Extreme Sledding

What is this?! A family picture?? Couldn't be. Kate's expression couldn't be helped. It was the best we could do.

Andrew's family (mom, sister, and brother) were all in town this weekend. We had lots of fun watching movies, playing Cranium late into the night, and sledding! It was probably the busiest day to go sledding--the hills were PACKED, but we still found enough snow to call our own for a few hours. It was Kate's first time sledding, and she LOVED it! Well, she loved it the first few times with Andrew anyway. Then I took her. I was so nervous she was going to go flying off the sled, that I used my feet to help slow us down, and in the process kicked up a ton of snow into her face. She didn't particularly care for that and was content to mostly just watch us after that.

As you can see...loving it with Daddy, not loving it so much with Mommy. Her tongue is totally sticking out in the middle pic--ha ha. (Click on the pictures to see them bigger.)

Andrew went off a jump. Got some good air! Then decided to go "snowboarding" and got some more air. Heh, heh.

We were sledding a bit too close to a fence and had a few bumps. (Andrew's sister is in the first pic.)

Andrew's brother and mom with Kate. Kate's cheeks were really purple. Poor thing. We all had a lot of fun, though. Kate loved to watch people sled down (and liked a good wipeout, too), and would yell, "Again! Again!" We went to the steepest hill in the park (which felt a little like a death wish) and went down a few times. I dug my boots in that time, too, and got a good face full of snow. Afterwards I felt like I'd just gone swimming, not sledding.

Hardcoreness.

To me, Andrew seems very hardcore.

He's been looking forward to snowshoeing for the last six months. This weekend, he finally got his wish. He rented some snowshoes and went up a mountain with a friend. They carried sleds on their backpacks and so once they were ready to head back, they went all the way down on their sleds! How fun does that sound?! Andrew said he couldn't feel his toes or his fingers for a while (and his drinking water FROZE on the way up), but he wants me to go with him sometime over the break. Originally, he wanted us to go so that we could see the sun RISE--which would mean leaving our house at 3:30 AM! I convinced him that was not going to happen, and so I think we will settle for a sunset. And I will buy some toe warmer things to stick in my boots, because let's face it--I'm not hardcore.

"Hey! Taai Taai!!"

Last week Kate started calling me "Taai taai"--Chinese for "wife." That is what Andrew calls me all the time, and Kate has picked up on it. At first I thought she was saying "Daddy," but then I realized she was calling me wife. But she doesn't just call me wife, she YELLS it. When she hears Andrew call me "taai taai" it is usually when he is calling me from the office. So she must think the only way to say "taai taai" is to say it as loudly as you can. "HEY TAAI TAAI!!" is a phrase I am hearing way too often these days from all members of the family.

Happy 2nd Birthday!!

Yesterday was Kate's second birthday! Yay! I can't tell you how relieved I feel as a parent that she's made it this far with no major mishaps. Phew!

As I may have mentioned previously, Kate now loathes the camera. No more ham and cheese--dang it! She ALWAYS covers her face when she sees it. So the trick is to get her when she isn't looking, from the side, or from behind. But I think it may be a while before I get a real smile for the camera again.

Thanks to all the grandmas and grandpas that helped make her day special. She got some cute books, animals, and the Little People Animal Farm. She loves lining up her Little People figures on her windowsill facing out. If you turn them around, she gets upset. They are supposed to be enjoying the view. She does it every day, multiple times.

Oh and my sister gave her a little trim last week, so now she can see!

I didn't bake a cake--just brownies and ice cream. She attempted to blow out the candles, but with no success. It was a fun birthday, though. Andrew was busy all day trying to finish up his homework by midnight, so I am hoping that we might be able to actually hang out as a family today.

The Stink of All Stinks

UGH. So this weekend I was walking through the living room, and as I was walking, I heard and felt 'squish.' My foot was drenched immediately. I looked down and one third of our living room area was WET. I searched for the cause, but had no idea why! I tried to soak it up with towels, but that really didn't work. The only thing I can think of is that it came from a water jug we have under our kitchen table. So I moved it outside, but it didn't leak at all! There was no water around it--just ALL over the carpet. So NOW the carpet REEKS! When you come in from outside it smells AWFUL. This smell is driving me nuts. I got down and smelled the carpet last night--yikes. Frankly, it kind of smelled like urine. But that's probably just from all the potty training with Kate. I am going to call the office today and see if they can do something without charging us...Until then...BLECH.

I got this book at the library for Kate without really reading it--it had flowers, old ladies, and animals--"Looks good!" I thought as I grabbed it. But when I read this book I get choked up! What a sweet book. Looks like the author has quite a few of these "Let's Be --" books. Thought I'd write the words down here so that you can read, too. :) The book has cute little pictures of a little boy going around helping people.

"I like to be kind; it's a nice thing to be.

When I reach out to others...

They reach back to me!

And so I have noticed

That, time after time,

God hands me chances

To simply be kind.

I'm kind to my family--I pick up my toys.

I go out-of-doors when I want to make noise!

But whenever they need me,

I'm always right there

To help them feel better

And to show them I care.

I'm kind to my friends--I do all I can

To be a good listener...

And to lend them a hand.

And when problems come,

I know it's a must

To shine with a kindness

They can lean on and trust.

I'm kind, too, to strangers,

When Mommy's nearby.

I offer a smile, and I always say, "Hi!"

And I'm kind to our neighbors

And bring them a treat

Whenever they're ailing--or just need to eat.

And always I'm kind

To God's animals too,

For their care is entrusted

To me and to you.

Yes, I'm kind to the lonely,

The hurting, the lost.

I'm kind without minding--

Whatever the cost.

For God blesses kindness in so many ways,

That the kindness I give out is always repaid!

So this much is certain: I know I will find

The happiest life...

By just being kind."