another big game

 We're having a losing streak of late.

It doesn't feel good.

But helping to coach a bench full of amazing young ladies in fantastically pink shirts feels tremendous.

then things got ridiculous

The kids woke up to get ready for school, and I packed lunches and gaped open-mouthed at the weather report on the phone.

 Then I got in the car to start the shuttle service, and saw how preposterously cold the outside was being

then returned to my spot in front of the wood stove until it was time to pick them up again in the afternoon.

We do NOT live in the Arctic. Or Iceland.

I'm pretty sure.

snow day: take two

Leeli got tired of playing in the snow.

Let's face it.

It's HARD to play in the snow when you're wading through powder that's thigh-high. So she checked an item off her bucket list 

(and off her pinterest board):

Unicorn Poop Cookies.

 Can't make this stuff up.

There was much rejoicing.

And snap chatting.

 There was also sledding at Cherry Hill.

It's not AS fun when there's three feet of powder to work with, because there's a lot of flipping and snow in the face.

But we laughed and helped brush away the stinging cold and didn't stay as long as we would have on a bright sunny day with packed trails.

Digging snow tunnels in the yard is a favorite.

 And a game called "find the mailbox."

The plow knocked our mailbox off the post as it passed by. It was lost in a VERY deep pile of snow.

These two eventually found it.

 There was enough snow and hot chocolate to keep everyone happy.

#Juno brought us three feet of snow

I got home from Texas just in time for a big snow storm.
We got the "no school" call the night before, announcing that we would have not one, but TWO snow days.
Of course we made pancakes.

We woke up to two feet of snow on the first morning, and by the time the sun went down, the snow was still falling. By the time it was done, the snow piled up over the tops of those railings you see out there around the pool.

 We shoveled and frolicked.

a LOT.

We live in Massachusetts.

We love snow in January.

Especially in large doses.

my Texas wish fairy came through for me

 Really, I didn't have too many items on the wish list when I told Amy I was coming to Texas for the weekend--just that I wanted to spend time with my twin, visit the site where JFK was assassinated, and to take a #fiftyhikesat50 hike with her.

She made all my Texas dreams come true.

...and then some.
Thanks, sis.
XO

I flew to Texas

 I took my new iphone and flew to Texas.

It was a heavenly weekend.

Despite the realization that I fit right in with the over fifty single ladies crowd in Sudoku row on the airplane.

(...awkward...)

i left my new phone unguarded:

we won the lottery, basically

I keep telling everyone that about our new daughter-in-law...

WE WON!!

Teeny is WAY better than we would ever have imagined the perfect companion for our son would be.  I mean it. 

She's the BEST.

 AND she brings out the best in Yonder.

We feel LUCKY!

-and-

We feel surreptitiously lucky for Teeny's family.

They're FUN too!

(borrowed photo from FB--thanks NJ!)

and they've now gained another FUN family member in Yonder. See how that works?

Having children get married is an experience about which I was feeling a bit of trepidation... but it's now something I highly recommend.  As long as there are FUN feelings.

-

an update from Idaho

Our favorite BYU-Idaho student is mixing things up this semester. She's "off-track." This means she's not attending classes full-time; instead she's working four days a week and taking an online class. 

She moved to the apartment next door, has the same room mate who we're all crazy about, 

and is diving head-first into some new experiences and opportunities. 

She's as lovely as ever.

(and missed more than ever)

Inside AND out.

You decide

There's a lot of stuff going around out here in cyber world about why the Patriots won their big game on Sunday; some of it good and some of it not so good. Only you can decide for yourself why this is the case. But while the rest of us were busy with life, this faithful ten year old fan was getting his game on in our New England kitchen, and made a hot bean dip for the occasion. I'm chalking the win up to a devotee and his dip.

#NewBeginnings

Traditionally at the beginning of each calendar year, the Young Women host an evening to get excited about the year ahead in their organization. With the help of their leaders, they plan and execute most of it themselves. (Leeli was in charge of decorations)

It's a chance to review their purpose and personal progress, be reminded of their divine natures, and get excited for what the year will bring. (Rooney conducted the evening)

It was a cold and rainy night outside, but inside it was warm and FUN! We have a terrific bunch of youth in Gardner.

I'm looking forward to supporting their activities and growth in 2015.

in case you think you're missing something

It's been about a week and a half since I discovered the dryer wasn't working. Actually, it seemed to work, it just wasn't DRYing anything. The heating element has died, I have deduced, and, in a laundry-dependent household such as ours, I celebrate the hard-working longevity of such a thing.

Since we're still living life at a minimum of 65 mph, we are currently adorning our mantel with cool patterned socks and color coordinated buntings made of the laundry variety, instead of researching our future dryer options.

(your strong and biased dryer testimonials welcome in the comments section below)

Morning Boy is starting to perk up enough to have moments when he claims to be bored. I'm grateful. He still sounds like a smoker when he coughs and is found resting on the couch when he thinks no one is paying attention.

Enrique has been pronounced flu-FREE and has flown off to UMass to jump both feet into his final semester as an undergrad.

I miss him already.