I like to play in the snow, you know

So Saturday the snows came and they didn’t let up until Monday night. It has been awesome. I always have been one who likes a good old fashioned white Christmas and other than that could do without the snow. Well not this time. This time I let my guard down a bit and just enjoyed it for what it was. Super fun! It came unexpectedly and added some needed change in routine around here.

Saturday was played soccer in the snow. Then when Gage was done with that I came inside with him and Adelle and we made bread instead. Much warmer.

I left my boots, coat, hat, in the back though, underneath the covered patio only to wake up Sunday to everything on the patio completely buried, thanks to the wind that accompanied the snow. We had a few inches and church was cancelled. This led to lots of card games and books. I love a good snow day. I made a new recipe for dinner that I had pinned and it was really warm and yummy. Went well with the homemade bread.

We had my parents for dinner which really worked in my favor since it was during dinner Sunday that we found out school was canceled for Monday. My mom offered to have the kids Monday and we were all up for that.

Jeff couldn’t work in the snow so he and I spent all Monday together, just the two of us.  It was really relaxing and at the same time really productive. It’s amazing what you can get done without little ones in tow. We did important things like cleaned our bathrooms and whitened our teeth. 

That night we went to pick up our kids and my mom had dinner ready for us. Yay. We brought them home and put them to bed only to learn that there was going to be no school Tuesday either.

Tuesday we ventured out. After the rooms were cleaned and the vacuuming was done we packed up and headed to Lake Padden to do some serious sledding. We all had a blast. It was such a beautiful day. Warm and clear with a nice thick blanket of snow. I anticipated it being a bit of a pain ( 6 people with multiple layers of clothes, changing, getting wet, being cold, having to potty…) but it wasn’t at all. It was just super fun. The kids were all happy the whole time. Gage was perfectly content sitting and eating snow. Emmett was much braver then I thought. Adelle was her typical dare devil self and Brax and Jeff challenged each other at everything. I was able to sled, attempt the jump on my feet or sit and rest with the babe. It was just a wonderful time.

Tomorrow school is delayed and then things will get back on schedule. No hurry though. We are loving the winter wonderland.

Valentines Day

I probably say this on every Valentine's Day post but I just love Valentines Day. It's right up there at the top with Christmas for me. Just a simple, special occasion to show love. 

This February I challenged myself to not buy anything processed. Although we don't do a lot of processed foods, we do do some convenience foods and it's been a good challenge that I am loving and daring myself to continue through March...But that's another post. 

But back to Valentine's Day it can completely still be wonderful without anything processed.

We got the kids socks and made them special Valentines that they woke up to.

I also added a new tradition this year with this Ashmore Family Love Journal. All month of February we are writing love notes to each other in this book and then hiding it under the persons pillow. It's been a fun way to get the kids recognizing and sharing how much they love their family members. Really sweet notes and all in one book. I will put it away with the decorations at the end of the month and bring it out again next year. 

The littlest Valentine eating his special breakfast treat of strawberries.

I love a festive table. Strawberries, waffles, lots of love and hearts and pink and red.

  

We did dark chocolate covered bacon this year. Um, good! Really, really good. I found the inspiration here but modified the chocolate because we like it really dark. 

 Braxton loved it.

 And Adelle was a given!

 Emmett not so much so I got his. He ate the half without the chocolate.

After the kids went to school and Jeff went to work Emmett and I got busy making treats. We knew Carson and Kate would be coming and spending the night and we would want something yummy and special. I had some pretzels in the cupboard from Christmas when we make our traditional nuts and bolts mix. So, although they are processed I didn't buy them this month ;) Anyway we dipped the ends in our homemade chocolate and spelt out Happy Valentines Day. Then we made homemade chocolates with macadamia nuts and walnuts.

My mom came over that morning with Carson and Kate and brought us a yummy lunch. We hung out and even grabbed the kids early from school just because.

The kids were excited to show us all their goods from the Valentines exchange at school.  

Jeff came home after work and got the burgers ready while I was getting Adelle from dance class. When I got home dinner was half done and there was a single red rose from my Valentine. 

The kids played hard with cousins and were even anxious to go to bed and have Braxton read to them.

Jeff and I watched Pride and Prejudice (we had never seen it) that night when the kids went to bed. Actually, Jeff watched it and I fell asleep. It was a good, busy, happy day.

The day I woke up on a farm

 Last week these little friends came over to play chase chickens. 

Who needs a kitty when you have a big old cuddly bird? 

 This morning Jeff and I are sitting at the kitchen table, reading. It's 6:30am and we hear a screeching, "cock-a-doodle-dooooo." We laughed out loud. Jeff commented on how he knew that was coming because "Ruffy Fluffy" had been "getting fresh" with the girls out there. Apparently our used to be baby chicks have turned into hormonal, adolescent hens and roosters and lets just say there has been some quite ruffled tail feathers out back. 

Well, after listening to the morning wake up call over and over I told my farmer husband that it was essential for my adrenal health to deal with that bird. I was so worried that the neighbors were going to be woken up and upset. So, after a little wifey coercing out goes the farmer to find the young man out there causing all the trouble. 

 "Be a man Brax. Come on, be a man."

 "Braxton, hold onto it like a man," said the farmer. 

 Braxton impressed me with how calm he was. I think he's a natural.

 And so, Emmett's little chick, "Ruffy Fluffy" as he named him, was chicken dinner.

Emmett woke up right before Jeff started carrying out the dirty work. He talked to Emmett about what was going on and what we had to do and Emmett wasn't even phased. "What to use my bow and arrow?" he asked?

When Jeff removed the organs of the bird I was showing them to the boys. The heart, the lungs, the intestine. It was so fascinating to them. Sweet Emmett asks me, "Mom, where is his Spirit?" So sweet. Braxton answered before I could that the Spirit already went to Heaven.

Adelle woke up after the chicken was in the pot for soup. It's probably a good thing because the tears came when her brothers told her what had happened. What would we do without our little drama queen. She wasn't sad about Ruffy Fluffy she was sad for Emmett because it was his chicken. She was easily consoled after we talked about it.

And that, is the day I woke up on a farm.

Now get me out of this city! I like a good early morning cock a doodle-do!

(But for the record. I couldn't eat the chicken for dinner. After smelling it all day it just didn't sound good to me at all. So it's in the freezer.)

The middle of February

Since February is a short month it's basically half way over. Where does the time go? Well, this month this is where some of our time has gone:

 We started off the month cheering on the Seahawks with good friends and good food. Mike made is famous smoked pulled pork and paired with my mac & cheese and Jennie's fluff it was a hit. We painted all the kids' faces and had fun sporting green and blue attire. Go Hawks.

 A couple days after that I celebrated my 32nd birthday. Super great day! Jeff made one of my favorite meals; clam linguini and ceasar salad and it was so delicious! Even my two favorite treats; chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and homemade pie, were delivered by friends along with lots of nice cards, gifts and calls/texts. I love my birthday :)

Emmett painted my nails and did a darn good job at it. Adelle and he picked out the colors and while Adelle painted her own fingers, Emmett painted mine. 

We doubled with friends to dinner for double birthdays the day before that. Wade is 2 days older than me :)

                                                

 Gagey baby got his 3rd haircut. I went crazy this time as his hair is his new found napkin and constantly has food in it. His new haircut is so fitting to his personality too. He is such a boy. A funny, crazy boy. I love him so much.

I think so far Gage is the kid in our family who is most like his dad. They both think everything is a joke and are constantly instigating trouble. Gage is a total flirt and a stinker! When you want him, he runs the other direction and laughs like it's the funniest thing in the world. He is a show off.  He is a fit thrower and such a feisty little guy! It's fun to watch his personality blossom.

Emmett on the other hand has never gotten in trouble, really. He is very mild, cautious, patient and funny. His Sunday school teachers want to keep him. On Sunday they both told me how much they loved him. 

Emmett and I have been loving the sunny days we've been having. We go to soccer on Tuesdays and so on the off days we have been going to the school playground and practicing. Today I was trying to teach him how to do a cartwheel because I was getting a little bored with soccer. I don't remember a cartwheel being painful to the wrist. Funny.

We played with friends last weekend. It was a beautiful cold, crisp, clear day and my friend suggested meeting at the school to run and play. That lasted about 10 minutes. Too cold!! So the mom's got a run in and the dads and the kids piled in the car and came back to our house. We all at breakfast together and hung out. Perfect Saturday morning.

We were also issued a wall sit challenge from my brother. The rest of the month has been spent trying to beat his impressive record of 5 minutes and some odd seconds. Ha. Luckily I have nothing to prove so I am happy with my 2 minute 40 second time. Someone else in our family however is not so happy and apparently does have something to prove. 

These are my sprouted wheat berries that I am experimenting with making bread with. I have 5 times this much, more than I know what to do with. If all else fails my chickens will have some good sprouted grain to eat but I am hoping the bread works out because the sprouted bread I buy is so good but so expensive. Any tips on this are welcome!!