My Baby

You forget so quickly how they look with their pacifiers...

Check out this belly!!! How he is able to stay upright and not topple over is beyond me!

I was just reminiscing this morning when going over some pictures in my computer and I came across these of Beau. Back when he was just one. It seems like forever ago that he was one, and in diapers, and using a paci. He is only 3 1/2, and truthfully, he is still such a "baby" in my eyes compared to his big brothers and sisters. I still love to pick him up every morning when he first gets up and snuggle him on my shoulder. I love it when he sits in my lap and just giggles. At church, I still secretly like it when he throws his hands up in the air...his gesture for "pick me up", even though we say that at 3, Mom and Dad don't need to hold you anymore. But, I still hold him! And yet, it's not like I don't want to be a big boy, or act his age. We certainly encourage him and guide him to be more mature, but you know how that is, when they are your youngest...I am holding onto his sweet little "baby" age because I see how quickly it goes!

It's still not warm here........

It did, however, warm up to the 40's this past weekend which is why the girls don't have on more clothing. The snow was more mushy so they were able to build better snowmen with it and on Saturday all 5 of the kids came up with the idea to build a snow "family". It kept them busy for 2 hours (loved that) and no one fought!! I love those kinds of activities.

Florida

The main reason we went to Florida last week was to celebrate with my grandparents, Norm & Iris. They were celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. Isn't that awesome? We had a reception at the Bistro in their community, and pretty well most of the kids and grand kids were able to make it. My dad also arranged to have their nieces and nephews that they haven't seen in a number of years to come and surprise them. It was a fun day with family. Ashley had Sprinkles in Orlando make them a beach themed cake since they have practically lived on or near the beach their whole lives.

And here is the cute couple.....I just love my grandparents! If you have ever been around them, you know what fun loving, kind hearted people they are. Never a dull moment, that's for sure!! Especially when Grandma gets going on a story of how they met!

This is my second cousin, Jim, swinging the boys. Fortunately, he knew what he was in for when he started this. And you can guess who got tired first!

Morgan and Jack romping around in the grass behind my grandparents apartment. I think my boys were just so sun and grass deprived that they didn't want to come in all day.

Ahhhhhh.....73, I miss you! So, so, so, so much. Won't you come to Indiana soon!!!

Yet Another Snow Day

Paoli Peaks, Baby!!!

I know this isn't clear, but I love the look of surprised concern on Maggie's face!

Hamming it up together when we came in to warm up

Katie and Brian on the lift near the end of the night....bbbrrrrrr!!!

This is Maggie and Brian coming down the steep hill for the first time. She is in the pink, Brian in the green.

Mags and Brian on the lift.

Katie....the cute, little snow bunny!

So we headed into Sunday with our big plans made, tons of snack food and drinks bought, special clothing on, and competition against teams at it's peak. Sounds like all the makings for a good skiing weekend...errr, back up.....nope, not the makings of a Superbowl game. Over the years, Brian and I have discovered the best day to hip the slopes in Southern Indiana is none other than Superbowl Sunday. The place is a virtual ghost town, especially, when the beloved Colts are playing. Brian had taken just Katie last year, so Maggie and I joined them this year for an exciting adventure of teaching a 7 yr old how to ski. And man, did she get it!!! I was blown away at both her and Katie's ability to maneuver on the snow/ice with their speed. Of course, the mother in me was squinting her eyes and gritting her teeth when they whizzed by me imagining a big crash at the bottom of the hill. But, there really wasn't much of that except the time Brian yelled "Follow me over these nice, gentle, rolling hills" and I caught some fat air and came down to a loud crash landing with lots of laughter from my family! We had a great day spending time with just the girls, including them in one of our favorite past times and it was great to see them love it as much as we do. I wish I would have gotten more pictures but the 18 degree weather kept me from slipping my gloves off too much to fumble with a camera. And, of course, we were sad to hear about the Colts loss when we got into the car, but, all in all, it was a fabulous day!