Snow Day

Today turned out to be a very unusual Sunday. It snowed during the night and was snowing quite hard when we left for 8:30am church. We got sent home about half way through church because of all of the snow. Chad actually brought us home in the truck because I would not have been able to make it home and up our driveway with how much snow there was. Some people got stuck in the roads. The snow plows did come through our neighborhood to clear the road but it then made the bottom of our driveways worse! It was actually really neat because the entire neighborhood came out to shovel and everyone helped each other get their driveways and walks all cleared. It was just cool to see everyone work together and help each other until the job was done. The kids enjoyed an unusual chance to play in the snow on Sunday as the rest of the adults worked to shovel. Chad was quite tired by the time he got home because he went and helped a lot of other people in the ward. It didn't help that today was fast sunday and so he used up a lot of energy without any nourishiment.

This winter has been unique from any other in the 8.5 years we have lived here. We always get snow but the storm comes and then it melts over and over. This year the storms come and then another and another without any chance of it melting first. We have piles of snow everywhere as you can see in the pictures. It's just been a bit crazy. The kids love it though.

It's a little hard to see in this picture but the boy is standing by the 3 foot fence that divides our yard from our neighbors. You can only see like the top 6 inches because it is covered by snow that has accumulated after all of the storms we have gotten and not melted.

Sweet Spencer

As silly as Spencer is, he is also very sweet. The last month he has been really cute at times. At very random times he will stop whatever he is doing and look at me and tell me "I love you Mommy!" His little facial expression is so cute and of course melts your heart. Just the other night as I was trying to get him to hold still to go to sleep, he stops in the middle of singing Eensy Weensy Spider and says "You are the best mommy ever!" and then proceeded to finish singing like he had never stopped. He is definitely a mama's boy (to the extreme as he won't let Chad do hardly anything for him ever!) He loves to cuddle and hold my hand and give me little hugs all of the time. If only he was so sweet all of the time. Of course if he was, I probably wouldn't appreciate it as much when he is!

Silly Spencer

Spencer is always cracking me up. I guess he just wants to big like his big sister. Since I am always doing stuff with Hannah's hair, he wants to be part of it too. I knew that it was time for a haircut when I could actually put a ponytail in his hair. I won't worry unless he is 12 and still wants to do stuff like this!

Snowshoeing

One New Year's day we went snowshoeing. This has actually been a tradition since before Hannah was born and we've only missed like one year that I can remember.

We just bought snowshoes for Hannah and so this is her first year to snowshoe on her own. She actually did really well and was a real trooper. There was a lot of snow up the canyon and in some places we sunk in like 12 inches of powder. Hannah wouldn't have had any trouble if we had brought a walking stick for her to help her keep her balance a bit better. We were proud of her and she enjoyed it.

Chad got extra exercise packing Spencer who is getting a little big for the pack. He really wanted to get down and walk but in some places he would have sunk up to his chest at least in snow.

We let the kids go sledding after we hiked a bit. The kids love to sled and just be out in the snow. It is hard to keep them out of the snow anytime we are outside for any reason. Somehow over the years, I have lost my enthusiasm for playing in the snow. Spencer has no fear and runs and jumps on the sled to go face down the hill. He is crazy!

Chad had a little trouble with his balance too!

Old enough to shave?

Spencer and Hannah have become fascinated with Chad shaving lately. They wanted to try it out one day so Chad let them put shaving cream on their faces. Of course, we didn't let them use the razor!