Snow!

 It actually snowed here. The forecasters were right - almost exactly. They said it would start snowing at 3pm friday and at 3pm we saw our first snow flakes.  The kids and I were on the way home from visiting my grandma and by the time we got home our backyard was covered in a blanket of snow. 

 Norah kept looking out the window and then back at me.  It was pretty cute.

 We took the kids in the snow outside that night. You never know if it'll all be melted by the time we woke up the next morning.  Except for Joel's snow gloves falling off and him crying everytime, they all loved it.

Norah just kept eating the snow off her mittens. 

 Saturday morning before 8am we were out in the snow.  We went down to the pool and went sledding on the only little slope around. It was enough for the kids.

Then Ant Ant came to visit.

 And we built a snow fort

 Colin adores his Ant Ant but is quick to pelt her with snow balls. If you can see he got her in the back of her head.

And Joel entertained Ant Ant with his snot bubbles (he found it more amusing than she did)

I made a little snowgirl the size of Norah. 

 
 She didnt like it. I think it scared her. 

We tried on Sunday but she wasn't having it either.  Then Joel protected her and kicked it over (he really wanted to kick over the snow fort but settled for the snowman)

The only bad part about all the snow is that it happened on a day off from school and over the weekend.  It would be nice to get one actually snow day from school/work but we'll take it any way we get it.

 When did he start getting so big?

My handsome boy

Yoda

Today my parents came over to enjoy the day off from school that Colin had.  At one point we were all outside when the boys started trying to attack Grandpa and wrestle him to the ground (which they never did - the boys were thrown on the ground several times but they couldn't get Grandpa)  They went at him full force and were amazed at how there were two of them and they couldn't take down one Grandpa.  At one point Colin said that Grandpa was like Yoda.

He might have just retired but he does have special Jedi powers to take down two very very active boys.

I think I need some Jedi training.

Here are some videos - these were after all the wrestling when the boys were getting tired but still fun.

10 months

 Norah is 10 months old. This little girl is into everything.  And is super fast. The doctor confirmed what we already know today by saying she thinks Norah will just start running - that she'll skip the walking altogether.  Its the only way to keep up with her brothers who she desperately wants to follow everywhere.  She is standing more and more but will crawl to the furniture and then let go leaning on the furniture.  She has lunged towards us like she wants to walk but hasn't taken a step yet.  I'm on the fence about whether I want her walking.  It would be good when we're outside so she's not a muddy mess but they only crawl for such a short time I want to keep her baby a little longer.

 The doctor called her petite for weight today.  I had to laugh.  Such a difference from her cute chubby cheeks and rolls she was born with.  She is above average for height which is normal for our kids.

Norah is so sweet. She loves her blankets and dolls/stuffed animals. She will squeal and then hold them and give them slobbery kisses(tries to eat them) over and over.  She now has 8 teeth and still sleeping horrible.

She loves to snuggle all the time. Its fun to sit on the couch with her and her blanket and she just lays her head down on my shoulder for a while then look up at me and go back to snuggling. Love it.

She loves playing with her brothers and loves when they drag her all over the house.  The other day they were holding her feet and pulling her (like a wheelbarrow) and she loved it.  I tried to stop it but she got upset when they didnt do it so I let them and everyone was happy.  She is going to be one tough girl.

We love you baby girl.  You are just the sweetest and melt our hearts with your smiles and snuggles.

Zoo Time

 I am enjoying this warm weather we've been having although I would like it to get cold enough to kill all the bugs or this summer will be awful .  But last week the weather was nice I took Joel and Norah to the zoo. I could have watched these monkeys all day. Its the mother and baby. The baby was born in August and the mother carries her baby like I carry Norah.  When we were there she was letting the baby climb a tree.  The baby got a little too high for the daddy who was watching at the bottom so he raced up the tree and scooped up the baby and then gave the mommy a look.  Joel wasn't as enamored with he monkeys as I was so we didnt get to see what happened after that.

Norah wasn't impressed either. Or she was trying to figure out how she can climb trees like that baby monkey

Joel had fun leading us around and lead us to all his favorite animals.

Norah did love the giraffes though.  A fun day. I even had both of them napping at home for an hour at the same time. That was nice.  Joel being up until 10 because he napped that day wasn't.

Mud

Mud Man..... meet Mud Girl

I think these two will have a lot of fun together outside this spring and summer.  Norah loves it as much as Joel. I see lots of baths in our future.  Or just a garden hose :)

She loves to help.  It takes a lot longer but who can say no to a helper with a face like that.

Love him

Crazy kid :)

The other night Joel wanted me to read him one more story before bed.  I told him it was time to sleep and he tried to convince me with the following argument. "But mommy one more book its like a piece of chocolate. Purple Chocolate (dark chocolate) Your Favorite. ITS THE LAST PIECE OF PURPLE CHOCOLATE.  At the bottom of the bowl." 

He got his book.  Plus a few more.

Beautiful Girl

Homework

My favorite homework sentence he's written all year. 

Basketball day

 When we found out we were pregnant with Colin, Brent was so excited and mentioned how he hoped one day to teach him how to play basketball.  The time has come and I'm not sure who enjoys it more - Brent or Colin.  Colin has asked several times to play basketball this winter so we signed him up and Brent is an assistent coach (although I think he'd be just as happy being the head coach too)  Brent used to play basketball every week.  I have pictures of Colin as a baby watching Daddy play with our students.  Since moving to va beach Brent hasn't been able to play like he wants - or really at all. 

 They had two practices and I was impressed with how well they played not really having time to learn the game.  Colin had a smile on his face the whole time. It was hard to get good pictures sinceI had both Norah and Joel on my lap the whole time.  Joel just wanted to find Nathan but I couldnt see where they were sitting and didnt want to move since Colin kept looking over at me and Norah just wanted to eat the camera strap.  I did get some cute videos but they aren't uploading at the moment. 

The only downside to basketball is that we signed him up with Noah but Noah ended up on a different team. They played each other yesterday and Colin said he didnt like playing against Noah at all.  But there is a girl on Colin's team that goes to his school.  She is in one of the other 1st grade classes and they see each other at lunch and recess.  So I'm glad he's getting to know some other kids at his school outside of school. 

 

 Then after coming home to let Norah get a little nap in we drove up to William and Mary to watch the GMU/W&M basketball game.  Ant Ant and our friend Ivey came.

 One day the kids might be going to Ivey to get stories of Ant Ant and I from high school.  Its fun we've been friends for so long.

 We ran into some friends of ours at the game who were on staff with us with crusade and then also an old student (Riddle for those friends who read this blog) who works with the athletic dept at w&m.  Its always fun catching up.

 GMU actually won.  Every time I've gone with Brent and the kids they have lost so Brent was really enjoying it.  If the Redskins win tonight it will be the perfect weekend for Brent sports wise. 

 Ant Ant took our crazy boys and walked around at the top for a while with them.  And then bought them m&m's.  They have learned who to go to during games for snacks :)  Such a great Aunt. But we did get this great deal where our ticket, plus hotdogs, chips and drinks were all $10.

 The coliseum was pretty empty but Ivey made up for the lack of team spirit from the William and Mary crowd.  (He went to William and Mary) He had this sign and would stand up and wave it around each time his team shot a 3 pointer. Sarah and I kept  laughing thinking he made that sign and brought it with him.  But he didnt. They were giving them out at the entrance.  I like the idea that Ivey made his own sign better :) 

 His team lost.

 After the game we went and walked around Colonial Williamsburg for a while. 

Norah thought Ant Ant and Colin in the stocks was pretty funny.

 Between both basketballs games, Norah was held or in the carrier all day.  We let her out to crawl around on the ground and she was so excited.

 She kept kissing the ground.  haha so cute.

 

A really fun day and a great first weekend of the year.

Good Luck

 Its hard to believe another year is here.  Last year went by way too fast.  Besides the fact that Norah is here and trying to walk, it amazes me to think how fast the year went by each time I've gone into my kitchen this week.  We still haven't finished painting and doing some trim work.  That was going to just be a month or two later.  Now its almost a year later.  Crazy how fast it went. 

 We rang in the new year with some friends but called it an early night when it was time to go home and put the kids to bed.  I think we all left by 9ish maybe.  It was fun though and thanks Holly for offering your home.  Then on New Years Day we went over to yorktown for our black eyed peas.  I told the kids that they will get good luck if they eat the peas. The whole way over Colin kept asking "if I eat just one pea how much luck will I have?"  He ended up eating 2 bowls of peas and is determined he's having good luck because of it.  Joel yesterday put money in the gum ball machine and got two purple ones when he wanted a blue one and Colin is firmly convinced Joel doesnt have good luck because he didnt eat a single pea.  Norah loved them and Brent and I ate a few bowls full so this year should be a great year for

us. 

 

The kids enjoyed watching the birds and squirrels out the window.

Christmas break

This picture is pretty much what christmas break was in our house. Colin and Brent playing the wii, Joel eating his 4th or 5th bowl of cereal that morning, me on the couch getting better, and Norah waiting for Joel to drop some cereal so she can eat it. 

 We also played a lot of parade.  Colin kept asking to play every day.  Brent was surprised my little game was so popular.  Colin brought in lego city police into it to watch over the people. 

And Colin built a pretty amazing lego police station.

oh christmas tree

 Usually I'm sad to see the christmas trees taking down but between Norah and Joel I think its starting to look a little sad. 

Joel loves to rearrange all the ornaments every day. And just on this tree. We havent lost any they are just all on 1 branch or hidden in the middle.  I will miss all the enjoyment Joel gets from the tree.  I think this week while Colin is in school I will slowly box up the ornaments and give Joel a few more days to play in his tree. I guess one good thing about having a fake tree is that he doesnt cause tons of needles to drop with his playing in the tree.