Clara turns 21, and Aunt Melody comes to visit

January fun just kept on coming. The weekend of Clara's birthday, Aunt Melody, along with Tige and Daisy, came to visit! It was such a treat. Melody somehow managed to make my kids feel loved while simultaneously taking care of her own. One of her many gifts.

I couldn't even tell you half of my cousin's names (partly because I haven't made an effort to reach out), and I hope my kids know theirs a little better.

At the children's museum. We don't go there as often as we used to, and it's fun to bring younger kiddos who are in town visiting.

Melody made Clara feel loved and needed.

Wrestling on the trampoline. Tige enjoyed (?) the roughhousing. Boys. I love them so much, but really, why so much physical contact? 

Twenty-one?! How is this possible? Lucky Charms are good at any age.

We love you, Clara!

Fortunately, the Allreds (Melody) missed the rip-roaring ice/snow storm that we experienced after they left. The "snow" slid off the roof and mounded for weeks by our basement door, hard as cement. The seminary students couldn't use the outside entrance for a few weeks until finally Michael was able to hack away at it and get the door open. School was canceled for several days, which the kids didn't mind one bit.

Snowshoe adventure

 This year, I decided to tag along on Michael’s yearly adventure with the boys going skiing at Snowshoe. I had told him that when Clayton took lessons, I would, but I chickened out and decided to just help with logistics and yells, and not try to take lessons myself. I’m glad I went--I got a lot accomplished by publishing past years’s blogs and working on seminary--but I did realize that I felt pretty lonely being back in the room by myself. The boys were fairly self-sufficient, and they just wanted to relax and watch a movie when they came back from a long day of skiing. I am trying to gear up the courage to take lessons this upcoming ski season. I have to make the decision: do I want to be the fun mom who does activities with my boys, or do I want to is a soft place to land when they return home? I need to remember that those choices do not have to be mutually exclusive. 

Looking good, Benjy!

Relaxing in the hot tub. It was -11 degrees outside, brrr!

Maybe next time I'll be in this picture...