Time FLies!

No kidding? IT is nearly FeBruary aLready!
Writings of a crazy-busy family is what we should have called the bLoG...

Brennan and Derek are BLazing the court in BasketBaLL - Derek is heLping to coach
Bren's team this year... practice is only 2 nights each week with one game on Saturday. He also has Scouts one night each week and we have been workinG on Merit Badges like craZy! When is there time for homeWork?

MaDy got GLasses this month - CuTie BagooTie! We are seeing the chalk board much Better these days. MaDy has CHeeR and TumBLing once a week and has workinG hard to prepare for her recital. Their dance team has come a long way this year. Many of the Girls have never taken CHeeR or TumBLing before so Mady and her BFF Jordan look like oLympic Hopefuls!:)

GageR is Just BusY! He is really good at filling his day with things that make him HaPPY. He loves to make PRojects, watch Playhouse Disney, set up his trucks and motorcyles to park under the rugs and recliner, and he loves it when he wakes up to see that it has snowed! Immediately he is lookinG for his BooTs and coaT to go out and shoveL the DriveWay. I am sure the thRill of shoveLing will fade. Gage is loving preSCHOol this month as they stuDy Dinosaurs!

ChLoee had her front teeth fixed... Derek thinks they look a little bit like ChicK-Lets we are grateful that she has teeth. She if finaLLy sLeeping better at night and so are we! She loves to pack a baBy doLL around wrapped in a blanKie. She loves to help unFoLd Laundry and reorganize her dresser drawers. She is woRkinG on beiNG potty trained and we are tRying to take the Bottle away. Wish us LuCK with thaT!

We took a Trip to the CaBin in Island Park over Martin LutHer King HoLidaY. The weather was BeauTiFul and warm enough that we could be outsiDe and enJoy the sNoW. SnoW forts, sledding, being puLLed behind the snow maCHine on a sLeigh, and eating lots of great food. One SatuRday we rented a few sNowmachines and took Grandma & Grandpa Leslie and the kids on a tRail Ride around Island Park. It was GrEAT FUn!

Holli and 2 of her super scrapbook divas went to SaLt LaKe for a weekend of extreME R & R.
We left on Thursday stopped off in ClearfieLd for a Look around "Little Patch- O Heaven" and then after dRinKing in the experience with no chiLdren or HusBands buGGing us to Hurry up, we went to CaFe Rio for some amazing FooD! DE-LiSH! I totally need the homemade TorTiLLa JoB. A remedy for ReLief SocieTY aRms for sure... We spent the next 48 hours in cReAtiVE HaVen at the KimBaLL Condo. Once we were there, we didn't leave the room except to go to the COLa Machine for more beVerages containing the susTaining suBstance of LonGeVitY and occaSionaL ChoCoLaTe for a SeriTOnin BooST. ALL is WeLL! Much was accomPLished and returning to ReALiTy might be somewhat of a ShoCKer, but we wiLL do so with a sMiLe on our Faces, some sPriNg in our steP and with reNeWed coMMiTTment of FuLL SerVice to our FaMiLies. SeReniTy NOW!

We have done it! We made it through another Holiday season alive! 'Funny how I always have such big plans for the season - the plan is usually for things to be WAY more simplified than the years previous. This year was not the case. I put off the holiday shopping until the week before, and our 2 December Birthdays snuck up on me like a bad pair of undies. At this time I am pledging to be more prepared next year.

Although there was much hustle and bustle, we did enjoy our Holiday break. We spent lots of time with the kids... had sleep overs with friends and cousins, stayed up late, went to the movies, went sledding and snow machine riding at Grandmas, shoveled snow, helped Aunt Steph and Uncle Ron finish their basement, and did our fair share of cleaning and laundry.

Now that we are all relaxed and rested, we will begin another semester of school and hope for the best attempting to get everyone back on schedule!