If You Can't Beat It.....

You might as well join it!!!! We had a heat wave today, and the temperature finally went over 20 degrees! We figured we might as well go out and enjoy some of what isn't horrible about winter...Sledding!!! It was the kids first time down the slopes, and they LOVED it!!! They all screamed and shrieked the whole way down, each and every time. We met up with their aunt and big cousins, and had a ball in the fresh new powder that fell yesterday.

The Hill

Elaina in the middle on her way up, Grace on her way down, Seth and I at the bottom.

Seth tasting the snow on the snowmobile sled.

Grace on her way down.

Elaina made is safely to the bottom.

They were all troopers about walking back up the hill! That was nice.
Seth and Mom.

Grace at the bottom of the hill.

Elaina on her way down with her cousin, Valerie.

Seth and Dad on the snowmobile sled.

Bowling...Yet Another Experience!

Sometimes when life hands you triplets, trying new experiences can be somewhat scary. Never thought I'd be trying bowling with 3-three year olds. Thanks to our church wanting to increase activities within the youth of the congregation, we found ourselves experimenting with cosmic bumper bowling! To our surprise and amazement, they did great! Seth even got a spare!!! Grace kept trying to kick her ball down the lane. Elaina loved when her ball would knock pins down and shriek with excitement while jumping up and down. Yes...we did have to hear the announcement..."There's a dead ball on lane 3" a couple of times. Then some nice teenager would come and rescue the "dead ball" from the middle of the lane. It was all in good fun!

So now that bowling is crossed off the list...I think we will try ice skating or roller skating next! I think I can, I think I can...repeat that 10 times and maybe I'll believe it!

Dad trying to explain the game

Taking a break with dad

Seth told me his favorite part was watching the ball return.

We Survived Christmas

Well, another Christmas has come and gone. It was a good one. It was a busy one.

You may have noticed my neglected blog over the past month. Christmas is to thank for that. I love Christmas time. I love what Christmas is. I don't like the stress that comes along with it. There was a lot more to do this year with the kids being in preschool, so I had very little time.

Our festivities started off on Christmas Eve. The kids and I made cookies for Santa then we went out in the pouring rain and sprinkled our reindeer food for Rudolph. For dinner,we gather with my family at my dad's house. There are presents to be opened, drinks to be downed, jokes to be shared. This year, we were busy tracking Santa. The kids got a kick out of that. The kids were still going strong at midnight, despite my best effort at putting them to bed, so we headed home.

The next morning, the kids slept in until 8:30 or so. Grace got out of bed briefly, walked into the living room, said "oh presents" then went back to bed. Once they all got out of bed, they counted the cookies that were left for Santa. Six were left. Santa ate 5 1/2. Of course he drank his milk too. Then there were lots of presents to be opened. For Seth, Santa left a blue lightning McQeen, a buzz lightyear choo choo train and a camera. Grace got a big Buzz Lightyear, a red lightning McQueen, and a camera. Dora, Tinkerbell and a camera were left for Elaina. They were so excited that Santa brought just what they had asked for. From mom and dad, there were lots of games and puzzles. Elaina and Grace got American Girl bitty twins and Seth got a remote control monster firetruck. It was a good year.

From our house on Christmas morning, we went to Jason's families for presents and an early dinner. Then it was off to my mom's for presents and a late dinner. The kids had so much fun with their older cousins.

It was a very good Christmas, but we are all still trying to recover. It is proving very difficult to get the kids back on their schedule. As I type this, it is 11:00 at night, and Elaina is still up in her room.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Waiting for Santa

It's that time of year! One that's been waited for all year long. The little ones can't wait until Santa comes on Christmas Eve. They have made their lists, checked them twice and delivered them to Santa. They have stopped at every Santa they see to make sure they verbalize their lists! Grace wants a big Buzz Lightyear from Target. Seth wants a blue Lightning McQueen. Elaina wants a Dora. Hopefully Santa has seen all the times they have been kind and well behaved!

The reindeer food is made, cookies are in the oven. We will be tracking Santa's sleigh tonight as they anxiously await his arrival. I know they will be fast asleep when he comes and it will break their hearts to miss him!

On a more personal note, there comes a time in an adults life when Christmas just isn't the same. The excitement disappears and it becomes almost like another day. Then you have kids and you feel like a child again. Living vicariously through them, through their excitment and their squeals of delight. There is almost nothing better than that!

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas full of time spent with those that you love and cherish the most.

Bittersweet Fall

I do have to say, I do enjoy fall. I love the sound the leaves make under your feet as you walk through them. I have always enjoyed that crunching noise...don't ask why. Most days, the weather is pleasant enough. The colors on the trees are so vibrant. Then of course...they all fall to the ground and leave us with bear trees that are only a reminder of the looong winter to come. That's what I hate about fall. It leads into a season filled with blustering cold, snow and ice. I guess enjoying every last day I can of the pleasant weather will get me though.

This year, the kids must have remembered last fall, which surprised me. Once the leaves started falling, Elaina immediately started asking when we would make a big pile. Soon enough, my dear, soon enough. Here are some pictures of their long awaited "big pile".

Happy Halloween

I hope that everyone had a nice Halloween. This year was so much fun for the whole family. The kids decided pretty early on what they wanted to be. I thought I may get one more year doing some kind of theme costumes, but they had other ideas...but we worked it out. Grace decided on Cinderella, Elaina on Princess Belle, Seth on Buzz Lightyear. So I decided I could be Snow White. Jason was pretty easily convinced to be Woody. The kids got a big kick out us dressing up as some of their favorite characters. Our festivities kicked off a week ago, when on a dark, cold, rainy night we went to Greenfield Village. They did an amazing job as spooking up the village. The costumes were so beautiful. They had several scenes through the village that were very spooky and fun. Of course, the kids had their first school party this year. They had a bunch of fun at that. Yesterday, I allowed them to wear their costumes all day...because why not??? Then for trick or treating, you'd think they were old pros. Running from house to house, making sure the porch lights were on, yelling trick or treat...occasionally, I'd hear a thank you. Seth even had a new trick or treat song he would sing for a few special people. All in all, this will go down as one of the best Halloweens, I think.

Halloween night before trick or treating.

They loved the neighbors gargoyle.

To infinity and beyond!!!

Helping the witch stir her cauldron.

At the graveyard.

Hanging out with their preschool friends.

In front of the carved pumpkin tower at Greenfield Village. I didn't get many pictures that night because of the rain, but this one turned out OK.

Our First Preschool Fieldtrip

We had our first official field trip today. We packed up in the sprinkles and headed to Plymouth Orchards. The kids started off learning about how apples come to be. Their favorite part was buzzing around pretending to be the bee's that pollinate the apple blossoms so they can turn into apples. After the lesson, we loaded on a wagon and headed into the orchard, where they each to pick some apples. We ate the apples for lunch later that day...not bad!!! They also got to pick out a cute little pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. Seth, Grace and Elaina love pumpkins, so they really enjoyed that! My favorite part was heading inside for cider and donuts! YUM!!! Of course, Elaina had to use the bathroom and the only ones available there are port-a-potties...let me just say...YUCK!!!! I had to leave the door open and turn my head to avoid gagging. I have a bad port-a-potty phobia. I have always dreaded the day when I had to take the children to use them! Well, that day is here!!!

Seth and Grace pretending to be busy bees

Pollinating the apple blossoms

The girls were pretty tired today

Apple Picking (Elaina)

Look what we have!!!