Here we go again!!

Here we go again!! Another Blizzard, and this time when I say Blizzard, I really mean it. It started snowing again on Tuesday afternoon, lucky enough after I had already been to WalMart and the grocery store. And boy was that crazy!!

We woke up on Wednesday to some seriously wild winds. It was blowing sideways! Really crazy-then I would look and it would be blowing the other way. The good thing was that it wasn't accumulating as much as the previous storm and our neighbors big truck blocked a lot of wind so not as much blew between his car and ours. Darin shoveled the night before to get a jump on it. It lasted for a while on Wed, then died down in the afternoon. There was lots of drifting as well-from the wind. This was the type of storm I am used to seeing from growing up in Wisconsin. I remember drifting was a huge problem when I was little. You would be driving along and the road would be clear, then out of nowhere there would be a big drift and you would be stuck. That happened here in this storm. They showed pictures of trucks stuck in massive snow drifts. Crazy wind!!

Here are some shots from during the day.
Our lilac tree out back. Really is pretty with the snow on the branches.
cool icycles on the railing out back
I thought it was cool how it stuck to the door.
want to open the door? And this was after I knocked some of the snow off the doorknob
various shots of out back. We have to keep going out to check the drain-if it gets clogged it will flood through the back door-we learned that he hard way a couple years ago. And when this snow melts, uh oh!!

the bottom two pics were taken from the dining room table looking out back.
I wish the pictures could show the wind. It was really blowing so hard.


So another day inside-well, we did venture out later after it died down. More to come on lots of fun stuff we did to keep busy:)

Blizzard Report-Sunday and Monday

Just so we don't forget, there's a ton of snow here!! We know that we wouldn't have church, so another day of being home together. We had a plan as today-more playing, our own "church" service, making valentines and doing Jordan's valentines box, baking, etc.

Darin did go out and do some more shoveling in the afternoon. He worked sooo hard getting the cars out. He would be out there for 3 hours at at time. I felt so bad for him, but so thankful he did it for us. Tons of people were out shoveling away.
After breakfast, we decided to have our church service. Since we will be missing 3 consecutive weeks of church-2 for snow and one for stake conference, the bishop gave the priesthood brethren the ok to administer sacrament at home.

Here is Landon getting ready to have church.
The sacrament was a really special experience for our family. We put a chair in the middle of the living room-the one Landon was sitting on-for Darin to place the bread and water. The kids and I sat in a row on the couch. We had a hymn, prayer then Darin got down to administer the sacrament. Spencer and Landon insisted getting down on the floor with him as he was saying the prayers. Cute, but distracting to Darin as he was trying to do something sacred and ward off little hands from grabbing the bread in the middle of the prayer. The children were good and we felt the spirit. After the sacrament, we had a talk by mommy about the Nephites first sacrament.

On to the Valentines part of the Day. Even though we don't know when the kids will get back to school, we started Jordan's Valentines box and valentines to give to friends. It was fun, but she insisted on using the tissue box and it was hard as heck to ge the paper to stick to the box. I was stubborn and didn't want to use tape, but finally gave in and taped the paper down to the box. Jordan had a blast decorating it.

Later in the day we ventured outside. Darin did more shoveling and I took the kids for a walk. We actually ended up lucking out because when we walked down to see the playground, there were people sledding so the kids all got their first time to go down the hill on a sled!!!! Spencer was in heaven!! He loved it. One family had little discs, but another family had inner tubes and the were great. Spence went over and over again. They didn't even complain about going up and down the hills. We were gone so long so Darin came looking for us. Landon had fun playing on the swings buried in snow and on the playground.

I looked online for tubes and found a ton to order, so I am excited since the snow will be here forever!!

Here we are at the end of the fun time out:) Queen of the mountain-this is in front of our neighbor's house.
One last fun shot-my little helper in the kitchen. He may not like this pic in about 15 years, but still so cute. He insists on wearing an apron if I have mine on, and I did at this time. Funny boy:)

Monday
The weekend is over, but now there's no school and the gov't is closed. All home once again. I spent the morning cleaning while the kids played.

I guess that since the stove was finally clean, Spencer felt like he should play on it. We spent time coloring and doing writing. Figured I should get Jordan started on homework, even though we probably wont' be going to school this whole week.
Spencer's new favorite thing: peanut butter and jelly taco.

I actually don't remember if the above pictures were taken on Monday or Tuesday-I think probably on Tuesday, the days are all running together now:)

Blizzared Report: Saturday

Would you like to open your door to this? Fun stuff but I'll get to that in minute.

Since we could not go out all day, we had to keep ourselves busy as we watched the snow get deeper and deeper and deeper. It was our second day of being home bound, so had to come up with lots to do. Funny how you can stay home all day on a Saturday and not think you are cooped up, but when you can't go out, you feel trapped.

Anyhow here's a few of the happenings:

played in each others bedrooms-Diego, Thomas, princess, barbies, animals
did art work-coloring, cutting, bendarooos
got into ice cream-Landon hid it in the footstool
watched movies on the pull-out sofa
ran around like a bunch of wild banchees

Good morning! This is what we saw Saturday morning when we woke up, and this wasn't even when it was over. Imagine a ton more on top of this!! It is so pretty, though!

Remember the bushes and the little bridge...don't know when we'll see them again. March? Maybe April? Hope they make it!


So after keeping busy all day finally-we ventured out. That is after the snow stopped completely. Darin wanted to open the door and shovel first, but he was not fast enough. The kids were dying to get out so they made their way over the final big mound of snow and down the steps, even though they couldn't see where they were. It shows tons of snow, but I had shoveled a little bit off as the day had gone on so we could get out easier-didn't work too well.

Landon had a really hard time getting out. He couldn't walk anywhere because the snow was so high on him so lasted about 10 minutes-literally. He kept himself busy playing in the front room for the time I was out with the other two. We didn't get too far since you could hardly walk in it and I was stressed out about the kids walking around and knocking snow on the sidewalks the neighbors had already shoveled. The next door neighbor is pretty cool about it since he has a baby now, but the end neighbors are a little uptight.
This pic is out of order but I loved it. Jordan had snow caked to her shirt when we came in and Spencer wanted to eat it. Funny.
Some views of the neighborhood before people were out. The icycles are on the boys window. Scary if one were to fall on you! Some of these were in the morning before it stopped, so there was more at the end of the day. It was sooo beautiful when it was untouched. It is also so quiet when you open the door and no one is out and about. A winter wonderland!Darin kept teasing me about my back, which conveniently started hurting right before the biggest snowstorms here in 100 years, so the doctor told me not to lift anything. I did feel guilty as he spent hours outside everyday shoveling snow and I couldn't help. Darin told me to just sit down in a snowbank and I would have a big icepack. So here I am icing my back. It actually felt good and relieved some pain!
More pics-sorry if they repeat. Soo much snow on the branches...so much snow on everything!!! Oh, this is after it ended...so look how much more the cars are covered than the early morning pictures.

Poor Darin has to do all the shoveling. I think I could do it, my pain has been dull lately, but then I think I would pay for it later. Ahhhhhh. Darin spent 3 hours trying to get the van out, then took a break and did more. He was so tired-poor guy.

More to come about our Sunday fun!

Start of the Blizzard on Friday

The snow started falling about 10:00 am and kept up all day, well into Saturday. It didn't actually start sticking until the evening. This was truly a weatherman's dream come true. "The Big One!!" And boy did they milk it as much as they could!!! The news covered it all day-I mean non stop!!! Really overkill, if you ask me. There wasn't much more they could tell us during the day...yes, it's snowing.

Anyhow the kids were out of school because the county is wimpy. They really could have had a half day at least since it didn't start sticking until late afternoon. Oh well.... This is just growing up in Wisconsin that is talking. When it snows there we don't talk like it is the end of the world....well, I guess you shouldn't compare since this area really isn't equipped to deal with it. I just think of all the people in the area from Africa, India, and South America-this has to be really something for them!

Darin got to come home early, so that was nice. He did a last minute grocery store run for me, which helped so much. My visiting teacher came and cleaned up for me since my back had been hurting. I watched the news about how there are no shovels to be had and people are panicked and the grocery stores are running out of everything.

So here is the view out of our front door at the beginning.

Here's a view of our front yard area. Notice the bushes and little bridge, but it will be gone soon.

We did pretty well keeping busy since it was only the beginning. The kids played really good for most of the morning. The played "doggie camping" going to the "vet," "princess" and lots of other stuff. Toys are scattered all around the house. In the afternoon when I wasn't feeling much pain, we started a little activity I picked up for Spencer. A dinosaur mosaic. It proved to be a bit more complicated than I figured. Spencer started to do a few, but then gave up. It was a fun type of thing to do, but not for a 4 year old! I ended up finishing it by myself.

Here is Jordan's preferred snow day outfit. Why not? We're not heading out anytime soon! This series of pics was just after Jordan informed me that a little boy in her class is taking her on a date...uh oh...what's to come in 10 years? She did all the posing herself....double uh oh!

She is pretty cute, if I do say so myself!

Oh Landon, poor little guy. Mommy was too lazy and sore to try to get you down for a nap, and you have had it. Being told "no" one too many times is just too much to take!

Help me mommy!

Here's Spencer heading out on a trip. Don't know where he is going, but he is ready!

Funny kid!

Here's Landon about 5:30 is-he could not take it any longer. But, it proved to be a bad decision to let him have a nap-he did go to bed but woke up wide awake and wanted books read to him about 3:30 am. I was up with him for about an hour and a half or so, then thanks to his blankie, he finally dozed back off until morning.

The tree out front just before bedtime.

The bushes and bridge are slowly disappearing in a blanket of snow!

Goodnight cars-maybe we'll see you in the morning!

Stay tuned for more!

let's just put this conversation on hold for 10 years!

Jordan: I know who I am going to marry.
Me: Who? Lucas Martin? (just hoping on my part)
Jordan: No, he's not in the church ( the boy in question...not Lucas:)
Me:but you have to marry a boy in the church so you can get married in the temple
Jordan: well, he's not in the church (we'll tackle that one later)
Me: Is it Keegan? (no) Is it Mikey? (the one I suspect the whole time-he's pretty cute)
Jordan : (with a grin)-yes. And he even wants to take me on a date
Me: oh really-how do you know that?
Jordan: Omar, Nicholas and all the kids told me.
Me: what is a date?
Spencer pipes in: when you get a babysitter for us and you go out somewhere
Jordan: I don't exactly know. But Mikey is going to take me.
Me: What are you going to do on your date?
Jordan: I think I want to go shopping
Me: I don't think boys want to go shopping on a date.
Jordan: well....
Me: when are you going?
Jordan:. ummm I think when I am 7 or 8
Me: well, you can't go until you are 16'
Jordan: ok.... then she runs off.... to play, thank goodness!!


I am a little worried though-play make up, she was posing for me to take her pictures today, talking about dates...what is happening to my little girl?

But whew....she'll still play with dolls, ponies, pet shops and loves princesses. Let's keep her little as long as possible.

"making a pattern"

I came home from Enrichment one night last week with some plastic plates. They had been cleaning out the closet and had a bunch of stuff set out for us to take. I grabbed some plastic green plates, some other paper plates, etc. So when I brought them in the house the next day, Landon took them instantly to play with. He ran into the living room and started to set them out in a row. I asked him what he was doing and said "making a pattern"

He and Spence made the plates in a row, then Jordan had to get in on the action. Soon the plates were rocks helping the kids get onto the "boat" which was the couch. The were quite entertaining for quite some time.

Whew, made it onto the boat away from the sea monster-yeah-the one who won't put the camera down.

get on the boat...quick!
Here's how it all started:

lots of fun with plastic plates!
I love these little feet! look close, you can see Lanny's little wart on his foot.

Ahhh, what fun on a Sunday evening!

I thought I had a high pain tolerance.....

until this pain hit and I have had many crying fits in the last few days.

I woke up last week with a combination of major cramps-and very rarely get them- and some weird lower back hip sort of pain. Sharp pinching feeling along with an aching burning sensation. Very strange.

Felt better the next day- then by Friday I was even ok enough to take the kids to the movies. It was still there, but much less. Saturday was ok, but then again Sunday it was worse.

Woke up on Monday in pain. Took the kids to the Blacks and ran errands, took Jordan to a friends, then went home and had a hot shower and laid down while Landon napped and Spencer watched a movie. I tried to function the best I could while walking like an old lady all hunched over.

Then I started making dinner and things got ugly. I put a sheet of fries in the oven-actually a stone which is heavier-and when I went to turn them, my back gave out and I dropped the stone and they all fell on the floor. Here starts one of the crying fits.

Darin took over and let me lay down for the rest of the night. I did try to eat dinner at the table but the pain was excruciating.

Darin gave me a blessing before bed. I was assured the doctors would figure out what was wrong and told to listen to inspiration from Heavenly Father. Had a long night of hurting-with a couple spells of sleep. In the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, I thought that I would much rather be healing from a c-section. Seriously.

I don't mean to complain, just giving the facts. I hurt. I seriously hurt.

Went to the dr. this morning. She thinks I may have bulging discs causing a nerve to be pinched at the root causing pain. I wondered why it would be only on one side, so I guess it depends where the nerve is located. She gave me some pain pills and a steriod to take. I went and had an xray, so hopefully it will show something.

So my friend Carla kept the kids and took Spencer to school and kept Landon all afternoon. She even brought all the kids home including the 2 I watch. She's my angel. I took a pain pill and then I laid on the couch all afternoon. Watched Dr. Phil about bullies and Oprah who had the kids of Wanda Barzee who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart.

I think I am going to try to make the kids some dinner. Maybe...saw a cute thing in a Family Fun at the doctor-put uncooked spagetti in hot dog chunks and cook it-comes out like little squid. My kids like both, so hopefully it will go over well.

I only took 1 pain pill and it didn't work as well as hoped, so I'm taking 2 at bedtime!

But my biggest problem my yet come today: What do I watch tonight? Lost, Biggest Loser or American Idol?

Some insights after doing this original post:

So, I just read the Nie Nie dialogue blog and am feeling pretty bad. How can I complain and carry on like I am going to die, when this woman is dealing with SOOO much more than I can ever imagine. She is growing skin on her back to graft to her neck so has a large hump-she even named it!! Her pain is probably 1000 time worse than mine. Goodness, she is such an AMAZING woman-so faithful and always looks on the bright side. I can do that-I am in pain, but I had a REST today. I have a wonderful husband who helped me and am amazing friend who took care of my kids and the ones I watch. Holy Cow am I blessed. I'll get better-I know it and I won't take my body for granted!!