Grey is Almost-Five

Can you believe that I've really wanted to post several times in the last few weeks? but Travis took my camera cord away- and I was incapable of posting on the blog without it.
So let's blame him for my absence from the interwebs.

You guys. I didn't realize how much I depended on Grey and Micah taking naps. The gave naps up for good about a year and a half ago, and my blog has seriously gone down hill since then. I didn't realize that I needed naps- because I didn't always blog during naps or anything. But I suddenly had two hours less me-time than I was used to and apparently, it messed up my whole game. I don't think it was the three-kids thing. I think it was the two-unnapped-kids thing.
Except that my baby is almost two, so did I start getting crappy at blogging two whole years ago? Sorry. For those of you still around- thanks guys. Sorry I'm the worst at posting.

But despite the fact that almost-five year-olds don't take naps- they are amazing and fun.
The other day, after a snowfall, Grey and Micah asked to get on their snow clothes and go out.
"Grab a shovel and clear the driveway!" I called out to them, as they tumbled out and away. Then I closed the door on the cold air and hung out with my baby for a while. Throughout the next hour, I could occasionally hear them shouting and laughing and I saw them roll or plow through the front yard a few times. But I was not anticipating that my driveway would actually be shoveled.
BUT IT WAS. Sure it was only 2-3 inches, but that was 2-3 inches that I was going to let half-melt and turn into ice.
Grey had done it by himself, and when I came out and said in delight "Let me take a picture of you standing in our cleared driveway!" he said, "Fine, but make it fast. Should I pose like this, with the shovel?"
Yes. Yes, you should.

It's funny to see differences in Grey and Micah that I didn't expect. I often ask them to do chores together, and they'll say "I can do this one by myself," or "my brother can do this one alone."
There's rarely any argument. They just know who likes what kind of work. Grey likes shoveling, Micah likes unloading the dishwasher- and everybody likes mopping and cleaning the toilet! (Everybody except me, of course.) Yay for almost-five!

Brother-Cousins

Somewhere in an old photo album at my parents' house, there is a picture of my two cousins, my sister and me. We are standing outside on the porch, looking in through the front door. Outside, the world is a snowy background. What can be seen of our faces is bright brink, our hair is frozen in snowy chunks protruding from under our hats. We are bundled and bulky. And each of us is beaming. 
For many years of my childhood, we lived next door to or down the street from my Dad's brother and his family. My two sister-cousins (as I often think of them) are about the same age as my younger sister and I, and the four of us were playmates most days.
When I imagined the ideal childhood for my own boys, there was lots of snow and time with cousins.

Grey and Micah only have two cousins so far. James and Finn are, much like my sister-cousins were to me, the same age as my boys. When they are together, they play so well. They wrestle, laugh, dance, and play together in a way that I have rarely seen my boys play with other kids. Like some part of them, innate and deep-down perhaps, knows that these boys are family.
Travis' sister Camille and her family live in England right now, and are soon headed south to Australia. Our boys haven't played together in a year and a half, and probably won't again for at least that length of time.
While I've often regretted the fact that they live so far from us, it wasn't until this Christmas trip that I realized how much we are really missing out by having them in another country.
What a treat it has been for our families to spend so much time together this Christmas! And as enjoyable as it is for the boys to play with their cousins, it's been equally fun for us to spend time with Chris and Camille.

This holiday season has been practically perfect and I am already sad with the thought of saying good bye to the snow and the Spencers soon. Until that sad, near day. We are going to live it up. Snow days and cousin fun. Can't get much better.

Through the wardrobe door...

Our backyard has been transformed into Narnia. Almost. 

I guess in Narnia it's always winter and never Christmas, but Santa visited our house this week. So it's even better than winter in Narnia, and just as magical. 

Today we are leaving this winter wonderland and driving to Arizona to spend New Years with some of my family (including my newly-engaged sister and her fiance!). Warm weather, here we come! 

Until next week (and the sunny pictures of my children picking oranges), happy weekend, and I hope your Christmas was white. 

Photo a Day: Dec 15 -21

This week was the perfect Christmas prelude. Most days were snowy, with fat, fluffy snowflakes falling throughout the day. We made cookies, and watched movies, and played in the snow when it wasn't too cold. I'm glad that I did almost all my Christmas shopping online and early, so I didn't have to run many errands. We just got to stay home, or visit friends and family. 

It was a happy week. I'm excited for this week, too. I suspect it will be perfect. 

Sunday: Outside my bedroom window is a winter wonderland.

Monday: Little boys with handsome new haircuts.

Tuesday: Daddy taught the boys to make snow angels.

Another from Tuesday, because Micah was killing it with cuteness. // Wednesday: Grey and Grandpa.

 Thursday: Grey found his way into Narnia.

Friday: My handsome husband. I love his profile, and the happy crinkles around his eyes are my favorite. // Saturday: Shoveling snow is job for the men!

"It's a Magical World, Hobbes, Ol' Buddy,"

I'm not sure if it's because I grew up in Minnesota (well-known for it's snow and ice) or in spite of it, but every time little snowflakes start fluttering down, my heart starts beating like mad and I get jittery and excited. Snow!

Sure, it's a big, cold, wet pain but I love it. Waking up to that brand new, oft-unexpected winter wonderland always puts me in a good mood for the rest of the day. And I spend the day wanting to snuggle up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and a good ol' Calvin and Hobbes book. Calvin knows how to appreciate snow.

Yesterday morning, we woke up to 3 or 4 inches of snow! When Travis urged Micah to climb up and look out the window, he started yelling, "I did it! I did it! I make the snow!"

So, I guess that snow was thanks to my two year-old's wishful thinking. And I guess they're like their Mom, because both boys raced straight to the front door and started searching for their snowboots - despite the early hour, lack of breakfast, or obvious freezing cold.  We played outside for over an hour before I managed to get the boys inside. I was so hungry, but they kept begging to stay out. 

Micah even instructed, "You go eat, Mom. I stay out. I'm not cold!"

The above picture of Micah is my favorite. He told me that he was a "snow puppy."
Then, he built a snow puppy, by piling up snow (it wasn't sticky enough to make a proper snowman), and he pet it, and brought it handfuls of snow, saying "Here some food, Snow Puppy. Here some water."
Grey, meanwhile, went around stomping on all the drifts of snow and yelling, "Ha! I wreck Micah's Snow Puppy."
Um. Okay, bully.

I'm glad we got to spend the morning playing, since all the snow had melted by lunchtime. I know Halloween is barely over, but I can't help but want snow! I love it.
And, I'm sure you understand, I think I might like Snow Puppies more than anything else ever.

Happy Winter, my friends. Let the good times roll.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - New Year

We spent New Year's Day with Travis' family in Orem. (We spent NYE in bed. Asleep. By 10.) New Year's Day was perfect. The whole world was crisp, white, and ready to be built new and fresh for 2013. 

So we went sledding. Or rather, we pulled the boys around in their sleds until we were all so cold that we couldn't hold real conversations. (Or maybe that was just me. The Pitchers aren't quite as pathetic as I am.)

I love this picture of the Pitcher boys! Although Travis and Tate are making silly faces on purpose... But man, my boys look identical, don't they?

I sure love my boys. What a treat to start the new year with them!

Snow Day

Maybe it's because I grew up in Minnesota, maybe it's just passed on through Scandinavian blood. But, man, I love snow.
I adore it.

 Can you see how deep it is? Can you see how fat those falling snowflakes are?

Every time I pass my windows and see those fat, fluffy flakes falling down I get warm, excited tinglies. My insides do a happy-dance lurch, and I can't help but do an excited little wiggle.
Glorious snow! Outside my window!
So what if it is ruining all our date night plans? So what if we never got around to taking our autumn family pictures? There are at least four inches of snow in my backyard and more falling every second! All those inconveniences are WORTH IT. Seeing Micah bundled up like a little Minnesotan marshmallow is the better than some ol' yellow leaves.



To my utter delight, the boys seem to feel the same way about the snow as I do. We spent nearly an hour running around outside today. Micah chanting his little incantation the whole time, "hup-ease, hup-ease." (Help, please.)
He wanted help walking through the snow, he wanted help packing snowballs, he wanted help pushing the sled back to the top of our "hill," he wanted help putting his mittens on 100 times, and of course, he wanted help when he fell over backwards and couldn't get up because of his bulky snow gear.
And when Micah buried his face in his soggy-mittened hands because the wind was blowing snow in his eyes, I saw Grey throw his head back, open his mouth, and stick out his tongue.
It doesn't get any better than that, people. That is the epitome of toddler-cuteness.





I only had my camera outside for about three minutes, because the snow was falling really fast and it was really wet, and I was worried about the consequences of letting my camera get soaked. Several other times, however, I found myself thinking "consequences be damned, I have to capture this cuteness!" So I pulled out my iPhone and took some more pictures, and here they are:

I tried to build a snowman for the boys. They knocked it down. // Frolicking. // Grey started to feel bad about knocking off Snowy's head, so he picked it up. // And put it back (or what was left, which was a very tiny head.)

Do you love the snow?

frosted window panes, babies playing inside

It's snowing! And the babies loved looking out the window at the snow coming down this morning.

These pictures are hot off the CF card, I just took them about an hour ago and then sent my babies to bed so I could edit them.

The pictures have the awesome (and somewhat creepy) effect of being both over and underlit, and I am in love with the way that they turned out. Very silhouettey.

 

This picture is my favorite of Grey. Oh, I think it's so lovely. My favorite of Micah is the top picture of his little hands against the window. Which is your favorite?

These pictures were edited with Paisley and Baby Grey (BW) from the {HoneyBee Action Set,} which you can buy, if you feel so inclined. :)

I'd love a vote! Thanks.