Before the storm...

 A huge snow and ice storm has been predicted for the whole east coast. On Martin Luther King day we got ready for it by putting icemelt down for an elderly friend and then trying a new cupcake bakery in town. They were not as good as Maxie B's, but still yummy.

 After the storm...

 

 Not as much snow or ice as predicted, which is good. We got about 4 inches with a thick layer of ice on top. Nothing too crazy. If only we had stuck with being pulled behind the tractor...whole family went sledding at park in town and I messed up my back. Icy snow + tube+old mom+ pole ='s lots of pain. After ignoring Jason when he told me it was not safe to sled at this park and crashing into a pole, I followed his advice and got checked out at the ER. Bruised ribs and really sore back. Nothing that won't heal. In the mean time I can only hobble around like an old woman. Learned my lesson!

Grace won 1st Place

Grace's photograph won first place for her school in their Reflections contest! She took it at an aquarium we visited this fall, titled it Dreaming Blue. It was displayed downtown in Greensboro's Cultural Arts Center. It was FREEZING cold the night we went to go see the display, and I took a wrong turn in the parking lot and kids and I ended up at a dead end fence topped with barbed wire. It would have been more funny if it hadn't been so dang cold! So proud of Grace. She has a natural eye for photography. Her school is starting a photography club that I she wants to join. I am glad because I don't know anything to teach her.

December 30, 2015 Happy Birthday Luke & Noah!

Hard to believe these guys are 9! We started the day off with special breakfast, bacon included. I promise Noah was happy. I think he is a little confused about Sophie's bacon 'stach...and Grace did not want her picture taken for some reason?

 Noah requested strawberry pie and Luke pumpkin cheesecake instead of birthday cakes this year.Super yummy, and easier then cakes, but I was still a little sad. It just seems like they grew up so quickly sometimes. We went bowling as a family and then came home to open presents.

NFL blankets from Grandma and Papa Hardy! Boys also got scooters, build yourself Lego type guns, light up hats and gloves from G&G Smith, the girls gave them each a nerf shooter. Because we don't already have enough...

What a blessing these boys are to our family. I can't imagine life with out them!