Happy New Year!

For snow lovers, the hills in the benches of Mapleton are calling their names. So, to celebrate the New Year, we went sledding with Uncle Bobby and his kids (Sarah, Matt, and Parker).
We had a lot of fun, and had a lot of face plants. The snow was fresh, and hadn't been touched since it fell. So, hitting the bottom of the hill had all new meaning, and there were lots of faces full of snow (the white hat on the ground is Robby with Matt)

Despite the many wipe-outs (above, the pink blob is Jessy under her cousin Matt) there were absolutely no tears or screams that a limb was going to fall off. It was just FUN!Aeryka learned a new trick. She wanted to try Matt's new snowboard. Not only did she try, but she succeeded (and absolutely loved it!). She now wants a snowboard for her birthday.

Everyone had fun. Jessy and Robby kept the hill busy, but almost always refused to use a sled. They just felt that their bottoms would suffice, and would just find the hard-packed streaks to go down.

RIGHTEOUS! This was Nicky's sentiment with every run down the hill. And, if we were counting face plants, Nicky won face down! And, like his dad when he was a kid, Mom and Dad needed to hold his glasses so that they wouldn't get lost in the snow.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

For those of you that don't like the snow and the cold, we don't get people like you! We love the snow! The more we can get the better. And what better way to use the snow than to have Poppy build a snow pile in his back yard and use it to sled down (or just hang on to for dear life!).
Later that day, our cousins came over to Nanny and Poppy's and helped us make a snowman.
Then came the master plan. Get out the tractor and start digging. It's time to build a castle (fort's are so 80's).

And, here is the final product! Aeryka was the architect (and the queen, but that's never in question). She even designed a window in the wall just to let in a little more light!

Getting Ready for the Real Christmas

Well, Christmas came for real in our house this time. The kids were so excited. We did the usual (this time with the heat on and not the AC) of decorating the tree, decking the halls, and added a new activity of making gingerbread houses (thanks to Grandma Donna).

The kids loved making them. Mom and Dad made some too, but had more fun helping them make theirs.

We found the hardest part was not putting them together, but actually, keeping them intact long enough to get the pictures.

Happy Birthday Robby

Robby turned 5 years old on November 7th (Yes, we know we're behind!). He had a great birthday for two very big reasons.

First is that his hero, Matt (his cousin) was there to celebrate with him, and Matt and Sarah played Happy Birthday for them on the trombone and flute. It was awesome. Robby thought it was a little loud, but he liked it anyway.

Second, he got a brand new copy of Davy Crockett on DVD from Grandma Gluestick. To say he was excited is an understatement (see the picture of his backside for proof).

To add to his excitement, he also got a start on his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle collection with a van that shoots missles. What more could a 5 year old want?

For his cake, Robby wanted "Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate" in the form a chocolate cake with triple-chocolate frosting and M&M's on top. He loved it!