Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Yep it's official the Midwest is also the TUNDRA!  It was so cold here in January.  This is what  the temp was without the wind chill on one of the days.  So on days like this I have no choice but to stay in my PJ's and play with the kids (Love those days)! It was so cold that school was canceled just because it was cold!  That's nuts.

Gianormo Frosty

Holy Frosty....This guy was huge Mark and I almost couldn't get the middle section up and on!  It was so heavy.  I am not sure were Mark disappeared to (He knew that I was going to take a picture and ditched out), but seriously this was the biggest snowman I have ever seen!  I was so proud of him and the kids.  Of course the kids wanted to name him frosty.  They loved to look out the window at him and see if he is going to come to life.  I told them that he doesn't have a top hat so he won't be coming to life anytime soon.

 My kids were all blessed with beautiful eyes...Seriously JJ's are a really cool topaz color, MJ's are green/blue, and Bryns are blue and sparkly.  How did our genetics do that?  I love it.

Staying Busy in the Winter..

There are a lot of things we try to do to stay busy while we are cooped up in the house.  We LOVE to play games.  Currently JJ's favorite is Candy Land.  Brecken loves cootie. Bryn loves to empty out all my drawers especially the zip lock drawer. 

 Jaylee also loves to sound things out and spell them herself.  She has become very independent that way. This was when they were learning about Martin Luther King Jr.  She was really interested in him because she said she was so happy that helped people and that she wants to help people too when she gets bigger.

 Brecken doesn't quite play by the rules..Mainly he just builds different cootie characters and plays with them.  He currently has one on his dresser that he kisses goodnight.

 JJ loves to paint his nails.  And he loves to have his nails painted

 Sometimes I feel to anal to let her do this but I am really trying to let her have more independence because it won't kill her to paint her own nails.  But there was a funny story with this picture.  She begged me to paint her own nails and I said that's fine but they won't look like when mommy does it...JJ "I don't care"  Then when she was all done she balled because she didn't think they were pretty enough.  Jaylee is really kind of a perfectionist so sometimes it's hard for her when things dont' seem "perfect"

Sledding

My neighbor was so sweet to take Brynlee so that Mark and I could take the kids sledding.  My little snow bunny Jj LOVED it she could literally spend all day outside even though it was zero degrees (BRRRRR)  Brecks on the other hand has fun for a few times and then is ready to go.

JJ thought it would be fun to body sled..I was surprised at how fast she was able to go.  It helped that it was so cold that the snow was slightly frozen. 

   Brecken really just wanted to see if there were any fish in the water...

 Mark and JJ did a double up sled trip..

 And FLEW down the hill

 Seriously it wasn't a very big hill but it was pretty steep and you went so fast and so far.  It was really fun.  I am so glad that I got to go this time usually it's just Mark who goes because I stay home with Bryners.  We are so lucky to have such wonderful neighbors.

 And he's done

Cowgirl

Here's our littlest cowgirl..She loves to ride her little pony that she got from Chrystian (My Cousin) for Christmas.  She thinks it's so funny when she realizes that she was the one who moved it, it's hysterical.

Turtle Bank

Great Grandma Thomas made all of our kids beautiful piggy banks.  JJ got a pig that she adores! Bryn has a Teddy Bear. I let them get them down and sit on their bed to play with them.  There are rules though, NO CARRYING THEM! Brecks has recently really loved playing with his.  He is so funny that for a few nights he kissed it goodnight.

Pre-Teen

Here is my mini pre-teen...She has these funny little moods where she refuses to talk and when she does it's like a teenager.  So here she is playing the Wii and I think she just looks like a teenager.

Tent's up...

Grandpa Great got MJ this little tent with an attached tunnel and the kids loved it.  They spent hours chasing each other around.

What the CRAP..

Why I hate being so behind on my blog!  I can't remember why he was in the sink..so sad!  But oh well he is a silly boy who loves to do naughty things and thinks it's so funny!

And she can't stand for him to get attention that she doesn't get...  So she copied him.

UNI Basketball

Mark has the hook up for UNI games..We have been super lucky to go to several football games and basketball games.  One of the Dr.s that he works with always offers Mark his extra tickets if his family doesn't go.  So on top of the fact that I love live sporting events they are FREE!  Seriously I have a slight passion for free things.

                                                      Here is my goofy girl.....

 

And here is my sweet girl.....

                                             
                                                Here are my two teasers...

 I have to say that without Torie we wouldn't have been able to go!  She offered to babysit the little ones so that Mark and I could take Jj on a little date and give her some quality time.  Torie is so amazing she is so helpful and fun.  I feel like it's funny how things work out because we rented this house without seeing the inside of it...and once I saw the inside I wanted to cry!  Then I got to know our neighbors and the blessing of having them totally out weighs renting a cute house somewhere else.  I am not going to lie I really miss owning just because I (heart) to paint and make changes.  So that aspect is super frustrating at times.  But then I look at the awesome friend I have made and it makes it all worth while.

LOVE THESE GIRLS

Seriously watching JJ be such a great big sister makes me want to cry.  She loves to play, hold and snuggle with Bryn. What is even cuter is how Bryn's eyes light up when she sees JJ.  There is definitely a special bond between the two of them.

New Years Eve

Well the pictures don't really show it but we had a fun time at my good friend Nancy's house.  She made a super yummy Chinese dinner and we watched movies it was really fun for the kids and us because we are at the stage were we love kids movies now..yikes! What comes next?

More Funny Happenings...

My mom is what I consider a great singer, but as far as Glee goes she was not so hot!  Grandma Connie got us Glee Sing it for Christmas ( Thanks to Torie!) and it is so much fun.  Well take out the fact that I am a TERRIBLE singer but that's cool because it is so much fun.  I have never played any kind of game like this with my mom and it was so FUN she was literally ripping the microphone from my sisters hands! Mark has learned how to just hmm and beat me, honestly I am the worse player ever and yet I am the one who is always so excited to play, other than Torie.

MY kids are so animated and Bryn is going to be just as flamboyant as the other two..  She has two looks one that she can melt your heart with this sweet smile from her eyes..and this one where you know she is just going to be funny.

Really will you let me take one picture without your finger in your nose?

AWWWW.. I realize that they are asleep and technically not choosing to cuddle but with all that they  fight I love to see these moments of love.

Night Time Fun

Grandpa dug out a little area for the kids to hide in, it's so funny how a little cave can make the kids so excited. 

 Jaylee on her mini hill again.

 Grandpa Tom on the hill..Ok so that was freaking funny.

I am so grateful for Grandpa's, they are so much fun and like to break the rules a little bit.

The Dreaded Stairs...

Well Bryn is a teaser..wonder why?  Her new way of teasing is doing the exact opposite of what you tell her to do, for instance the stinkin stairs.  I think the majority of the time I spent at my mom's I spent chasing her up those darn stairs.  Then she gives me that grin and I can't help but laugh. 

Snow Much Fun..

My mom had a huge pile of snow outside her house so the kids and I just had fun on it.  They tore it up.  I am sure it was nothing compared to the huge hill Grandpa took them to the day before but they didn't seem to mind.  Brecks just loved to push JJ down!  I think he realized it was the first time he didn't get in trouble if he was pushing her!

 1...

 2....

 GO....

 Ok so I was playing with the settings on my camera..

 Who needs a sled when your pants are slippery.