~Record Player - Yes, a Record Player~

I’ve been bothering my dad to get out his record player for a while now. I have always kind of thought records were cool. Well Mom came up with the idea to decorate my bedroom walls with them. (Of course, we still have to finish my bed room.) The plan is to gather some records and their covers and then place them all over the wall.

Finally I convinced Dad to get the record player out and then set it up. We haven’t had it out since we moved from Chevington Village in Pickerington 5 or 6 years ago. It’s kind of old and the volume button is all messed up, but it still works.

Working on the wiring. . .

Whoo Hoo!  Punches on his man card! lol

=)

~Ugh. . .More Snow~

Yeah, so snow is pretty. But what happens if it all starts to pile up, cause problems, and won't go away?? Then it's not so pretty, but just annoying. Well, that's the path we're about to travel down all the way up here in North Dakota. The snow is blowing like crazy right now. When the snow is coming down in giant flakes from the sky, it looks so gorgeous floating down, right? Well when it's coming down from the dark, gloomy sky as small slivers (not to mention blowing profusely) it's not as pretty a sight.

Staring out the back door, I am watching the snow float, glide, and shoot down from the top of the earth. The visibility is not very good at all. There is no end to the grey that is covering us right now. The sun is no where to be found. . .just gloomy bleck. The day seems to be just dragging along, never ending. The wind is blowing the trees to and fro.

We are due for 6-10 inches and I am not looking forward to it. Kind of glad that Mom and I went shopping at Sam’s Club yesterday and stocked up on food. (We were seriously low and if we would have gotten snowed in we’d be living off of tree bark and ice. Ok, that’s a bit of an exaggeration.)

Though we went out yesterday, and the conditions weren’t snowy like today’s, it was still icy. Leaving our ‘neighborhood’ we had to stop at the end of the road to let a car pass. Well, the road isn’t flat; it’s at a slight angle. When the car had passed us and we went to turn out onto the road, we were stuck on ice!!! Mom was accelerating and the back of the car was swaying back and forth. She finally had to put it in reverse, and start back up the hill. We got out fine, but the roads were icy in Lincoln; or slushy gunk all over the downtown roads of Bismarck.

The other part that sucks about the snow out here is the fact that it is the light powdery stuff. Doesn’t sound that bad does it? Well, it’s not to an extent. With the high winds around here, all the powdery crap we call snow blows around and drifts. You all saw the snow drift in front of our house. Well, there are some that end up piling up on the roads and against the doors. See my point on how light powdery snow + 20plus mph winds = BAD CONDITIONS??

Along with listening to the wind blow against the house, the snow hitting the windows and such, we are also stuck listening to our dog. She’s made a habit of spending her days out on the back patio. Well, when the snow is coming down – and she is an indoor dog – we don’t let her out because we don’t want the smell of ‘wet dog’ in our house. She literally has been walking up to the glass door, pushing her head against it and wining so annoyingly that I’m even yelling at her. If that doesn’t work – which it usually doesn’t – she goes and sits in front of the front door even if she doesn’t have to go to the bathroom. She just wants to go outside! Then, because we know she just wants to be a pain and to just go outside, we make her go lay down somewhere else. She then will follow us around and guess what she does along with the constant shadowing. . .she wines. {Sigh} I know she doesn’t understand the weather or the fact that the temperature is cold no matter what time she goes outside, but couldn’t she cut us a little break? Luckily she’s lazy and sleeps most of the time, but when she’s awake. . .oh boy.

I think I’m done going on about the weather and what’s been happening. I hope I didn’t bore you. At least the nice thing about it being typed out, you don’t have to choose to read it all. You can just pick and choose which ramblings you want to read. Whereas, if I were talking to you, you’d have no choice but to sit it out and wait for me to finish.

=)

~Latch Hook Projects~

These are our latch hook projects.  Kenzie got a latch hook project kit for Christmas.  Her's is on the right.  The monkey.  Well, mine is on the left.  It has the pattern on the canvas, but I am barely done with the left side.  I've been working on mine since I was around 6 years old or so, and Kenzie started her's yesterday.  I liked doing mine for a little, but would usually end up going to read or do something else.  Kenzie on the other hand is the craftier of the two of us and has been doing it non stop since she woke up today.  She had two or three rows done yesterday and as of today she is almost half way done. 

You can definitely tell it's a head!

Atleast for me I (if I do it any more) have a pattern to color code on. Kenzie has to count all her's out, but atleast she can read the pattern well. 

Once Kenzie's finished with her pillow I'll put pictures up.

=)

~First Time Sledding~

OK, so we were really excited because this past Sunday we got to go sledding for the first time.  Yes, we have lived in Colorado, and yes we have seen snow, but no we have never been sledding.  It was SO MUCH FUN!

Zack was the first one down and Dad decided to go down with him.  Father-son sledding.

Then Kenzie wanted to go down with Dad.

Kenz and I went down together.  Can you see Zack right behind Kenzie?  The sled I'm bringing up was a church family's sled.  And the one Zack's holding is our sled.

Snowboarding and Sledding. . .

Kenz and I did the snowboarding thing. ha ha ha.  I need to get better at it.

I raced one of the girls from First Lutheran. (Nicole)  I can't really remember who won.

AND WE"RE OFF! ha ha ha

Then we had the race of the dads.  Nicole's dad is on the left and my dad is in the Cowboy's jersey.  (Let's just say he wasn't too happy about that game lol)

On your mark, get set. . .

GOOOOOOOOOO!

Yeah, my dad lost. lol

We had so much fun sledding with everyone and just sledding in general!

Can't wait to do it again!!!

=)

~The Early Bird Gets the Worm~

Everyone knows the saying: 'The early bird getsthe worm' right?  Well, these birds are really early.  And, I think they'll be waiting for the worm for a while.  I don't know how soon they'll be able to peck their tiny beaks into this frozen ground.  Hang in there, little fellows!  Spring will be here before you know it.

OK, so yeah, that's my boot.  Well, I wanted to go out into the back feild and take some pics.  (Since I haven't been able to take any yet, and I've been wanting to).  So, I started over the fence.  Let's just say I didn't realize how much snow was still piled up...

Yes, my boot is stuck in the snow.  And, my boot is kinda tall.  I'll just say this:  I have yet to be out into the back feild to get some more pics.  Ugh.  MELT, my Dear Snow!  MELT!!!

=)

~No Coats and Hanging in the Snow~

Yup, Zack and Kenzie are playing in the snow with no coats on.  The weather, as I'm typing this, is 50*.  Yes, that is 50* ABOVE zero!

They were having fun sledding down the hill.  What is nice is our actual hill has no snow left on it, but the foot or so snow drift next to the area where we were sledding has packed and they could sled down that.

'Ha ha! I have the sled and you're on the ground'.  lol

I was skateboarding on the driveway, and Zack came around the corner threatening me with a snowball.  Let's just say I made it clear that I was NOT dressed for a snowball fight!

Yay...I got to skateboard.  IN SHORTS!  YAY!  ha ha ha

What one will do for a run-away-sled.

The end result.

We had tons of fun hanging out outside without feezing ourtails off.  I just can't wait until all the snow is gone and I can be outside more often.

=)

~Singing and Fun Time~

Tonight we had Children's Choir once again.  This time however, we were at the church for an hour.  Everyone loved having the half an hour activity time after the half an hour practice.  We started a new song we're going to sing in February.  We went through the song about 7 or so times and even after one rehearsal they're doing a marvelous job.

Having fun after practice. . .

Kenzie and one of the other girls played Princess Monopoly Jr.

While the boys played Dinosaur Monopoly Jr.

(Let's just say that none of them like the Junior version.  They want the real thing.  I don't think they can play a true Monopoly game in half an hour, though)

YAY!  I got to put stickers on the Monoply dice!!!  FUN! ha ha ha  =)

So while the boys were playing Monopoly on the front side of the altar, the two other girls decided to play Yatzee on the other side.  I thought that was just too funny.

I think everyone had fun (especially after the rehearsal. lol) and I hope they enjoy every time they come for practice.  We just need to get them to stay settled down and focused when we're practicing. 

Wish us luck.

=)

~Random Ramblings~

I thought I could put up a post a tell everyone what's been going on lately.

To start off with, I am super excited about the weather today! The wind might be blowing, but air temp is 32* almost above freezing! The weather has been so drastically cold, every time I would walk down our not-too-long, but not-too-short driveway to get the mail, if I would inhale through my mouth it would instantly make me cough. The air has been (and is in general) so dry out here! Even my ears would be hurting by the time I got back inside, AND I would be wearing a hat that covers my ears! It has been insane so far, dealing with the already negative air temps and then adding 10-30 or so mph winds along with them!

It is cool to see the snow drift (or just plain glide) across our back field.  The snow drift in front of our front window keeps growing.  According to the Weather Channel, we are due for PM snow showers, and it could also bring sleet with it.  Joy...NOT!

Leaving the weather. . .

Some of you may know, but I started a children's choir at our church the first week of Advent.  We had been having choir practice before the 7 o'clock services.  This is my first time directing a choir (even though the kids are between the ages of 8 & 12) but I was still kind of hoping that someone could help me out.  Well, after directing the kids the whole 4 weeks of Advent, we took Christmas and such off and are starting back up this coming Wendesday. 

When my Grandma Karen (and Grandpa Doug) came out in November, she and I went to the church and recorded about 7 songs on tape.  Yes, I can play the piano, but the choir songs are a little more complicated, so I asked her if she could help me record some songs so we'd at least have music to practice and perform to.  (I will eventually figure out all the sheet music and will be able to play the piano with the kids...Eventually.)  Now that we have passed Advent a Christmas, I'm down to 1 song to go along with the church calendar.  All the other songs are just whenever, but I want to be able to have them sing a song each month that corresponds with the church calendar.  Thankfully, one of the high schoolers at our church has a choir background, and come to find out she alsos does a little piano and she does guitar!  I am way more relaxed now that she can help out with the choir and the music.  She and I can even play our guitars along with the kids, so then we don't have to deal with the tape player.

After calling all the families last week, we have decided to do choir on Wednesday nights.  Well, there are only 8 kids in the choir, and I hope to eventually get more in.

To make it fun, and since all the families except one have older kids in confirmation that same night, we are having practice from 7 o'clock to 7:30pm, and then from 7:30pm to 8 o'clock we are having activity time.  Hoping everything works out.

I am also super excited because I get to sing in a homeschool choir.  YAY!  That starts February 3rd, and it is on Wednesdays from 3-4 o'clock.  My Wednesdays are about to be filled with singing. lol. . .

Well I think that's all for now.  Keep checking back for more.

=) 

~Friendship~

Today I got a package from a friend back home.  I had sent her a scarf and some bookmarks I made for her bday, and some other little things for exmas. 

Well, she said that I should be getting something soon.

Today I got it.  Great gifts from a great friend!

She made me a hat.  I'm not sure how she made it, so when I call her later I'll have to ask her.  Let's just say this:  She made my scarf look like nothing!  Great Job, Holly!

She even got me a watch! Thank you!

Thanks, Holly!

=)

~Photography?~

Well, I decided to mess around with the camera.  Here are some pics.

I thought they looked neat.  This is inside our front window...

OK, then we made home-made pizzas tonight for dinner.   We had to cool the sauce off before, so.....

we stuck it outside!  The air temp was around -20 or so degrees and the thing was so hot that even after around 20 minutes it was still steaming!

Now, I know this pic isn't something that would probably truly happen, but...

I still thought it looked sweet.

As you can tell, the pic is blurry.  Well, the moon looks like a heart and I love it!

(get it?  heart? love? never mind)

=)

~Darn Snow~

More darn snow... Actually, more darn snow and then drifting.

Oh darn...

Chloe decided to go outside and lay down IN the snow!  CRAZY DOG!!!!!  The other half of the porch (not shown lol) is NOT covered in snow!  She decided to lay in the half WITH the snow.

I guess that's what we get for getting a snow dog.

(We did make her come right in after I got the pic and Mom realized she indeed DID lay in the snow!)

Dad got to go out and shovel again.  I thought this picture looks neat with the pointsettas (spelling?), the lamp, and the candle warmer in the front.

 

{Giggles} He looks like a tiny elf coming out of a pot of some sort. lol

=)

~January 6th~

Today is "Cuddle-Up Day"...  Don't touch me.

=)

~Kenzie and her Earrings!~

YAY!!!  Kenzie FINALLY decided to take out her earring studs and put in dangling earrings.  I have been trying to convince her to take them out and put some other earrings in, but she never would.  Well, I told her I would make her a pair of earrings if she would just take out her studs and wear them.  Well, finally I convinced her to take them out and now she has two extra pair of earrings (that I made for her) to wear.  She said her ears feel better and she is way more comfortable about changing them out now.

WAY TO GO, KENZIE!

Modeling the new danglies...

=)

~A Day of Relaxation~

Well, we are taking a calm and relaxing day, just hanging out and not leaving the house. 

Hanging out on the couch and watching TV.  (Mom and Dad are actually lounging around on them right now.  Dad's watching football while Mom is resting. Dad will probably fall asleep too...)

Zack and Kenzie are down playing the Wii.

Yesterday Zack decided to clean up the Wii area and orgainize it a little more.  He put the straw umbrella in the bed post, hung the GH guitars on the wall, and cleaned up the floor.  His drums are there too.  I couldn't get the picture with the umbrella unless the drums were in it too.

I decided to hang out with my puppy dog for a little bit.  Yes, she is on my body, on my bed.  It really hurts when my 120lb Saint Bernard -who thinks she's a lap dog- decides to come plop down on me on my bed while I'm listening to my iPod.

Then I just couldn't take being under much more, and she decided to take a 20 minute nap on my bed.  She has only had one dog bed -when she was little- and once she out grew that one we never could find her a reasonably priced dog bed for her to lay on.  I think she's liking the fact that she can get on a twin sized bed right now and sleep.  She doesn't get up on it unless I give her permission, but she doesn't get off when I want  her to.

I think today is a perfect day to doze off since according to Oriental Trading's calendar it is Festival of Sleep day.

=)