Surviving the winter

On this Valentines Day, I have lots of warm, fuzzy feelings for my hard-working husband and the best four decisions we ever made.

A couple weeks ago, Brynlie had the opportunity to perform a hip-hop dance at the Globetrotters game in St. Joseph, Missouri.  We pulled the kids out of school early to drive to St. Joe and eat alligator before the game.  We honestly ate alligator.  Every single child loved it so much that we had to order more!

Before the game started, the basketball players met with some of the kids on the court.  This guy helped Logan spin a ball on his finger.  You can see me in the background taking a picture with my cell phone, while Ryan took this picture with the good camera.

Brynlie's dance group performed before the game.  She is pictured at the far left in the baggy black pants.

The game was so fun to watch!  Our kids didn't know what to expect at a Globetrotters game, so they were pleasantly surprised!  This is the "game winning" shot - check out how high that guy jumped!

Brynlie shined like a star in her first dance competition!  She looked gorgeous and danced beautifully.  We were so proud as we watched our amazing daughter perform!  She has 3 more competitions this season, but she and Siara (her dance partner) already received a gold medal at their first competition!

Brynlie and Siara, pictured with their AWESOME dance coach, Clair.  Did I mention she is awesome?  She is the perfect coach for Brynlie's personality.  Also, Siara is one of the sweetest girls Bryn has ever known and they've quickly become great friends.  I can't state enough how grateful I am for these girls, because they've helped my daughter feel loved, challenged, and important!  Last summer Bryn was quite stressed about her decision to switch dance studios (check out THIS post).  After much prayer, pondering, charting, weeping and praying some more, she felt really good about her decision to join The Studio Liberty Dance and Glee.  I wasn't so sure, but thought this would be a good learning experience if it did not go well.  Boy was I wrong, and I'm grateful for my daughter's earnest desire to ask Heavenly Father for guidance.  She spoke about the clear answer she received from the Holy Ghost a couple weeks later when she bore her testimony in Sacrament meeting.  The teachers are perfect.  The costumes are modest.  The dance styles are appropriate.  She has been pushed and motivated to become far better than she ever was before.  She is excited, happy and confident.  The coaches have even been very supportive about Bryn's decision not to participate in Sunday competitions/parties/practices.

Last week was Snowpocalypse Twenty-Fourteen.  It snowed and snowed and snowed.  Then it got frigid.  Don't let that blue sky fool you - the air was so cold it hurt!  It didn't stop Logan from making himself a bed on the back porch.

Bella briefly considered venturing out before realizing the snow piles could bury her.  Parker is in the background, helping Logan create some snow mischief.

School was cancelled for 4 days due to the storm.  Here's how those snowy days went:

Snow Day #1:  Hurray!!  Fireplace, snuggly blankets, hot chocolate all day, being lazy in pajamas, watching movies.

Snow Day #2:  Kids watch TV because I still had homework to do (my online teachers didn't seem to care that it was snowing in Missouri), play some games, get together with neighborhood friends, begin trashing the house while I am busy.

Snow Day #3:  "Yes, I know you need attention, but I HAVE to do some school work," kitchen is a disaster, kids argue with each other, Bella poops in the house because it's too dang cold outside, we run out of hot chocolate mix (a travesty).

Snow Day #4:  Are you freakin' kidding me?  The roads are clear enough - these kids need to go to school!  I scowl and start barking out commands while the kids grumble about having to clean the house on a day off school, Ryan gets home from a business trip and wonders why I'm so grumpy, I lock myself in the bathroom at least 5 times for a break from the chaos, the kids are quarantined to separate areas of the house so they don't kill each other, I rip open an old bag of chocolate chips in a desperate attempt to stay sane.

Then the weekend came, and life slowly started returning to normal.  The stores were open again.  Logan's basketball game went on as scheduled.  Brevan asked to hang out with a friend.  Lindsey attended a birthday party.

Ahhh.  Sanity restored.

Cabin Fever can really bring out the worst in everyone!

These boys were heading down to the basement to watch a movie on Sunday night when I busted up laughing.  They hadn't purposely worn their Superhero attire, but they looked like they were off to fight crime!  We take our Sunday relaxation very seriously.

I had a birthday.  Lindsey worked hard to decorate the house with homemade signs.  She stapled 37 rings together for the banner.  I started wondering how many years I have before the rings drag on the floor while hanging.

I pulled Brynlie out of school to go on a birthday lunch date with me.  We took our time eating, then both ordered the biggest deserts on the menu.  Lindsey was sick at home with bronchitis/asthma/pneumonia issues.  Her poor lungs just can't handle wintertime very well.

Christine made a special delivery to me!  It was the best bouquet I've ever received!  She knows me so well.

That evening, we decided to have the kids skip out on some of their activities so we could go to dinner as a family.  When Napiers heard we were going to a Japanese restaurant, they decided to join us.  It was a fun evening, and I felt properly celebrated on my birthday!

I had to blow out the candle on my fried rice before the chef began making our main dish.  Later on, I was served a piece of cheesecake with a lit candle also.

The kids took turns trying to catch a shrimp in midair.  Parker was the only one who succeeded!

The chef made me close my eyes so I could catch a piece of cake in midair!

Ryan and Brevan had plane tickets to Washington DC yesterday morning.  I took this picture of them as they were leaving the house for the airport.  They came walking back in the door a couple hours later after being turned away. A storm hit the east coast so hard that their flight was cancelled.  And then the next flight was cancelled.  And then the earliest they could leave was today.  And then the whole airport shut down and they can't leave until tomorrow.  What a bummer!  They are headed out so Brevan can participate in a convention for the future physicians of the world.  They will be trying out the latest technological advances in the medical field, and Brevan will even have the opportunity to help perform live surgeries.  What an amazing opportunity!  I will write a post about the experience once they actually get to DC.