HEAT WAVE

Folks....
The sun was shining bright and beautiful in the sky yesterday.  So bright and beautiful that Lew said his eyes were burning.  The sun doesn't shine much here.
When it came time to pick up Thomas we decided to take full advantage of the sun and we thought it would be fun to walk to pick him up.  We haven't been able to do it in months.
We checked the temperature before we got all dressed up and when I saw that it was 20 degrees outside we.......... jumped with joy that we were having a heat wave!  
Not a normal reaction to that temperature. But to us it felt warm and amazing outside.
Lew noticed all of the different types of snow on our walk.  Splashy.  His favorite because it splashed everywhere.  Crunchy.  The hard icy kind.  Fluffy.  The soft newly fallen stuff that hasn't been stepped in or made dirty.

We enjoyed our walk so much that we stayed outside for another hour and rode scooters around the ice patches in the driveway and threw the football around.
WOW.  Heat waves have a way of lifting ones spirit and making it a good day.  SO lucky to enjoy it with my men.
It looks like spring is on it's way, now we just need the foot of snow on our porch to melt!

SNOWBOARDING

I learned to snowboard when I was in the 7th grade.  It was at ski school.
I borrowed a snowboard from my aunt.
I thought I was cool.  All of my friends were snowboarding.
My aunt actually got to be my teacher.  I felt special.
I wasn't much good.  It was hard work.  I was at an age where I just wanted to look cool and do it right away.  So... I probably didn't work as hard as I should have.  One of those regrets you can't change.
I remember one point where my friend broke her board and so we sat down on them and decided we would sled down to the bottom.
I went on a date once in college.  He took me snowboarding.  I came home crying.  Probably for multiple reasons.... lets not get into that!
I don't remember much else.
It has been a few years....
It is now the winter olympics.  We have spent many nights snuggled as a family watching.
Thomas became obsessed with the snowboarding.
OBSESSED.
I decided to take him on a special mom's date snowboarding.
On our drive up early that morning Thomas said, "My stomach is having a party.  My whole body is having a party because I am so excited."
I was feeling him.  I was a little bit nervous and excited.  Mostly nervous.
WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!

I was so beyond proud of THOMAS.  He works hard.  The first thing he said when we got our gear on was, "I want to go on the chairlift and off the jumps."  He was upset when I said we had to work on a few things first.  And by a few things I meant we did the falling leaf all day long!  We are working on "walking" before we "run".  He wanted to bomb it down the hill.  He would say that every other snowboarder was awesome.  The real deal.  He looked so so so cute.   We had so much fun laughing and hanging out.  He felt like my little bud, I wasn't having to parent him.  It was really fun to see him in that light and feel so PROUD of the sweet, funny, and kind boy.  He took care of me and acted so big.  He is so determined.  He is also a perfectionist.
Thomas Darling,  I love you more everyday. Thanks for making this memory with me.  I will cherish it forever.

DAY TO LOVE

I know some dislike this day.

I feel so sad for them.  

We hopefully ALL have somebody to love, and I don't just mean significant others.
It is a day to feel and show LOVE to all of the people in our lives that we feel grateful for.
Now I think that is something to celebrate!  (Something I hope I can teach my children the importance of.)
So..... celebrate we did in a low key sort of way.
The boys woke up to a treasure hunt with a special just for them mom's date at the end.
For breakfast, pink milk, strawberry yogurt and strawberries in our oatmeal.
Dad left us all a special treat and love note.
T left us love notes in our mail boxes.  He loved, loved, loved putting things in our boxes this year.  We all felt of his love for us from his hand cut hearts with secret love messages.  He loves writing and is getting really good at spelling on his own.
After breakfast we decorated sugar love cookies for friends.
We went to the children's museum with friends and made more valentines.
For dinner the boys helped in the kitchen, while Nat King Cole LOVE songs played on the record player.  We had roast, potatoes, sautéed kale, strawberry italian cream sodas and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.
AMAZING!

The boys played in a basketball game against each other in our basement.  Daniel was Lew's coach and I was Thomas's.  T won both games.  5-0 and 5-3.  He may be able to take Lew now but Lew has speed and defense on his side.  Seriously they both have skills. Then we had a mini movie night before going to bed, exhausted with all of the gratitude and love we have in our lives.

State College

It was amazing to get away for the weekend as a family and just hang out.
After a last minute scout campout we woke up bright and early and hopped in the car.
I wasn't thinking and didn't bring anything for the boys entertainment on the 3 hour car ride... lets just say we heard "Are we there yet" a few too many times!
We made it just in time for lunch at a thai restaurant.

With full bellies and happy hearts we walked around the quaint and darling downtown.  
We spent quality time in a toy store where the boys looked at every toy deciding on what to use their well saved money on.  T decided on a red car that propels forward when a balloon de-flates.  L had his heart set on the ambulance that was just more money then he had... but finally after much deliberation chose a playmobil soccer guy.
They each paid the cashier and carried around their own purple bag for the rest of the day with pride.
So sweet.
We walked through campus not realizing we would run into flocks of ducks that bite and mammoth squirrels that get too close for comfort.
We ran up stairs and jumped off even more.  We saw beautiful buildings and just when we thought we couldn't walk anymore we found the Ice Cream shop of all Ice Cream shops.  They serve you gigantic proportions of the most creamy heavenly ice cream.  It probably helps that the girl helping had a crush on my brother-in-law!

Then just when we were all nice and full and sticky we went back out into the cold and found our way back through campus.  The kids were troopers but I don't even think they noticed the cold they were so so happy to be together.  There was arms linking and joking and laughing.  The Packer cousins are often referred to as our brothers and sisters.... we kind of think the world of ALL of them!
We spent the evening swimming and taking over the lobby eating pizza and playing uno.
We borrowed a book from the hotel to read before bed and didn't make it a paragraph in before we all fell fast into dreamland.
I have to say sharing a bed with Lewis is always an adventure.
We woke up and enjoyed our breakfast.  The children colored pictures and the hotel ladies hung them up for everyone to see.  Thomas is really into coloring these days and was very proud of his Captain America piece!

Then with an hour before checkout we all rushed back to the pool where the boys jumped into the pool and jumped into the pool and jumped in some more!  Lew has no fear.  Thomas warmed up fast and was soon doing twists and turns!
After checking out we headed home and stopped at a local BBQ joint at a gas station.  You never know what your going to find but, we left with stinky fingers from the ribs, full bellies from the pulled pork and big smiles on our faces and sleepy eyes!
We made it home just in time to have friends over for the super bowl.
You can always tell how epic the weekend was when you fall asleep before your head hits the pillow and you wake up to loads of laundry to be done and dishes still in the sink to be washed.  DON'T JUDGE we are making memories!

PIZZA NIGHT

 

                   

Picture overload.  I can't help but add all of the pictures.  This night started out very normal.  Daniel was going to be gone for the evening and the boys and I were going to eat cereal or whatever leftovers were in the fridge, UNTIL, the boys said they wanted to make their own pizzas.  It turned into one of the sweetest nights with two very excited boys!  Because it was their idea they were totally into it and helped with every single step.  A night to remember.  NO fights.  NO complaints about the food.  PURE excitement and silliness.  

As a mother I know that my children need structure and need a schedule.  We all do better when we have our sleep and eat at regular times and know what to expect in our everyday lives.  My motherly thoughts tell me that on a night by myself I should do whatever is easy and low-key...... 

My natural instinct is to have fun and make memories.  I am always up for a good party and I am glad that I was able to go with my instinct this night and go with the flow.  Not only did we make a yummy dinner but, we made some fun knew memories!  They are growing up and turning into quite the duo of fun!  Not to mention the skills they are learning in the kitchen are sure to impress anyone!

Thomas has perfectionism in his blood.  Things have order.  Every process must be done a certain way.  He is a great helper and is ready to help when asked.  He thinks before he acts.  He created designs with his favorite toppings.  He is excited but, mature.

Lew is wild and free.  He was throwing toppings on he doesn't like and then giggling after it was cooked because he didn't want to eat them.  He is into taking silly silly pictures.  He grabbed a handful of pepperoni's, took a bite and then put them back into the bag.  He is relaxed and doesn't think about consequences just acts on his instincts.  He dances in the kitchen because he is so excited.  

GOOD MORNING

I woke up to these little monkeys eating popsicles for breakfast.
Definitely the best way to start your morning... especially with these cold temps said NOBODY EVER!
They were tucked in a corner (probably trying to hide) giggling like best brothers should.
I love their sleepy eyes, messy bed heads and matching wonder boy shirts.  A special gift from Grandpa and Grandma Packer at Christmas.
My father-in-law; while in high school, college, and his mission, signed letters to my mother-in-law as "WONDER BOY"
They sent each grandson (all 15) a wonder boy shirt to tell them how truly wonderful they all are and to remind them to carry on the tradition of truly being a wonder boy.
They may not recognize how important this message is now.....
Right now they just know that Grandpa tells really funny goodnight stories.  They just know that he loves them.  They just love visiting his house and finding special treats just for them and receiving an occasional note in the mail from him.
I hope that through these memories and experiences they can learn that Grandpa Packer is truly a great example of being wonderful.  He sets such a great example of what it is to be a father, a husband and a man of God.  That is what makes him Wonderful.... and if they too can follow in his footsteps then it is these things that will make them WONDERFUL.

The Other best part about all of this is that they don't have just one GREAT EXAMPLE but MANY amazing men in their lives that can teach them how to be WONDERFUL.

WINTER COLD

It has been bitter cold here the last few weeks.  

In the single digits and with the wind chill feeling like -20's.

We are told that school is NEVER cancelled in Erie.... 

We have had two snow days and multiple 2 hour delays.  

We have spent plenty of time snuggling on the couch having "movie nights" at all hours of the day.  Monsters University and Despicable Me 2 are definitely favorites right now.  I love to hear these two laugh.  We have read stories, played legos, baked cookies, played playmobils and army men.  Colored pictures for friends.  Written stories and painted pictures to go with it.  We have had playgroups and playdates and anything else we can think of where we get together with friends.  We have organized all of the toys in the house and spent a lot of time un-organizing them again!  Thomas got a stomach bug and the common cold has made a few appearances.  Daniel has continued to wake up and make it to work.  Most days before the rest of us make it out of bed.  He is braving the cold as we speak on a winter campout with the young men in our area.  Talk about die hard! 

Here are a few other things we have been doing to keep these boys happy during these cold winter days.  

Within a short amount of time all of us have had at least one pair of pants get a hold in the knees.
Some of us have had it happen to multiple pairs of pants.
It must be all of that sliding down the grocery store aisles that did them in!
Because the pants still fit and I wasn't about to replace pants for everyone at the exact same time we decided to fix them up and make monster pants.
WE LOVE THEM.

 We love going to the BAYHAWKS games and even went to the Burger King Classic.  I am pretty sure the boys like the snacks they con their dad into getting more than the actual games, and watching the break dancers and clutch bounce in his blowup suit might tie for second.

 Seriously is there anything cuter than warm pajama snuggles, sleepy eyes, food on the face and a best buddy to play pbskids on the computer with.  These two think not.

Even with the frigid temps we have bundled up a few times and climbed mountains of heaping snow, made angelic snow angels and found deer tracks on our winter explorations.  We even try to use the cold temps to our benefit and make colorful ice globes.  This is something that we have loved doing year after year and when the sun finally shines it makes the colors so vibrant and fun.  A cheerful addition to a snowy and cold day.

What better way to get our energy out than to 'bucking bronco" on the hippity hops.  All the professionals trains this way!  They are very serious about this cowboy thing, can you see it in their eyes?