and Holly was catching a nap the kids and I enjoyed the beautiful day. It was sunny and in the low 40s. The 8-10 inches of snow we had was perfect for packing so we packed and packed until...vwaa-lah, a snowman and fort appeared. Here is the evidence. Hopefully we aren't the only ones who had the chance to enjoy the wonderful weekend. :)
vacation with us last weekend. Don't laugh, it was 58 degrees and sunny on Sunday. The kids have been experiencing "family attention deficit" since they left. They had 10 days strait with some extra family around to lovingly give them loads of attention and now it's just Mom home during the day again.
The picture is evidence of the boys holding Holly hostage on the couch and making her read book after book. Check out the stack on her lap. Hopefully your days are just as love filled. :)
Tuesday evening all of us (minus Nathan and Bill) were back at Mom and Dad's house for dinner together again. That is when the cousins picture was taken. My nephew Joey will be four in April and Jesse will be two in July. To those of you doing the math, yes in July the kids will be a 5,4,3,2, and 1. Happy grandparents. Wednesday after James finished work around noon he took us down to the Smith's. We had a lovely Valentine's dinner with Kevin, Mary, G'ma & G'pa Zemke, Jordan, and Katie. I'm sure it wasn't too romantic for any of the couples in attendance but considering the amount of attention the kids lavished on them I'm certain they all felt well loved.
Thursday afternoon James and Holly came back down and we all headed back to Rapid City. We made one long stop in Mitchell and were back home by about 10:30pm. Home Sweet Home, Dad Sweet Dad, and Husband Sweet Husband. Ahh. :)
My two brothers and sister along with all our families did some sneaky planning and pulled off a surprise dinner for them at a nice restaurant near their house. Most of us arrived at the restaurant ahead of Mom and Dad in borrowed vehicles while James and Holly picked Mom and Dad up for a quiet dinner for four. Little did they know that it would actually be a boisterous dinner for fifteen!
The pictures show Mom and Dad's reaction-smiles of surprise and then the whole crew around the tables. Dinner was fabulous, the occasion was special, and the company was unbeatable. I love my family! :)
First off, it is ALWAYS windy here. When whoever named Chicago the "Windy City" obviously hadn't visited Rapid City. The winter winds can drop our temperatures from moderate 
to down right cold. The summer winds turn average days into scorchers as they drive out every bit of moisture. Second, it doesn't really snow here before February. Every Christmas spent here has been brown. Last year on December 26 we were playing Frisbee in the backyard in short short sleeves. That might be a nice feature for attracting some folks but have I mentioned that whole state is brown the entire time. Here we do really only dream of white Christmases.
Now you'll understand the rarity of the pictures in this post. The wind has stopped. It has been snowing sporadically the last few days and we currently have nearly six inches on the ground with more scheduled to fall over the weekend. The wind however has called in sick or gone missing or just decided to take a week long vacation in the tropics. This means we are white. Snow white to be exact. It has been a very light, fluffy, powdery snow that gently covers all below. The Hills that dot our town and surround us are all covered with beautiful pristine white coats of snow. The foliage everywhere looks as if a baker has decorated with a thick dusting of powdered sugar. Ah. Now there is justification for leaving our Christmas lights up until mid February: it looks beautiful.
Have a wonderful weekend. :)
It was sweet to see them caught up in each other. Makes my heart happy. Dancing helps keep you warm and since most of you are probably cold you should try it with someone near and dear to your heart. :)
(www.locksoflove.org) This was actually the third time I've chopped and donated it since we lived here, but this time is the shortest it's ever been. This is the shortest hair I remember having-ever. I like it a lot so far but I will admit my neck has never been so cold. Usually I end up tucking it behind my ears so it doesn't look as wedge-ish. Anyway, just thought I'd share. Stay warm. :)
