Then came the snow!

The day after Christmas, we got a beautiful 4 inches of snow!  It was lovely, we all had a great time snowboarding and sledding.  I'll let the pictures say the rest....  Check out the snowflake on my glove - simply gorgeous!

Neglected

The poor blog has been neglected of late.  It's been a little crazy around here, so I'll start posting stuff from where we left off....gulp....November!  David got the stomach bug - twice in one week, and it was a rough go of it after he threw up at school.  As he put it, his worst nightmare.  The anxiety of worrying that was going to happen again, coupled with acid reflux that continued months after, made it a little stressful on both of us.  Lots of calls from the school nurse, and many trips home and to the doctor.  We seem to have it under control now though!

Christmas around here is always fun!  The boys got everything they wanted, plus some.  David got a New Orleans Saints jersey and ball cap.  Jason got a Star Wars walker that is bigger than he is!  It was a great time!

Our little "VIP's"

Today was our boys music program at their school.  They work their little hiney's off for weeks for this program.  Jason, being part of Kindergarten, got to sing 2 sons with his class - which was a HUGE hit!  David, being in 5th grade, this is his last year in the program.  The 5th graders are "big stuff" in this musical.  They all have a part, and David actually was one of the few to have lines to speak.  Due to him being sick for over a week with the stomach virus, we were all concerned (including the music director) about his health and whether he would be well enough to do it.  But he DID!  Our teachers took good care of him this week, making sure he had plenty of water.  Our music director even had a chair on stage for him to sit in (how precious is that!).

It was amazing to see my once shy little boy stand up on stage, front and center, and not miss a beat with his lines.  He was on the stage the whole time and did a great job!  They got to top it all off by going to lunch with their grandparents - both sides!  It was a great musical, and a wonderful day.  I am so proud of our school, and especially our boys.  It was a special day I will never forget.

Fall Fun

 I am so far behind!  Here are pictures from halloween.  This "holiday" was a little different for us this year.  David started having anxiety about the scary costumes and horrific displays about a week before halloween.  We normally go to our friends house for their party the week before - we had to skip it this year because their neighborhood was too scary.  They have one neighbor that is ridiculous - he actually has a fake baby locked in a dog cage eating brains as a display in his front yard.  That is just one of the things he does.  Our friends can't stand it.  So we skipped their party and just went to the grandparents this year.  The boys came home and said it was the best halloween ever!

It has been absolutely beautiful here, so we've been working in the yard a lot.  The boys have had a great time helping Daddy get grass to grow.....and clowning around as well!  I love fall.  The trees are so beautiful now, and the air is so cool.  I can't believe Thanksgiving is just weeks away!

Remembering Dad

Today is All Saints Day - otherwise known as Halloween.  I will have plenty of pictures to post of the kids later on this evening, but right now I am thinking of my dad.  Halloween originally began as All Saints Day - a way for the church to remember those that have passed away the year before.  It's been many years since my dad went to heaven, but today I am thinking of him, and wondering what might have been.


In a perfect world that I could create, my dad would be at Target right now with my mom, loading up on candy for his 6 grandkids who would be stopping by later today all dressed up in their costumes.  In perfect health, he would no doubt be sampling all the candy first, just to make sure it was ok for his precious grandchildren.  He would be looking forward to this day for weeks.

But my dad is not here, and I have struggled, and continue to struggle with the reasons why.  I miss him a lot and wonder what he would think of his family that has continued on without his guidance.

No doubt he would be proud of his wife.  How my mother has continued on without him amazes me.  She has a strength I don't have.  She made a career for herself after my dad died; purchased a wonderful home; stayed active in her community despite insurmountable obstacles in front of her; and found strength in her friends.  In spite of working tremendous hours and sometimes being treated unfairly by her own family, she continues to have hope that her own children - and her relationship with them - can be different than what she had.  Her children don't always see how hard she tries, but no doubt my father does - and he must be proud.

My father would be amazed at my brother.  To see him teaching and raising a family of his own would bring my dad such joy.  It is when I think of my brother that I miss my dad the most.  I see the impact my dad had on my brother, and if he were still here what that would do for him.  He would be at every ball game and school function he could.  He'd be there for advice and comfort and an understanding you can only get from your father.  I know he is proud of him. 

It's easy for me to sit and wonder how perfect everything would be if he were still here.  We'd all get together for every holiday.  We'd see each other all the time and enjoy each others company.  That is only in my dreams.  My dad was in a lot of pain when he died.  That is the reality of it.  It's also the reality that God took him home, and I can't argue with God anymore.   The influence of my father never dies.  He isn't here anymore to influence my children and my brother's children - but I am.  Rick is.  Matt is.  My mother is.  The only way that my children are going to be influenced today by my father is through my family.  I want to spend time with my brother and his family because I love them.  If they get a glimpse of who their grandpa was while I am with them, then that is a bonus.  I want my brother to be a part of my childrens lives for the same reasons.

Today I am missing my dad.  I am remembering a time when my brother and I were little and we went out trick-or-treating freezing our tails off in rural PA.  I am missing coming home to him as a little girl with my pumpkin full of candy and my father telling my brother and I to dump it all out on the floor so he could see it.  Being naive enough to think that he just wanted to see how much we got - until realizing the next morning that most of the good stuff was gone.  Eaten by a loving father who had a weakness for chocolate, and no doubt had to test it to make sure it was ok for his precious children.  I miss you Dad.

A relaxing couple of days

The boys had the past couple of days off of school due to quarter end.  It has been a rough quarter for David beginning 5th grade, so it was a welcome break from school.  The boys had their fall parties Friday and I helped with David's party.  All of 5th grade got to do fun games outside - like eat the doughnut off a stick blindfolded and run with the apple tucked in your neck.  Lots of fun games and great food!  Then football games Saturday and church on Sunday,  but Monday and Tuesday we had nothing planned - and it was great!  We did have a parent/teacher conference on Monday with Jason's teachers - which went really well.  His teachers are so wonderful and we are so thankful for them.  They said Jason is a leader in the class.  They gave a funny example of something that happened the other day to prove it.  Mrs. Haan told the children once they finished their work to file it in their cubbies and then have a seat on the floor.  All the children at Jason's table went back and sat at their table.  Upon seeing this, she said Jason went over to his table, tapped on it and said "hey guys, we are supposed to be sitting on the floor" and they followed him over!  We had a good laugh at that one.  Very proud of both our boys and how well they did this quarter.

Today we had pajama day and the boys built their Halloween house that Grandma bought them.  She brought over lunch and hung out for a bit.  It was a fun time!

May the Force be with you!

Star Wars the Clone Wars started up again a few weeks ago on Cartoon Network.  It was a big night in our house so we made a theme night!  Our boys love anything Star Wars.  Jason dressed as Boba Fett (from Star Wars), they got out their action figures, and we even made Jedi soda (complete with eyeballs!).  Then a few weeks later it was Daddy's birthday - which also happened to fall on Friday, when Star Wars airs.  So, of course, we had to do a Star Wars birthday for him!  I found a recipe for a "Death Star" cake and tried my best.  It turned out pretty good and Rick was impressed I actually did it!