Two Hour Delay

It snowed about two inched last night. So school was on a two hour delay. Really? For two inches? Oh well, the kids are lovin' it. We have to miss five school days before just one extra day will be added onto the end of the school year. They already know for a fact that we will have snow days, I suppose! So far our first year here has been unusual. We've had record snowfalls and unseasonably cold temperatures. So, whatever it usually is like out here in the East, we haven't experienced yet. Right now I've just been hibernating in the house. Maybe when it starts to warm up again I'll come out of my cocoon!

Odds and Ends from the Past Month

When all of my boys turn 1 year old, they get their first hair cut. Seth didn't have a whole lot of hair when he turned 1. He still doesn't. But the back is getting a little long, so we decided that when he turned 18 months we'd give him a little trim on the back. So here he is sitting in the high chair waiting for his first hair cut.

He didn't mind the vibration of the hair clippers! With a little entertainment from Kate, we got the back trimmed up a bit.

Walla! Yep, he pretty much looks the same. It just is trimmed. Oh well. But he was a really good sport about it. Now that he's 18 months he can go to the Nursery at church. We missed our first official Sunday in the Nursery because church was cancelled due to the huge snow storm that passed over us. (See pics below.) It will take time, but one day he won't be sad when I'm not there. I only leave for 10-15 mintues at a time. He usually lasts that long and then notices I'm not around. I wouldn't mind him crying, but he's still so little and takes a little more attention than the others, so I don't want the Nursery leaders feeling overwhelmed. And I don't mind the Nursery. It's the second best calling to me, with Sunbeams being number one. Ok, maybe it's a close tie, I love them both.

So, here's some pictures of the snow. We got a record breaking amount of snow, 21 inches! This caused church to be cancelled as well as the last three days of school before Christmas Break!

Our neighbor let Todd borrow his four wheeler to plow the street and driveways. If not for this, we'd have no way to get out as they don't plow the side streets until all main roads are clear, which can take so many days! Kate rode around on the back of it while Todd plowed.

This is what Sunday morning looked like.

It was fun to have the kids home from school for a few extra days. We only had a week and a half scheduled for Christmas break, which I thought was a little short. But then I saw the calendar for Spring Break and we get a week and a half off for that, so I guess it equals out.

The girls in the family decided to paint our toenails to match the season. I did the red, and Kate added the details. It was fun.

Todd was scheduled to work on Christmas Day, so we all got up at five in the morning to open presents. The kids were just fine with that idear. I would have posted pics of the kids on Christmas morning, but most of them are missing at least one article of clothing on their bodies, so I held back, so as not to embarrass any of them. Todd left for work at six and I went back to bed with Seth. Todd came back home about an hour later, to our surprise! Not enough patients means someone has to go home! We were so happy to have him home. The kids lasted all day and finally crashed around 9 pm. It seems like time flies so fast. I remember Christmas day lasting so much longer as a kid. I'm thankful that the kids were happy with their gifts. Honestly, I think they'd be happy with anything, thank goodness. Alex wouldn't tell me what he wanted. I finally suggested a few things and ended up getting him a Little People Airplane. After we take an airplane flight next summer, I know it will have more meaning. He knows we are going, so is very interested in what it will be like. He now wants Lego Star Wars after watching the other boys build their creations. So, he's going to put a chart on the wall, and after he walks 250 circles, which is sixty-two and a half miles, he'll get his own Lego Star Wars. Hey, this OCD can get you a lot! He will walk a mile and a half on most days. I think I can push him to two miles a day. How hard is it to walk on the tread mill when there's a television staring you in the face. Well, sometimes I have to hold on cause I lose balance! :) Enjoy!

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never - no, never, no never forsake!

Miracles

Christmas is the time of year when I think we recognize miracles more easily. Todd is back to working days now. So this means unless he can switch with someone, he has to miss two Sundays a month. So today was the first Sunday without Todd in a while. It really wasn't that big of a deal in the past. I got use to it while he was in San Antonio and have never had a problem with the children during Sacrament. Well, now things are different. I am the organist now. So I can't sit with the children the whole time. I do not worry about any of the children, except Seth. All the others are really well behaved. And I'm sure there's not an adult around who wouldn't quiet them down if need be. But Seth is a mama's boy. If anyone tries to hold him, he just cries. That's where I get concerned about what to do. Our sweet Relief Society president has always been offering to watch him during Sacrament if need be. So today, she took Seth. She's watched him before, and he's done fairly well, all things considering. But today a miracle occurred. She took Seth from my arms and he whimpered a little bit, but then he was fine. He smiled at her when the hymns were being sung. He even fell asleep in her arms! I never heard him cry once the whole entire Sacrament meeting! This is something I am so grateful for! Miraculous!

"Serious illnesses, family tragedies, and emotional struggles do not happen necessarily because we have sinned. Adversity and heartbreak happen to good people; such is the fruit of a fallen world. But having experienced tragedy, sickness, and disappointment in His own life, the Savior knows how to strengthen us in such trials as well. He is there not only when we cry out from the burden of sin but also when we cry out for any other reason." -Bruce D. Porter

Signing

You know, signing is not that hard. It's actually very easy. We've been watching the Singing Time videos and it's actually not all that bad. Go to ASL Pro on line and there's a pretty good browser there to help with words. Start with the words you use everyday. That way it's easy. I've actually started with finger spelling, signing the ABC's. Once comfortable with this, I then began to pick up other signs. And then I'm wondering how will Seth ever sign back to us? Well, duh, same way hearing children learn to talk. They hear it over and over and repeat back what they hear. Signing children do the same. They see the signs over and over and will start to imitate the signs. Seth signs milk. When I saw him trying it out, it started to hit home that it really works! I'm getting more comfortable around the deaf people at the school. I don't understand them yet, but I do recognize some signs. One day Todd will pick it up too!

Flood Watch

It rains so much here. And right now since it's cold, it's always muddy as well. I thought it was funny when they announce on the radio that there was a flood watch in effect tonight. What, like we actually can get more rain? Wow! We'll see what happens. I guess it's suppose to rain pretty hard tonight. Usually the rain is a light drizzle which lasts all day long. Rarely do we get hard down pours and it's really even more exciting to have thunder! It just rumbles and keeps rolling because there are no mountains to stop it! Luckily, we are not in a flood prone area. There is a creek below the house, but we are well above it to not have to worry about flooding problems. I think it's neat that the pansies are growing right now. I wonder how long into the winter they will last, or will they last all winter until it's too hot next summer? I think I might have to go buy some for my flower pots next to the house and see what happens.