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Friday, February 7, 2020

Justin Turns Thirty-three


Last Saturday we surprised Justin with his birthday party, six days early, because this weekend he is on call. Thursday we went shopping for him--the kids each picked out a shirt they thought he'd like. (They did a great job too!) Friday we planned on making a sign while he was at work and then the stinker came home early! So we waited until he went to bed that night and began working. (Almost getting caught when he sleepily walked into the kitchen for a midnight snack). We wrapped presents and then went to bed. 

The next morning, he went to get donuts for breakfast and we had a fun day taking the kids to ride bikes and getting an ice cream treat. The plan was to send him to grab some dinner to bring home, and while he was gone we would set up his sign and be ready waiting to sing to him. It worked! He was totally surprised when he walked through the door, pizza in hand. The girls even made a "pin the 'boo on the ghost' game" for him (NO IDEA where that theme came from...) but I didn't get pictures of it. :(

Happy 33, Honey! We love you more than you could ever imagine.






























Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Midland Snow Day

In addition to celebrating our tenth anniversary, the kids had a blast with a snow day. It has only snowed one other time since we've lived here (maybe two, depending on your definition of snow), and at that point we were still accustomed to Colorado snow so it wasn't that exciting 😂 the "I can't believe the schools closed for it, kind of 'not exciting'." 

Last night the snow started falling. Gabrie, Lillie, Addie, and Pennie were thrilled. They started grabbing our winter gear from the closet--homemade beanies, gloves, scarves, boots--and said they were setting it up so it was ready to go when they woke up in the morning. Gabrie said, "I'm going to bed right now so I can go to sleep and morning will come faster so we can go outside to play!" They went to bed. And they got out of bed. At least 27 times. Back and forth from their room to the dining room to look in the backyard at all the white dust quickly accumulating. Each time, passing through with a different piece of winter clothing on their body. (At least two of them slept with gloves on all night long.)

I am not so cool of a mom to send them to play in the snow at bedtime. Instead, I told them, "If you don't hurry up and go to sleep, and stop getting out of bed, I won't let you play in it tomorrow!" They went to sleep. 

8 A.M came and I was awakened to the sound of giggles and excitement and the front door opening. Justin and Gabrie and Lillie were looking out at the front yard, and almost out the door when I groggily said, "You can't go out yet! I want to watch you have fun, and take pictures, and your brother and sisters are still asleep, so go wake them up first!"

After breakfast, everyone had finally found the most appropriate winter attire they could find. Supplies are limited when you live in Texas, after all. 

Everyone had a great time. They played and then warmed up with a little coffee, video games, then lunch, and then played again until cheeks were stained pink and toes frozen together. It was especially great that Daddy was able to stay home and join in on the fun. Snow brings out the sweet--I don't recall refereeing a single time--except at the beginning of their play when I specifically said, "NO SNOWBALLS TO THE FACE!", and one somehow landed in Addie's. Brothers... 

Kids were in and out and busy all day, but I did manage to get just a couple cute quotes--


Pennie- "This is a great, great day." (the night of the snow)
Pennie- "I'm done outside, I'm done outside. Oww. It hurts."

Nathaniel- "Can we flood a tiny bit of the yard so we can skate on it?" (It didn't work, by the way). 

We also learned that Lillie is the toughest when it comes to cold weather (she outplayed pretty much everyone), Gabrie is the only person in the world to make a face down snow angel, and Addie doesn't like wearing layers or old pink sweatpants to play in the snow. She's much too fashionable for "weird pants". Juliette joined in the fun just long enough for a few pictures.









Snowball to the face.






























Bikes don't work so good in snow :)

































They only think they want outside-