All this beauty...

we called it...



All the kids got out in it for a little while
but it was these two....



that enjoyed it most and
who you will see the most in this post.



Alexandra and Blake were always close by...



they even had a little fun themselves...






but I decided
this was is all about the little guys.



We didn't get much snow,
an inch if we were lucky...













You would have thought God had sent
Conner a message in his sleep



telling him He was sending it his way
and to check in the morning



because that is what he did first thing out of the bed.
Then he squealed with delight!



Carson wasn't far from him
he was eager to get out there and
make his snow angel....
even going so far as to practice it
on the hardwood floor in the kitchen.









Conner spent most of his time eating the snow.



Every time I turned around this was what I found...



and these are the looks that I got
after telling him to stop eating it!









I love that little smile on his face...
he was really enjoying himself.



Typical Conner,
his curiousity is what usually gets him into trouble.



but not today...
he had too much investigating to do.



Don't know what is up with the color here...
but I don't care,
I just love the look on his sweet little face.






Conner...yet again...eating snow...









A quick shot of Alex



and one of Blake



then right back to the
Snow Miser!






I knew he wouldn't make it too long
before his mischievous side came out again...



Snow in hand...



Unsuspecting victim below....






Bingo!



That Conner....



you got a love him.






This one too...



He has those baby blues...



even all that beauty of the snow...
can't take away from those!

Indescribable...

that's what this
wonderful winter wonderland was to me today.



I pulled everyone together
and threw them into the car
and wasn't thrilled to be doing it.



As the car backed out of the drive,
and I started to look around
one thing came to mind...



the word
"INDESCRIBABLE".



How did I know as I rushed around the house
aggravated to be heading to the store,



that once out in the elements
the ice, the rain, the cold...



that all the aggravation would be forgotten
and instead be replaced by an overwheming awe of the beauty around me.



Just another sign of how amazing my God is.



How do you put into words





how something that can cause such trouble,
such distress at times to the world around us



something that can put our daily lives to a stand still
by making its presence known,



how can it be possible to also see it
as this beautiful.



I don't know how...



It's simply
"INDESCRIBABLE".



As Chris Tomlin sings in his song,
"Indescribable"...



if you know
how many stars are in the sky...



and know their names...



this should come as no surprise.





God is so amazing
even the trees that His hands created
bowed to Him today.









As I looked at the trees bowing down
their limbs laden with ice,



I remembered that He has told us in His Word
that one day every knee will bow,



and every tongue proclaim
that He is Lord.



How don't see how anyone
could look around them today



and not see how amazing, how powerful He is.






I am also struck by the fact
that as awesome as He is



He still came for me...
died for me...



Cares for me...



for insignificant me...



truly amazing to me...



and just like the winter wonderland I was in awe of today,
I find it completely...

INDESCRIBABLE.

Daddy's Little Girl....

Alexandra is growing up.

There is no hiding it...there is no slowing down

it's just a fact of life for us as parents.

It's so hard for me as a mom....

to see it happen...I believe it's even harder for Dad...after all,she's a self proclaimed"Daddy's Little Girl".
That's why this event was so special.It took place at the... Technically,it was the cotillions winter formal. Alex is taking a National League of Junior Cotillion Class to teach her manners and etiquette...to teach her how to behave, how to treat others, but more importantly...


how to be treated herself.

to have confidence in herself, and to learn how to be the best young womanGod has made her to be. What made the event extra special
for someone known as Daddy's Little Girl,

was theFather-Daughter dancethat came at the end of the evening. She may not yet realizejust how special that moment was...
but when she looks back in years to come...

I hope she will smile at the memory
and know what a treasure she has.

However,for daddy,it was evident on his face that he knew to cherish the momentfor these times are passing by so quickly.


She shared this time with who else...her friend, Kara.



I know her dad was as proud,to share such a special moment with his daughter...
as this Daddy was.



Alex always remember that these hands will be there to help you tackle whatever you may face in life...
That this smile will always be there to brighten the day when life has got you down...
That these feet will strive to always lead youdown the right path...

and that no matter how big you may getyou will ALWAYS be "My Little Girl" We love you.

Remember the Great Adventure...

I think it was talked about in the last post?

Add a new chapter called...

Kids say the darndest things!

For example....

I was just notified by Blake's teacher

that he informed the whole 5th grade class today

that ....

his mother has been bloated this week!!!

Lord, give me mercy....

and

Give Blake a muzzle!

One day....

it will all make sense.

What will make sense you ask?

***

This great adventure,

this thrill ride called raising boys!

***

Everyday, at some point, I sit and wind up asking myself

what God was thinking when he made boys!

Lord knows,

I wouldn't know what to do without them,

they know how to wrap their little hands around my heart,

and me around their finger!

However, God certainly intended raising boys to be

and great adventure into the unknown,

that's for sure,

and the more you raise...

the crazier the adventure becomes!

***

As I sit here typing,

I am made to also be a referee

of three boys who insist of having

a nightly ritual of

running through the living room playing football.

That's not so bad some might say...

Unless you're the someone

sitting here trying to keep peace.

***

First,

we have Conner,

who has recently decided

to learn the art of trash-talking.

If I hear the words,

"You're going down, Mister!",

one more time!....

After the 10,000th time,

the words kind of lose their humor.

***

Then, there's the phrase...

"You cheated!"

I am raising quite a

competitive bunch of boys here,

let me tell you.

***

About the time you get that

controversy settled

you will, for sure, have Blake

momentarily forget the speech or

the butt whooping he got last night

due to the fact that

he has clotheslined his brother.......

once again,

in the midst of one of his great tackles.

***

Is clotheslining someone allowed in the NFL?

Well, it's certainly NOT allowed here!

***

Lastly, there's Carson, the baby,

trying to hold his own.

He does pretty well,

Blake is much gentler with him

than he is with Conner.

Things go well,

until Conner decides to try out

Blake's clothesline technique on Carson...

sending Carson reeling...then squealing!

It is then certainly time

for a Momma time-out!

***

Ok, God, I've had a lightbulb moment,

I think I get it.

The reason for this adventure thrill ride...that is.

***

You made them rough and tough,

because they will one day

have a family to support

and work hard for.

So, for now, they destroy everything in their path,

and have me going gray with worry

and broke with band-aids...

However, it's what they do now

that will make them

good, strong men later.

Sometimes I allow myself to think,

it's what they do now, God,

that gives You your daily dose of laughter...

You must have the Conwell comedy hour

scheduled from 6:00-7:00 everynight.`

***

Regardless,

of the craziness that sometimes insues

or the ups and downs of this rollercoaster ride

you've put me on known as raising boys...

thank you God...

it is certainly the adventure of a lifetime!