Happy New Year

It's new year, Scott and the kids started back to school a few days ago. Christmas Break is over. We are back to our regular routine. With the exception of today. Today the kids are having a snow day. This new year has brought  some really cold weather with it.  This winter has been a new experience for us all. The last two winters have been so mild and very tolerable. We have loved it. But this year we have been hit pretty hard. We are the nations number one city in snow fall, about 44 inches. And temperatures are well below 0* degrees. Other schools in the area have been closed for the past few days as we have had blizzard like conditions and lots of snow. Today is the first time our school has decided to close school with the  temperatures at -34 degrees.Too cold for buses to run and too too cold for kids to be waiting out in the cold for buses. The winds have been blowing and howling about 30-35 miles an hour. We keep hearing we will get about another 2 feet of snow today, but we have not  seen it yet. We actually woke up to nice clear, sunny skies, but freezing temps. Maybe the snow will come later in the afternoon or evening. Or maybe we got lucky and the storm missed us. Either way we are stuck inside and trying to keep the kids busy.

With the new year dawning, I have bee thinking about new goals or resolutions. What do I want to accomplish and what things do I need to resolve and improve.  Goals and resolution are good to have, but it's only half of the process. I think I often make new list of things, but don't accomplish them because I have not  devised a plan of action to carry them out, the "how to".   I will be writing down some goals and how I  plan to accomplish them, but I will not be doing that here since they are very personal and this blog is more about our family and not just me. But one thing that comes to mind is more of a bucket list for my me and my family to do this year or before we leave the Erie area.
1. GO TO THE TEMPLE:(Palmyra, N.Y.) Scott and I have not been to the temple while we have been here in Erie. His school schedule has just not allowed us time to go. But with his  3rd and 4th year clinical rotations, we should have opportunities to go as a family since he will not be studying all the time.
2.See history sites in Palmyra, NY. while at the temple: I really want to take the kids to see the Sacred Grove and other sites by the temple.
3. Go to Niagara Falls; A lot of my family members have been to Niagara Falls, and it's not really that far from us.  I would like to take a tour on one of the river boats. The kids would love it.
4. Go to Waldameer  theme park: I hope to do this during the summer and this will be tall enough to go on some of the rides.
5.Go to Washington D.C. & D.C Temple; I'm not a big history buff, but being so close the the nations capital and monuments would be a shame not to go and see.
6. See a Hockey Game
7.Go to the Maritime Museum and see the Niagara Flagship

Kids list of places to go:
Zoo
Roller Skating
Beach
Splash Lagoon
Movie Theater
Palmyra N.Y. Temple

I am anticipating lots of good changes, like the end of Scott's 2nd year and starting clinical rotations for his 3rd and 4th year. We should get to see him a little more frequently and not so much study required. Looking forward to the kids getting a year older and helping more around the house. Hoping to get Ethen to sleep in his bed all night  and not in mine. Hopefully doing some potty training and getting rid of our expense of diapers and wipes. And maybe even send him off for preschool in the fall.

Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing what lays a head of us this year and improving what we can and experiencing new things. I wish everyone a happy new year with health, love, joy as we move forward, upward, and onward.  Happy New Year!!!

Christmas 2013

Christmas!!

This year was the first time I have done all my shopping  a few weeks before

Christmas. I actually went out Black Friday and found everything I was looking for and think I spent less this year than last.  Our family was so wonderful to sent us and our children  gifts. They have been so generous, I am so thankful for all they have given to us. It's been so much more than we could have hoped or even expected!    They all fit nicely under our tree.

 We really love this Christmas  tree, and everyone who has come over  has commented on how awesome it is. It's packed with lights and can do some really neat lighting effects. Although we are surprised it has survived another season with Ethen. He has been pulling on it, tried to climb it, throwing things at it and in it. Some of the bottom lights are not working properly now and we are pretty sure it do to Ethen's ruff housing with it. Hopfully we will get a few more good years out of it.

 The kids slept in until about 8am and then came to our room to get us.  It was nice to sleep for so long, since we were up late getting presents wrapped. Scott and I came down first to put a few things in order. They quickly came down and  were so excited to see how many presents were under the tree. Scott had them sit down and he started handing out presents to each of them.

The kids dived into their presents  and wrapping paper went flying in every direction.  I didn't even get to see what presents come from who. But they received some really wonderful things. Shirts, dresses, dolls, games, money,  sleds, X-box games, trains, train tracks,and that just some of what I can remember. Sorry my photos turned out so blurry, they were moving around so much I couldn't get a still shot.  Too much excited and joy.

 Scott and I even made a wish list for each other and that was really fun to get a few things from the other. We usually just focus on the kids and don't waste money on ourselves. But with all the great black Friday deals, we could actually afford to get things for each other this year.

 All of our snow had melted   a few days before and we were really hoping for more to come by Christmas. The day before and on Christmas, we got about 3 or 4 inches. just enough for Scott to take the kids out and try their new sleds. It wasn't much of a hill to slide down, but they sure did try  and had fun doing it.

 Scott even got in on the action and went down the hill a time or two on Ethen's sled. The next day we took the sleds out to an area with a larger hill and had a great time sledding. Although, I gave Scott some bad advice and told him to run and jump onto the sled with his knees. Thinking he could go faster down the hill.
He ran and jumped on and his knees when right through the sled breaking it. So Ethen's sled is now in the garbage. We need to get him another one. Good thing they are only $4.99.

The kids keep begging Scott to take them out sledding. He has taken them a time or two, but we need mores snow.  They will  have to wait for the snowplow pile and then they will have a good hill to sled down.