Four Snow Days!

 We got our fair share of cold weather and snow this year in Texas. These pictures are from the first snow fall in January and we ended up getting freezing temps with a lot of ice in February the same week the Superbowl was in Dallas. School was cancelled for four days. We had lots of fun slipping and sliding on the ice and really enjoyed having Dad home with us too!

Cooper's thinking about throwing a snowball at me while I'm taking pictures. Our Galveston wake board works great for sliding down the snow.

Not even 10 minutes of being outside Cooper was crying about his cold hands. This is him warming them up with a cup of hot chocolate. Nana called and he said he needed her to put some gloves in the mail for him. The next day when they went out to play he lasted a little longer but still came in crying about his cold hands. I didn't have the hot chocolate made yet but he just wanted a cup to hold. He thought just holding the cup would warm them up.

 Lincoln didn't know what to think of all the white stuff. When we had our big ice storms in Feb. we let him slide down our driveway and he loved it.

 We don't have all the winter gear so the second day the boys went out, which Lydia was mad she had to go to school while they got to play in the snow, we covered their shoes and pants with plastic bags. In hopes of Cooper lasting a little longer outside I put bags over there gloved hands and then put socks over that.

Four Snow Days

Lots of freezing cold temperatures, ice and snow=4 days off from school. This all came down the week the Superbowl was here in Dallas. I thought is was hilarious. The kids had a blast playing in it and even Lincoln enjoyed sledding down our driveway. It was so nice to have Damone home with us.

Yeah Snow!!

Thursday February 11, we woke up to this...

Lydia was so excited to go to school in the snow.

Cooper's face- priceless

Cooper's reaction to the snowflakes falling on his eyebrow and eyelash.

Friday morning we woke up to this...

and school was canceled. Now to all you Northern readers out there, I know this looks like just a skiff, but here in Texas, this is rare and we are not equipped with snow plows and trucks that lay down salt, so everything shuts down.

We took advantage of the day off and played in the snow. We don't have snow boots so we put plastic bags around the kids shoes-worked pretty well.

Meet Frosty Shumard

We had so much fun playing in the snow and drinking hot chocolate.

Quick Trip to Utah

I just had the opportunity to go to Utah for a quick five days- my "little" brother was ordained an Elder. Damone was such a trooper in letting me go without the kids. It was so nice to have a break and to visit with family I don't get to see very often. We were able to have dinner one night with Damone's sisters and their families, I can't believe how fast the nieces and nephews grow up.
I know this seems ridiculous that I took pictures of the snow since I grew up in Utah and saw it all the time, but my kids haven't. So I took these pictures for them because it snowed all day Monday and this is what we woke up to Tuesday.

My brother Todd (the one in the middle) was ordained an elder and received the Melchizedek Priesthood. I am so proud of him I just can't tell him enough. Todd is very ambitious and does not take anything lightly. So it is with the priesthood. He just isn't the type to go and do something because he is of age or it is the thing he is "supposed to do." Todd has taken preparing for the priesthood and to be a missionary very seriously and I knew the day would come where he felt he had prepared himself in such a way that would not only please him but also the Lord. He is such an amazing person and I look up to him so much. I am so grateful for the relationship we have and feel so blessed that I was able to be there and share this spiritual experience with him.

Congratulations again Todd.

Ice anyone?

We got woken up this morning to a phone call from the superintendent announcing that there would be no school today do to the ice. We looked outside and everything was covered in a sheet of ice and freezing temperatures of 22 degrees. No one comes and salts the roads and hardly anyone owns an ice scraper so when we have ice storms everything shuts down. Damone still went to work-either he or his boss is very dedicated. It was a sight to see his truck slide down the driveway with tires spinning and him slamming on the breaks so he wouldn't hit the neighbors truck across the street. The kids however had a different experience with the ice. We went outside and took advantage of the slippery driveway. Kyler and Lydia had a blast but I think Cooper was in complete shock as to how cold he was, he didn't know what to do.

I took the poor little guy inside, he was just not having any fun. This is a classic picture of when he cries, he always puts his head in his hands-the other one must have been too frozen. Shortly thereafter Kyler followed. So if we were having a contest to see who could last the longest, Lydia won!