Recap of a long weekend

This past Saturday we went to our first hockey game. I received free tickets from my work so we decided to go since I have never been and either had Griffin. I invited a few friends too so they could enjoy in the fun. I was shocked when the first thing at the hockey game was a fist fight rather than the puck being dropped. They allow them to fight until someone is on the ice. Wow! Of course the boys thought that was the coolest thing ever let's just hope they don't practice this at home. The game was pretty good even though the Rivermen lost. Here are the boys with their best friend, Tyler Curl.

On Sunday, the boys and I went to church. Of course the first thing Gavin tells Papa 4 wheeler in church loudly that at the hockey game they fight with their fist and it was cool. Ugh! After church, Gavin and Kerry headed to Papa Hurt Leg's house to watch the Nascar race. Since we got home late on Saturday night, Griffin was rather grouchy so he was in desperate need of a nap so I offered to stay home. It was nice to have a little relaxation. The boys have extreme spring fever and are very ready to play outside. They entertained themselves while supper cooked by playing "rodeo". Gavin is the bull while Griffin is the cowboy. H.i.l.a.r.i.o.u.s!!

They are both about the same size so it is rather humerous but Gavin does manage to buck Griffin off. Gavin doesn't like to be the cowboy at all.

Then I made a chart for Gavin and some color cards for Griffin to work on on Monday (today). Everyday first thing when we step inside the house after work, Gavin is asking to play the Wii or the Dsi. Both are great but at the same time they can be bad too. So instead of Gavin asking everyday to play it and then crying when he has to get off, I made a reward chart. He has to make his bed and get dressed in the morning without whinning which in turn allows him 15 minutes for whatever he wants. If he would like to play longer then he needs to set the table at night. I added the please and thank you because at times he forgets. So that will earn him more time if he says it all day long. We will see how it goes. He did really well today and earned some time and then he ended up wanting to play with Griffin or his toys rather then finish his time out. I didn't anticipate doing it with Griffin at all but it just so happen that Griffin told me he made his bed so the chart works for both.

When I have the day off, I really try to work on something educational for the boys. I don't always have the time after work to do it so I figured today would have a great day to do so. Griffin is a lot different than Gavin in learning. Gavin wanted to learn where as Griffin isn't that interested in it. Griffin struggles with his colors so I thought I would work on it with him. I made these cards below.

I put the names on them so Gavin would look at the word and hopefully recognize it. Two for one deal, Griffin learns his colors and Gavin learns how to read the words. Anyways, I had a set of these cards and then he has a set of the cards. When I named a card color, he would have to hold it up. I think he is getting his colors now but we have a long way to go. I also made him go around the house and bring me things of the colored that I called out. He thought it was fun for a very short while and then he was done playing with Mommy. Gavin and I also worked on recognizing the letters of the alphabet. He does this in school so I thought I would enforce it at home too. He did so well.

Valentine's Day Project

Gavin had two Valentine's Day project to do so I worked on one of them with him and Kerry worked on the other with him. We had to make Valentine's Day cards for all the kids (20)in his class-writing his name and their name on all of them. We did it in a two day session so that he didn't get tired. He wrote his name and their names very well but it was a lot of work for him. I was so impressed. The second project was to make a box to put the Valentine's cards in so Daddy and Gavin worked on it and they did awesome. They took a box put construction paper on all of the sides and then glue hearts on the box.

Cutting out hearts with "special" scissors.

We put glitter on the hearts too. He put his name on the box and it made for a great finishing touch. TA DA!!!

Sledding

We took the boys sledding down Timber Ridge for the first time ever. Words can not describe how much fun we had. We invited Gavin's best friend's family, the Curls, to join us and that only added to the fun. I thought I would start with a picture of Kerry and I going down. I think the pictures says a lot. We are having a blast, Gavin can't wait for his turn, and Griffin thinking, "My parents are kind of crazy.".

Griffin went down with Daddy the first time and he just wasn't sure he really liked it so he went back in the van for a short while. This is a picture of them climbing back up the hill after their first ride. Super sweet.

Gavin went with Daddy and loved it from the beginning.

After a short while, Gavin thought it would be alright for him to go on his own. He did awesome. I love this picture of him with his HUGE smile which just says it all. He couldn't wait to get back up the hill so that he could go back down.

Tyler, Katy, Gavin, and varies of other adults raced down the hill all day long. Because you can't do anything unless you "RACE." It was so much fun.

Later, I tricked Griffin and just had Kerry set him on my lap and I took off down the hill with him. He LOVED it. He couldn't wait to get up the hill to go back down it again too. Then he wanted to go on his own but it was without anything and on his belly down the hill. I love this picture of him.

After Griffin went down on his belly he would help the other kids with their sleds by pulling their sled back up. The hill was quite the work out for the adults and kids both. Wow!!

Toward the end of our time there, Griffin went down on his own just like you see in the picture on his back not seeing anything in front of him. He thought it was funny.

This is Gavin going down on the tube. It was the funniest thing to go down on because it was so fast. Gavin even went down head first once. Oh man, we had a ton of laughs.

This is a video of Griffin and I going down for the first time with Mommy. You can't really see him very well but it works.

I feel like I say it all of the on here but we had so much fun today. I love our family and friends. No tears were shed and tons of laughing was done. Tonight right before bed I asked the boys what their favorite part of today was and they said "GOING SLEDDING!". Oh man, am I sore but it was a total blast.

Blizzard of 2011

I'm one of those crazy people that loves snow, loves blizzards, loves playing in the snow, and loves everything about snow. Don't get me wrong I love to be warm and hot but there is something about the snow coming down and getting up in the morning to find out how much has fallen or even listening to it come down and be caught in our home with my three handsome boys... So I was thrilled when the storm came upon us knowing what was in store for Kerry, my boys, and I the next day, tons of family fun. Side note: I love this all when I know that everyone is home safe and sound, it is no fun worrying about if someone is stuck in a ditch or can't make it home or worse. Anyways, this is what we woke up to the next morning-a view of our neighbors house from our window.

Our swing set covered and up all most to the swing seats...

My boys are getting sick of me taking pictures but we all bundled up and headed outside to play in the snow.

This was a huge drift on our side yard. I ended carrying Griffin because it was just too deep for him to make it through.

Our dog loves snow, he eats it and loves to be tackled in it. The boys thought it was funny to throw snow at him and Murphy would run in circles around them. Awesome time!

Our hill made out of our stairs...

This is a street view and see how tall the snow is compared to the boys. Yes I know there is a curb but still it is something to remember. You never know if you will ever see a snow like this again. I sure hope so :)

Griffin did take a while to "warm" up to the snow and like it. I think the point he started to like it was when he threw snow in my face and I screamed because it was so cold. He thought that was funny.

Gavin is like me and would stay out in it until it melts. We were having a ball.

After we played in the snow, I sent the boys in to warm up which doesn't take long when you can sit by a radiator. I helped Kerry shovel and I snowblowed, for the first time. I blew a lot of the snow back in my face which was cold until I learned how to turn the shooter thing. I made lunch for us all with hot chocolate because there isn't a snow day without hot coco. We played inside together, worked on Valentine's cards, had a really good family supper, made cookies, and ended the day with exhausted adults and boys. I am so thankful for our unexpected time together plus we made great memories. It was such a blessing. This weekend I am hoping to sled "the hill" aka Timber Ridge with the boys. I'm so excited. I'm hoping to video both of them going down with me. I think they will love it.

Griffin multitasking

Griffin can multitask just like his mother. He was talking to Papa 4 wheeler in this picture and helping Mommy make supper. He loves to get on the counter and help me out but this particular night, he also wanted to chat with his Papa. Crack me up...

Rodeo

A couple of weeks ago, Papa 4 wheeler and Mama Kathy treated us to a trip to the Civic Center for the rodeo. They boys love to watch bull riding at their home so they thought they would enjoy it. And they were right, the boys loved it! Each of them got a free straw hat. Gavin's favorite part of the show was the riders getting bucked off and Griffin loved the horse riders. It was a great time had by all.