Sledding Fun

January seems to be one of those months where winter feels like it drags on forever! 

Doesn't mean we can't have any fun, right?  So on this particular day in January, my kids joined in on our neighbor's four-wheeling fun.  Well, I should say just about all of the kids in the neighborhood joined in, and all were graciously welcomed.  Have I ever  mentioned how awesome our neighbors are?

Since there were quite a few kids wanting to ride, they all doubled up on the three tubes that were being pulled behind the four-wheeler.


Most of the time if you wanted a ride, you had to run for it...

and jump on when the tubes came by.  Ronin finally made it on the third try. 

Ronin with McKenzie:

Pretty soon, some of my other neighbors pulled up and asked if they could join in too.  Double the FUN!

The faster the speed, the better!  (Especially coming around the corners - just like "crack the whip.")

Woo HOOOOO!!!!!!

Roning hanging on for dear life...and loving it.  His expression is priceless in this one:

They enjoyed a little bit of air too:

Connor joined in later, sporting a very cool black mask:



After awhile Ronin became too cold to sled anymore and ended up helping out in the driver's seat:

All in all, a jolly good day thanks to our wonderful neighbors. Thanks Neighbor!  :D

I am sure any mom out there will agree with me, there's just something about pausing and taking a moment to watch your baby sleep.  Or in my case, a toddler.

They are such sweet, peaceful moments.  I guess since this little guy is our last one, I am a little more sentimental about everything.  I am going to very much miss times like this. 

Watching their little bodies breathing so quietly.

Makes me want to just snuggle right up to all of that warmth and softness.

Or nibble on his cute toes.

Then it all changes once they wake up.

In our household, this is where the "waking up" phase of an irritable 2-year-old temper flares up.  He doesn't want to have anything to do with anyone. 

And yells back at you, whether you are talking directly to him or not.

But even during his tantrums and grumpiness, I find it all endearing and funny.  Which makes him even more mad. :)

It takes a good 15-20 minutes for his usual, happy self to finally make an appearance.

He is even smart enough to know what I want from him and will do the exact opposite...no smiles for me.  He knows all about the camera. 

Yep, those quiet, sleeping moments are definitely a time to cherish.

Shredded Paper = FUN!

Lately I've been like a mad woman decluttering, organizing, and deep cleaning my house, call it spring cleaning if you would like.  Maybe it's 'cuz I am ready for winter to be over with.  I am already fed up with the freezing, cold temperatures, sunless days, and kids with too much pent up energy who are bouncing off the walls.  Course, sometimes it just feels good to get rid of "stuff" too, which sure makes it easier to keep a house clean if there isn't anything to make a mess with in the first place.  Or perhaps I am hoping that if I get a jump start on spring cleaning, spring will come a little quicker too. (I am highly doubtful about that.)

Anyhow, I had a huge pile of paper that I shredded so that I could get it thrown away, but not before Rigdon spotted it.  I could see his little mind working inside and I knew exactly what he was thinking:

Shredded Paper = FUN!  

To a kid, there are countless options when it comes to shredded paper:

You can wrestle in it.

Hit your brother in it:

Get down and serious in it (that's what being shirtless means in our house):

Kick or throw it in your sibling's face - I think you get the point.  So many options.

It wasn't long before Connor and Aubrey joined in too:

Poor Aubrey.  It's three boys vs. one girl.  I am sure you can imagine what she's in for. 

After a few hours of my kids thoroughly enjoying themselves in all of this paper, I was once again reminded that it's the simple things in life that brings us the most joy.  We really don't need a bunch of "stuff" to be happy.  I've already got what really counts in life - a place to call home, our relationships, health, and most importantly, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I couldn't ask for anything more.  Well, maybe just a few more things...but I would consider that all a bonus.  :)

By the looks of it, I think Ronin feels the same way too:

What Likes To Smile and Has Funky Red Bumps All Over It?

Why, it would be this guy:

So let's see how smart you are, take my poll:
You will find the correct answer in the comment section of this post.

Dribble, Dribble, Dribble.

Yep, basketball is now in full swing for two of our three boys.  It's where we spend a few hours of our time every Saturday.

As I mentioned before, this is Ronin's first year playing.  Looks pretty happy, doesn't he?  

Even with his lack of game experience, I've discovered that Ronin is a bit of a natural at basketball.  His basic skill are a work in progress but he gets the game and has a drive for it.

Of course, you wouldn't know that if all you saw were the times I took him over to the church gym to get in a little extra practice time.  He wasn't exactly an ecstatic jumping jelly-bean.  In fact, I would often get the frustratingly tearful "I CAN'T Do It Ronin" and then later during that same practice, I would experience the "I ALREADY know how to do it so that means I DON'T have to practice" tantrum. 

However, once he steps onto the court for a game he's completely different...he's confident, aggressive, and all smiles.

During his first two games, he made most of his teams' shots.  He told me before his very first game that his goal was to make 20 or 100 baskets...I told him to go for it.  By darn, I am pretty sure he made close to twenty baskets his first game!  (They don't keep score at this level, so it's hard to know the exact amount.)   Nevertheless, I was proud of him!

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Connor's enjoying his season as well.  The more he plays, the more I can tell how comfortable he's getting with handling the ball and getting into the game.

Yes, I am aware that I need to get this kid some basketball shorts, some basketball shoes would probably come in handy too.  It one of those things that is still on my to do list...I'm gonna try and get to that today.  *finger's crossed*