Painting in the tub!

Jake had the great idea of letting the boys paint in the bathtub. It was fun, messy, and picture worthy!

Hehe! We thought we were funny!

Zachary did not enjoy Aidan painting on his tummy!

Wrestling!

Jake wrestled with the boys this morning. It was the superheros against Daddy. Zachary started off by watching.

"Is he serious, Mommy?"

This was their pirate ship. I was told they are now superhero/pirates. It did not take long for Zachary to jump overboard!

Look at those moves...he is serious!

I think Jake unfairly has Aidan's arm in this one!

Jake was down...the boys had to fix him. Here, Aidan is listening for his heartbeat.

Watching the action from the safe spot!

Calling it truce!

Zachary was up for this!

Jake even got in a couple of push ups!

Third annual snow on Jake's birthday!

This is the 3rd year that Jake has had a big snow/ice thing on his birthday. His birthday is tomorrow but I am assuming he is going to be home. Buses cannot drive on that street! We were fully prepared for a power outage like last year and our lights did not even flicker! I liked being ready though because I felt like we were not ready last year.

It took a while to dig the car out of the snow and ice!

Adorable kid in a hat and boots!

We went sledding down the driveway!

The snow was very powdery so making a snowman was next to impossible, but we sure gave it a solid effort!

We even tried packing snow it buckets to make a "bucket snowman" but that did not work either. Luckily, the kids did not care and Aidan still calls it a snowman even though it is really a small hill of snow without a face!

Stir crazy

Jake created a track indoors with our outside toys. The boys thought that was pretty fabulous!

Amaryllis; part two

After all of Jake's talking to and fertilizing the amaryllis, it finally bloomed! Maybe now we should name it!

Warm enough to play outside in January!

January actually warmed up enough to go outside and play!

I know it looks like he is concerned, but he is actually saying, "cheese!"

McCall send off

We went to Springfield for the Texas sized send off. Randy, Kathryn, and Paige have now moved to Houston, Texas!

My newest projects

After Christmas I needed to make a new tablecloth. I was so excited when I found this pattern because it matches the painting I have that my friend Lindsey Kelley made. http://www.lindseykelleyart.blogspot.com
Are the birds cute and springy?! Can you tell I am ready for the warmer weather already?!

Jake and I made this board to display our Christmas cards this year. We never knew what to do with them. We love looking at our friends and family! The best part is that I had a matching tablecloth (of course) in the kitchen!

Amaryllis

My parents gave us a lovely amaryllis plant for Thanksgiving. We promptly planted the bulb and have been diligent at giving our plant light, water, and love. The only thing it is doing is growing taller and taller and taller. Jake is getting rather frustrated at the plant for not blooming (even yelling at the poor thing occasionally). He even went as far as to feed the plant with fertilizer today that is advertised to encourage blooms. Hopefully, for everyone's sake, the plant will bloom soon. I will be sure to post a picture of the flower (should be red)!

Stir crazy

As many know, we have been snowed in for nearly a week. Actually, that is not true...school has been called off for a week but it is too cold to go anywhere! Jake set up the camping tent in the living room for the boys while I was at work on Tuesday. They had fun with it all day long!
Toothless Aidan

Jake even attempted naptime in the tent. I told him he was crazy! Well, Zachary actually fell asleep in the tent after the 101th time of Jake telling him to sit down and stop running circles around the inside of the tent! Aidan never did fall asleep, but that is becoming more of a habit lately. :(

Winter wonderland

We had 2-3 inches (I am a bad estimator of this) of snow fall last night! We went to church in the morning. Zachary wore his beautiful green sweater than my mom MADE him for Christmas.
This is how we let Aidan go to church. It was a battle I was not willing to fight!

After church we bundled the boys up to play in the snow. You see the thrill in their faces to dress for the weather! They quickly perked up when they got outside.

Aidan shoveling our grass!

Zachary was fine with his mittens as long as he could still hold a football!

Creative or what?!

In the afternoon we went over to the Longings' house to play. This is Aidan and Ethan having a snowball fight.

Jake and Avery

Zachary telling me he was cold.

Audrey feeding snow to Zachary

Jake getting attacked in a snowball fight. I think it was him against all of the children.