little Christmas" that held true for us this year, as this year, was filled with such a peaceful joy that even as I write this post two months later I'm wishing for a bit of Christmas joy. Or maybe it was knowing that next year will probably be different in having two missionaries in the field.  Whatever the cause we felt the Spirit abundantly this year.  I hope they all noticed it, Delaney sure did.  She came to me and said  "Mom, it's a good thing that we don't have much money this year for Christmas, because now we are focusing on what's most important.....Jesus."  I love my dear family.  They all bring such joy.  I love that they are so giving, down to their last dollar for a gift for someone else.  I love how they are truly thankful for that bottle of shampoo or stuffed animal--she named it and talks to it often :).  I loved hearing who their favorite First Nativity person was.....and then bear testimony of the Love of God in our lives because of that persons story.

Ryan, Connor and Cailin each got a "really good" pillow along with one other smaller gift.  Ryan got a dragon t-shirt, Connor ankle weights and Cailin a curling iron.

Brianne got a car rolling tower.....which has been changed to a ball rolling tower.  She loves to watch things roll.

Liam got a Red Rider BB Gun!!! oh so happy and a Star Wars t-shirt.  Delaney got an American Girl type doll and a 'add your own recipes' type recipe book.

Last year a new tradition began.....movies in the afternoon!!  All but Brianne and I, took off to see the latest Star Wars movie.  They loved it!!  Afterwards we had a dinner of ham, potatoes and Christmas strawberry jello.

Playing a rousing game of Trouble!!

It's Christmas Cookie Time!!

Oh how we love dipped pretzels and sugar cookies......it's just not Christmas without them.  

 We kept joking around with Connor that this was his last year home, next year he will most likely be on his mission....oh, how happy and oh so sad I am because of that. Where have all these years gone?

Here Comes Santa Clause!

 Oh, the joy that Brianne felt this year for this jolly friend was thrilling to watch.  She was soooo excited!!  All season long she's been seeing pictures or movies that have Santa in it and she'll squeal with delight..."Anta, momma, (S) Anta!"

 Although Liam knows all about the "real deal" of Christmas, he wants to believe and chat with Santa too.

Our Ward Christmas party this year was different....but we liked the change.  Here these cuties got their goodies and blessed each other with friendship and companionship!  So fun to watch them act "grown up" and giggle and talk the night away.

A Merry Christmas History Party

 Our history group gathered together for a day of presentations and graham cracker-candy house building.....our traditional activity, but we all enjoy it so much that it's a tradition now!