Jumpin January

Utah at it's finest.

I love to shovel snow. I'm quite obsessive-compulsive about it really.  It's something about the clean lines, taking something covered and cleaning it off again (not to be confused with pee on the bottom of the toilet seat.  Though both are 'covered' and you have to 'clean it off again', they are two completely different things.)
I love being outside in fresh fallen snow.  Chilly at the start, then warm rosy cheeks at the end.  I love that everything is covered and beautified when the snow falls.  All white, and pure.  Even the trailer and dozen or so cars next door seem to glisten with the fresh fallen snow (okay, maybe that's a bit overexagerated.)
So you can imagine my hurt and dismay this winter. 
This has been a 100% weak-sauce winter. I can't remember a worse winter in all my 31 years of existence.  I think we have had maybe 4 snow storms since winter began?  It's quite pathetic.  My heart sinks to my toes as I awake each morning and look out my blinds to see if we have had any new snow fall overnight.  I peak through the blinds with great anticipation only to see yellow grass and a bright sun shining.  Josh says it's global warming.  Whatever it is, it totally sucks. 

Josh

Sledding with his friend, Page

Josh is enjoying the season-BASKETBALL season.  He has played 2 games so far, and has improved so much with each one.  It's fun to watch him play, and get so pumped up.  It's also kinda fun to watch his dad get really worked up watching his son play.

Josh is also quite the little skier.  I guess I didn't realize how good a job Cam has done teaching our kids to ski (as I have been mostly pregnant/nursing the past 10 years and have missed most of it.)  Josh is pretty good.  I dare say he may be better than me (though that's not saying much). He even seeks out the jumps, and it's not just a little "hop" off a snow mound, this kid seriously catches some air.  It's pretty great.

Daxton

Above: Daxton showing me his moves to Florence and The Machine (ceremonials #5 is his favorite)

Dax and Ella wanted to paint, he chose to illustrate a picture of our "new house."

Momentous occasion.  Dax lost his fist tooth.  Can you tell he's excited?!  Look at those eyes.....

Daxton with his "best buddy" Logan.  Watching these two boys together is a riot.  Whenever they talk on the phone Dax says, "Hey Logan, how's it going man?" And Logan replies, 'Hey Dax, my best buddy." 

When they walk to school together they have to chest bump to greet eachother. 

Logan told his mom the other day to curl his hair for school.  When his mom asked why, he said, "Because Daxton's mom curls his hair everyday." 

 Definitley a friendship that makes me sad to split up when we move.

The other day I got pretty upset at Dax.  You see, Daxton has become the "older brother figure" to Ella, which means constantly teasing her.  He was egging Ella on, and I got on his case for it.  He was so heartbroken.  (this boy hates hates hates to get in trouble).  His eyes brimmed with tears, though his face was contort with anger, and he just stood there, taking my comments like a physical blow.  Then it struck me: "Your boys needs a hug." (it's called spiritual prompting)  It finally registered that I can't discipline Dax the way I discipline his older brother. (Most times Josh needs a good yelling, and then some...and it still doesn't register)  Dax needed some love, and to be told that he can not treat his sister that way.  So I got down on my knees, looked him in the eye and told him in a nice voice that I know he can be better than he was acting.  He promptly threw his little arms around my neck and burst into tears, telling me how sorry he was.  Needless to say, we were both crying. And yes, I do realize that I should probably include Josh in a hug the next time I'm upset with him.  I'll do better!

Ella

Dancing in the kitchen with her "princess" shoes

Sisters!

My little artists

Ella chose to paint a self portrait. Canny resemblance, no?  Especially the bright red lips.

This girl loves the snow.

Cam is not the greatest at giving compliments.  But what he lacks, Ella makes up for.  She has started saying the nicest things lately.
"Mom, I like your sweater."
"Cute earrings Mom."
and when I straightened my hair the other day,
"Mom, your hair is freakin' me out.  I like it better curly."
(I'm taking that as a compliment.)
We continue to ask Ella when she wants to cut her hair, to which she replies,
"Never.  I want to grow it out like Rapunzel's." 
She even demonstrated to my older sister Lisa how she will wrap her hair to one side when she is sitting on the toilet, so it doesn't "get wet."

Amelie

Amelie eating a twinkie and wearing her cousin's shoes. 

All ready for winter, bring on the snow!

Her favorite: eating the snow.  Imagine that!  Her favorite involves eating!!

She's gone 2 days in a row without a nap, and if this is a new trend, it might kill me.  Naptime for Amelie is my "recoop" time.  Take a breather, put my feet up for a bit.  But if she's going going all day nonstop.......cue the nervous breakdown.
However, she is a lot of fun.  This girl loves to sing.  Every day before I lay her down, she chooses the songs and we sit in her chair and sing them together.  Generally they are:
Popcorn Popping
Give said the little stream
ABC
and Twinkle Twinkle little star

Another one of Amelie's favorite things is to play "Just Dance." It's a game on the Wii where you listen to the music and mimic the dance moves to score points.  She is a hoot to watch. 

Cameron

Cam with my dad and brother.

Cam's good.  He planned  a big yert trip this month.  A yert is a tent out in the mountains, has a wood burning stove and a bunch of bunk beds.  They were all going to snowmobile for 3 days, but due to the fact that there is NO snow, it had to be cancelled.  I repeat, Weak Sauce Winter.

Cindy

Just wishing there was more snow, that's all.  I laugh when people around me say, "I can't wait for winter to be over," and I'm like, "We haven't even had a winter!"  But I can't complain, last year's snow was pretty epic.  Cam's priest group couldn't even do their high adventure in the original location because there was still too much snow in late June.  In the meantime, I am loving all the sunshine and the chance it gives us to be outside in all it's glory!