Spring Break

We're spending Spring Break at the cabin this year so we can get just a little more skiing in before the snow is gone.  We invited some friends, the Durbins, up for the weekend which made the boys very happy.  The Durbins have a son, Tyler, that is the same age as Ryan and Brandon.  It's definitely fun when you get to ski/snowboard with your friends!! 

Here are a few pictures of our skiing  and snowmobiling adventures this year:

 Mommy and Brooklyn watching Ryan and Brandon snowmobile on the lake.

 

 Brooklyn and Ryan

 

 Brandon taking me on a snowmobile ride.....

 

 

The boys and I at Tamarack

Here are also a few skiing videos of the boys. . .they are kind of hard to watch since Nate is videotaping some of them while he's skiing, but they are fun :)

Well, the videos didn't want to load today so I'll try uploading them later. . .

Spring

Spring Break is just around the corner and I think we're about ready to move ahead to warmer days. 

Tonight the boys took me to their Book Fair/Art Walk night at school.  Each class is in charge of putting together an Art Display based on a famous artist's work.  The boys' class focused on Vincent Van Gogh and Ryan and Brandon's art turned out fantastic.  I was able to purchase their masterpieces for $.50 per piece.  What a steal!! 

The boys each got to choose one book from the Book Fair.  Ryan is REALLY into The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books right now.  He's read four of the books and his goal is to read them all.  Brandon has been reading Big Nate books, but since the Book Fair only sold the book Brandon already has, he chose a How to Train Your Dragon Book instead. 

We also got an e-mail this evening that Baseball will be starting next week.  I guess it is time to starting look forward to Spring :)

 

Winter

We spent A LOT of time at the cabin this winter.  It has been so much fun having a place to go for winter activities.  The boys have become AMAZING skiers. . .they are so fast and the poor kids have to wait for their mom to catch up with them.  It has helped that they've been skiing with Nate at Tamarack almost every other weekend. 

We also went to the sledding hill, built snowforts, rode snowmobiles, went to the McCall Winter Carnival, and hosted several families at the cabin throughout the months of January and February and March.

 Brooklyn LOVES her 4-wheeler rides

 

 Sledding

 

Brookie was very sad she couldn't sled this year. . .we couldn't get her out of the tube :)



 McCall Winter Carnival

 

 Another cool sculpture. . .the kids were able to walk inside this one.

 

 

 

 Nice Jump, Bran!!

 

 Ryan's Jump. . .

 

 Brandon

 

 Ryan

 

 Ryan and Brandon's snow fort

 

Brooklyn at 18 months. . .

Well, we've made it through some big milestones and our Brooklyn just keeps on getting cuter and cuter. . .

 

What's new with our "baby"?

 

• She's walking/running places
• She's just getting her last top right incisor tooth
• Brooklyn LOVES reading stories
• Her attention span is non-existent
• She's VERY busy and does not sit and play with anything for any amount of time
• If it was up to Brooklyn, she'd be outside ALL the time
• She's still not a great eater, but is growing by leaps and bounds in spite of her food pickiness
• Brooklyn is going to be a big girl. . .Right now she's in the 93% for height and the 80% for weight
• I'm desperately hoping that my baby girl starts talking more (AND SOON!!).  She does A LOT of grunting still which is very frustrating to listen to all day and I'm sure it's frustrating for her since she can't communicate exactly what she wants.  She is saying, "Mom, Dad, Whas At (translation What's That), more, eat, and up."  Her doctor said I shouldn't start freaking out yet (but I am anyway).
• Brooklyn can make a dog, cat, lion, and snake noise. . .the boys have her make those sounds for EVERY single new person she meets.
• Brookie still loves cheese
• She loves to pray before we eat.
• Her hair is growing EXTREMELY slow
• Oh. . .and doesn't she look JUST like her big brothers?

 

                        

                             Is this the cutest baby you've ever seen, or what?

 

 

 

Christmas

Christmas Eve. . . .

We attended Christmas Eve Service at church and then returned home to open presents from our Hoffmeyer/Granrud family.  Brooklyn had a great time tearing wrapping paper off presents and the boys had a great time opening their gifts. 

After opening gifts, we headed to Aunt Darlene's for pizza and time with family.

Christmas Morning. . . .

Everyone came to our house Christmas morning to open presents.  We had breakfast and spent time playing with our new toys :)

 New Boise State Sweatshirts. . .

 

 Mom and Dad got us an XBOX w/ Kinnect

 

Christmas Dinner. . . .

Then we got ready and headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Lowry's for Christmas Dinner with the rest of the family.

 Heather was home from Berlin. . .Yay!!!

 

 Uncle Nate and Eli

 

Uncle Josh and Uncle Mike trying out Ryan and Brandon's new Ripstiks



Christmas at the Cabin

Christmas this year was SO much FUN!!  Not only are the kids at really fun ages, but Mike, Carlene, and Eli were able to fly to Boise to be with us this year.

We spent a few days up at the cabin before the holiday to enjoy the snow and go skiing.  The kids seemed to have fun, although poor Eli ended up getting sick.  We made snow forts and took the kids for sled rides. 

Festival of Trees 2012

The kids were so excited to go to The Festival of Trees this year.  They asked Grandma Connie to come with so she met us there and we also joined up with Josh, Jo, and Luke. 

The boys were able to write their letters to Santa and the kids were able to get their picture taken with Santa.  Afterwards, Ryan and Brandon participated in the Scavenger Hunt. 

 Writing letters to Santa. . . .

 

 Checking out the decorations. . .

 

 See. . Dad can have fun at The Festival of Trees, too

 

 Brooklyn wasn't impressed with Santa this year.

 

 Brooklyn's showing Grandma around.

 

How cute is Lukey?