Home safe and sound

We are back home, safe and sound. It was a horrible drive and one that I don't think we will do again anytime soon. I just realized I posted all my pics. backwards. I HATE that! Oh well, I am too tired to redo all of it. I am horrible choosing pics. (I always want to use all of them) so there are a lot! I will have to do another post tomorrow with the X-mas pics. and our other activities from the week. G & G's house had LOTS of snow! We had fun playing in it and going sledding down the ENORMOUS hill!

Brayden being a nice big brother!

The princess did not like falling in the cold snow.

Strong Grandma helping Princess Ellie.

I have been trying to get a pic. of all three kids together for the last few weeks. It hasn't happened yet. This is how it started.....

This is how it ended! Dani was in tears and Brayden went stomping in the pond.

Kalin and Tyler took on the huge task of making a gingerbread house with Brayden. I love them for that! I am not good at it, and it is so messy! He had a ball with them and it turned out really cute!

Mom and I tried to work on a puzzle and entertain the girls at the same time, it wasn't too successful. I am loving my outfit here... pajama pants on early, were my pants already too tight one day into the trip? It was down hill from there...

Uncle Ryan up and dressed in real clothes and eating nachos two weeks after cardiac surgery, who would have thought?

This pic. cracks me up. This is us heading out for the 'couve. We got the girls up and dressed and gave them breakfast to eat in the car. I came downstairs after gathering more stuff and Dani was sitting in the drivers seat. She did NOT want to move. If she could have sat there the whole way, maybe she wouldn't have screamed most of the way. Control issues???

Dad got back into town and we went sledding the night before we headed to the 'couve, but it was COLD!

Thanks for the cute hats Shelbi!

This is rudolph and it is adorable on his little head!

Speed racers!

We made it!

We are in the 'couve at G & G Wagener's house! It was a treacherous trip and LONG for the kids. Danielle has proved yet again, she does NOT enjoy traveling. It was a long 8.5 hours in the car as Kent called it, "Death Highway." The gorge was not so good, we left early in the morning, and got through before the freezing rain hit, but it was slow going. We had all the confidence in the world for Kent's driving, because "I'm a very good driver," (Rainman, in case you peeps didn't know). He is a Spokane boy, and has lots of experience in that kind of weather, but I tell ya, not everyone out there knows what they're doing. That's the scariest part.....

We stopped in Pasco and got some chains for the mini-van, just in case. We made it all the way to the 'Couve without needing them. Then when we tried to get up my parent's ginormous hill we couldn't quite make it. We slid down a few times, then decided the chains would be a good idea. We are all safe and sound and enjoying the freezing rain, snow and sleet here. At least there's not three feet of snow here too!

I did it!

I know I already posted this morning, but this is insane! We have so much snow, people are snowmobiling by our house. Brayden has been wanting to go sledding all day! Who can blame him, our hill looks so inviting! After going a little nuts this morning I decided to bundle everyone up. After tracking down enough of everything, we were ready. Thank you Missy, for the pants and boots, you're a lifesaver! While I got the girls ready, B played on the deck.

The snow was up to his shoulders in spots, he was crawling on top of the piles.

Bundled up and ready to get to work shoveling!

B sledding on the snow hill on our driveway!

Ellie wasn't so sure about the snow at first, but she was thrilled to walk around and drag the shovel behind her. As long as she could keep wandering she was happy!

Dani loved the snow initially, but she wouldn't keep her gloves on. She didn't last too long, but she liked having free reign of the house while we shoveled a little bit longer!

B making a snow angel, I thought I was going to lose him in all that snow!

Dani as happy as can be inside.

Ellie lasted a long time outside, and refused to take off her snow gear when we got inside. She found my hat and insisted on wearing it. It looks a lot cuter on her!

How about some snow???

This is what we woke up to this morning. This is our back deck. All the school districts are closed (which rarely happens here), the court house is closed and the hospitals aren't doing scheduled non-emergency surgeries. (I am so glad I am not scheduled for a C-section, I would have lost my mind)! Those poor people!

I fed the kids breakfast and headed outside to shovel. Even though I shoveled three times yesterday this is what I walked out to. My camera sucks and you can't really tell how high it is, it just looks like a blizzard, which it pretty much is. I shoveled for 45 minutes and maybe cleared 1/4 of our driveway. I didn't even attempt to clear the third bay. While I was shoveling my B-I-L, Kelly, drove by. (They live down the street from us). He had attempted to get to work in his 4X4 truck and couldn't quite make it. He said people were stuck everywhere. When the plows clear the snow it is immediately covered up.

I think we will hunker down, we're going to be stuck for a few days. Will my husband ever make it home.....??? If he does, I may have to be committed to a mental institution by that point. :)
I hope this 'couve girl can make it back home for the holidays!

Winter Wonderland

We finally got our snow! It is so beautiful, but I don't know if it's ever going to stop. At 2:30 today, B and I went out and shoveled the driveway while the girls napped. Good thing it is dry snow, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to shovel the massive amounts! B was a good help for a few minutes, then he wanted to play and play. Who can blame him? While I kept shoveling he rolled in the snow, made snow castles (with our sand toys) and threw snow balls at me. While I was working away he said, "Mom, don't you know how to have any fun?" I have to admit I was a little offended and felt very old. After I finally finished, probably at least 30 minutes later, we went sledding in the backyard. It was so fun! B had a blast and couldn't stop laughing. We finally had to go in because he wasn't wearing his snow pants and his little legs were bright red.

Future snow boarder?

After this ride we went in for hot chocolate. Maybe I will try to brave it and take the girls out tomorrow morning.... or I may wait for Kent to get back into town. Who knows what could happen with three little kids in the snow? Plus, I'm pretty sure it will take longer to get all their snow gear on than we will actually be able to play.

A Lil' bit of bakin'

Big girls coloring like their big brother, Dani loves getting away with this!

Kent is out of town, so I decided to break up the same old routine last night and do a little baking. What a fabulous idea! All the kids loved it, it was a little bit of an adventure. B had to be in charge of course, but the girls REALLY wanted the bowl too.

What do you think? Too many spoons in the pot?

Danielle did and excellent job of making a trail all over the counter with the batter. She thought it was wonderful! Ellie spilled some dry powder on the counter and thought she would clean it up for me. She really is sweet and tries to help, but this consisted of taking a wash cloth and wiping all of it onto the floor. (I wonder where she's seen that before).

All in all everything turned out well. I didn't have the energy to clean up all the bowls etc... last night, so I tackled cleaning the kitchen this morning. Plus, we all enjoyed our lemon poppy seed bread for breakfast! Weight Watchers seems to be slowly sliding away..... regroup after the holidays??

Brayden's Program

Yesterday was Brayden's Christmas program at school. It was wonderful! I thought for sure he would just stand there and not sing. Everytime I work in his class, he just watches, and he didn't want to practice his songs at home. I was so surprised when he sang all the words AND did all the motions! All of the kids were so cute!

I sat down before they were lined up, so I didn't have the best angle to see my boy.

The best part was the last song. Ms. Jenny taught all the kids how to sign the entire song, with real sign language! Most of the moms had tears in their eyes, it was pretty incredible!

My SIL watched the girls and I took my niece and nephew with me. Brayden was thrilled to see his cousins! Grandma Phillips and Grandpa Chris were there too! I know he felt very special.

When we got home, he was busting at the seams! He wanted to open the gift he made me right away! It is too cute, a little sock snowman, we put it in a safe spot so his sisters can't reach it.