Blizzard Pictures

We are (Jonathan is) still digging out from our blizzard!  The snow started falling Friday morning around 8:00, and didn't stop until noon on Saturday.  We probably got about 32 inches total.  More snow than we've ever seen in one snowfall!  Jonathan spent 5 hours on Saturday doing the driveway.  He had to shovel the top layer of snow, and then he was able to snow blow the bottom layer.  Today he conquered the front stairs, the deck, and the gigantic mound at the end of the driveway.  No church today, since the plow guy couldn't make it through the 8-foot drift at the end of the driveway.  The boys are loving playing in the snow!

Our first view after opening the garage door.

The view from the garage, looking down the snow-covered driveway.  That tiny black thing is the mailbox!

Looking out the front door

Tunnel fun!

Shoveling the front steps.

Benjamin sitting on the front steps.

Sledding down our hill.  Paul wiped out and got a face full of snow three times before he decided to call it quits!

Update

I haven't taken any pictures recently, but we've been keeping busy.  Last Friday and Saturday, we were in the Catskills area of New York looking at a church where Jonathan has a call to be an associate pastor.  It was nice to visit and get a feel for the church and the people.  A lot to think and pray about...

Last Sunday we went to an indoor water park and hotel.  It was Jonathan's Christmas gift to the family. Benjamin loved it!  He went down the smaller water slides, played water basketball, and went on the lazy river.  Paul was a bit more hesitant about the whole experience.  It didn't help that he got dumped on by the giant bucket within five minutes of being in the pool.  He was okay with the lazy river, because he sat on my lap, and he liked just being in the pool and trying to swim.  Also, since the boy has no body fat, he was shivering almost the entire time!  Jonathan and I got to go down the big water slides a few times.  Benjamin has been taking swimming lessons, so he was excited to show off his swimming skills to Daddy.  Last week, Benjamin swam halfway across the pool at swimming lessons.  He was very proud of himself!

I'm going to start volunteering in Benjamin's class on Monday afternoons.  Yesterday was my first time.  Benjamin was so excited to have me there.  As I was working with his math group, he said, "Mom, you're being very encouraging!"

Both boys like school once they're there, but both would rather stay home and play.  Lately, Paul has had tears every school day morning.  He always says, "Mom, pick me up short."  His teachers say he seems to be fine at school, so I don't know what the tears are about.

Funny story about teaching Sunday school this past Sunday...We had a guest preacher, and his daughters came into my Sunday school class.  The first grader wanted to know why my husband was shorter than me.  Her older sister said, "Because that's the way God made him!"  It was the tone, like, you should know this kind of thing by now!  I said that his parents are short, too.  She was surprised that I had met his parents, and then thought I was pretty lucky for getting to go to Florida.  After a little time had past, she said, "You know, I think he's probably shorter than you because he doesn't eat as much as you do!"

Homework

One sheet of Benjamin's homework this week was about Martin Luther King Jr. and his "dream."  The assignment was to write a sentence about something you wished or dreamed.  I asked him what was something he wished for or wanted for everyone in the world.  His answer: 

Ice Skating

We tried out ice skating for the first time with the boys on Saturday.  Benjamin has been bringing it up ever since Jonathan and I went out ice skating by ourselves last winter.  We had no idea what to expect, but both boys did quite well for their first time, and they both really liked it and want to do it again.  It was nice that it was free, since we didn't know if we would even last five minutes.

There was a lot of this by Benjamin--maybe sometimes on purpose?

They both hugged the wall pretty tightly.

Christmas Crew #2

My family came to visit between Christmas and New Year's Eve.  At one point, we had 14 people staying in our 1000 square foot home!  It was crazy, but we all had a good time.  The cousins loved playing with each other!  The adults had a good time visiting, snacking, and playing games.

All the cousins (minus Baby Michael) playing in the toy room.

Something new for our house--playing princesses!

Listening to Grandma telling a Phoebe and Daisy story--with a few princesses sprinkled in!

Fun at Chuck E. Cheese!  The men took the kids there, while the women went shopping.

Jammies made by Grandma--Benjamin and Jonathan had matching ones.

Right before the mad chaos of gift opening!

James playing with the trucks in the snow.

Michael in his usual state--happy!

Grandpa and Michael

Christmas program rehearsal

Christmas company--First Round

Jonathan's parents and brother came for a visit this past weekend.  We packed a lot into only a few days.  Saturday we had rehearsal for the children's Christmas program at church, and then did it at a local nursing home.  We also cut down our tree, and Jonathan and I had the staff Christmas party that evening.  Sunday was the actual program at church, and then Lois and I attended a women's Christmas tea in the afternoon.  Monday we exchanged gifts and decorated the tree.  Tuesday we went to see a lights display up in Springfield, after going out for dinner.  We also found time to get a family picture taken, and the men decorated the outside of the house with lights.  Benjamin said next time everyone should stay until it's actually Christmas, because then we could see them longer!

Just my size!

Found the tree!

Playing on the iPhones.

Cardinals gear!

Decorating the tree

Impressive lights display!  We've been up to see it several times, and it never disappoints!

Gift from the church's early childhood center