Winter Endurance

With winter still hanging with us, we’ve been looking for entertainment in all the right places.  Some of our favorite activities thus far have been:

1) Puzzles we got for Christmas

Look, I’m not going to lie.  I’m a OCD/control freak.  It took every ounce of will power I possessed to participate in the puzzle activity with my children.  My way (which, naturally, is the best way ;) ) of doing puzzles is organizing all the pieces first.  You know, edge pieces in a pile, then colors, characters, etc.  Then, start piecing the outside first.  My children have not yet learned patience in that process.  They’re more like dump the box, and hope for the best. 

So, we’d use their method for a while and then they’d go to bed and I’d be up in the wee hours of the morning separating pieces and completing the puzzle, so that we could start on the next one.  I know.  It’s terrible.  Not to worry, however, our puzzle days are about over.  Because I’m the way I am, I’ve glued the puzzles together—never to be undone…or redone—. On the bright side, though, we’ll never loose a piece (we all know it’s garbage when it comes to that point, anyway).

2) Gym time

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I really hate to be biased, but I love my nieces and nephews.  No really, I think they are the best.  I have loved going to their basketball games.  They are such good examples to my kids.  We have tried to make it to at least one game for those that live close (I am just sick we missed our nieces swim meets…we would have LOVED those too).  We have really liked watching Jaxon play his final high school games. 

Birdie thinks she always has to wear her Nikes to the games—I don’t know why.   

The other night, we were driving around trying to find the new Madison High School in Rexburg, and I was getting really frustrated that I couldn’t figure out where to go, and so I said “stupid” and Birdie globbed right onto that and said, “Mom, you shouldn’t say it’s stupid.  You should say it’s ‘ridicleeus’ “ (that’s how she says ridiculous.)  I laughed my head off.

3) Playing with pets

Of course not real ones.  Do we need to readdress the OCD bit?  Let’s not.  But, these kinds of pets are almost worse.  I don’t know why, but stuffed animals drive me crazy.  I can’t stand them.  When my kids get new ones, I throw away an old one.  (Is that bad?  I do it when they’re at school, or asleep.  Is that worse?  Never mind.  You never read any of this.)

Since the newly finished family room downstairs is going to be themed around golf (Anyone surprised by that?) I’ve been making a wreath (Anyone surprised by that??) and I wanted little golf things on it…you know, tees, balls, clubs, etc.  Well, I saw these Valentine teddy bears holding little “perfect for wreath” size clubs.  I waited for them to go on clearance and then I bought one for each child.  I cut off the clubs, and gave the kids the stuffed bears,  and called it their Valentine’s day gift…but only on the condition that they wouldn’t expect a gift every year.  (No, I didn’t really say that.) 

4) Labor

I understand this picture means nothing to the naked eye, but if you look closer, you’ll see the diligence, sweat, and determination all over the walls and floor.  Ace worked so hard to finish the family room downstairs.  He did most of the grunt work with his friends Jonny and Travis.  Jonny spent a couple of Saturdays helping to hang sheet rock (not that I wasn’t strong enough to heave the 12 foot sheets over my head and hold it there while drilling in screws, I just think Jonny liked hanging out here—pun intended) and Travis was here for a few hours with his tools helping to lay carpet.  (Thanks Dad/Papa for that carpet!  It’s perfect!)

Words can’t even begin to describe the open, “free” feeling of a freshly painted/carpeted room.  Without the huge sectional in our upstairs living room, this house just took on a whole new look and feel.  I love it. 

Ace is a genius, in case anyone was wondering.  He just ‘Googled’ everything he didn’t know about finishing the basement.  I couldn’t believe he just whipped it out.  It looks so good.  He spent so much time downstairs, making it look like everything I’ve dreamed of. ;)  The best thing about it, is when we spend time down there, everywhere we look we’ll see his work.  It makes me just love him so much more!  (Insert a big fat kiss right here Ace…)

Now, all we have to do is endure the rest of February, and get through March (preferably without snow or wind) to spring break, and then it’s blessed sunshine for a week. 

Until then, we’ve got three puzzles to finish!