Catching up a bit.

Now that temperatures have climbed above freezing the past few days, I've thawed enough to post some pictures. We haven't disappeared completely from the blogging world--we've just been enjoying our time together.

For a few freezing weeks, the only convenient way in and out of our home was by going under this row of icicle daggers.

Then when the icicles melt a bit, they can leave one side of my van completely covered in ice. This is when you just curl up with a good book or movie, stay in for the day (or week if it's during the holidays), and be glad your kids can walk themselves to/from school.

In front of our home, late at night.

I'm so glad Chris likes to get out in the snow and play with the kids. They are too.

The igloo.

Blake: another reason I haven't blogged for quite a while. I can't get enough of this adorable--and I mean adorable--boy. He is sunshine on these cold and cloudy days.

Sweet Annie, she's been counting down the days until her birthday for weeks now. Just two days left!

Seth and Blake, on the sled that lasted one fun day.

Happy Josh

We are alive and well and enjoyed our holidays so much. We loved the freedom and flexibility and laziness of the time out of school, but it is nice to feel productive again now that we're back in a routine. We are filling our time with the usual:

Chris: Loving his job, coming home for lunch, spending lots of time with the family, helping Josh with his pre-algebra homework, reading, preparing lessons for sunday school and the young men in church, baking, and shoveling snow.

Tami: Trying to be a little more organized, making sure everyone gets to where they need to be, reading to the little ones, enjoying time with the young women in our ward, reading, trying to keep tummies full and the kitchen sink empty, enjoying my time with my precious children.

Josh: Enjoying his new Christmas Legos, drawing comics, reading, practicing piano, going to scouts, hanging out with friends, working on his science project, eating, trying to avoid his math homework, and playing on the computer.

Seth: Also enjoying his new Lego sets, reading Harry Potter, going to Bear scouts now that he's nine, practicing piano, jumping on the furniture, playing Wii, working on his pinewood derby truck and a school report, playing with friends.

Annie: Loving BYU preschool, asking for playdates with friends daily, trying to read and spell, changing outfits, making cards and gifts, drawing, eating mainly cheese and toast and pasta, saying very sweet and thoughtful prayers, playing house with her little brother.

Blake: Playing with his trains, singing ABCs and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little _____" (fill in the blank--my favorite is the monkey version), talking and talking and more talking, climbing and jumping from high places, quoting movies, and keeping us all in stitches and head-over-heels in love with him.

2010 was a year of much change for our family due to our move for Chris' new job. We have been greatly blessed, though the changes certainly required some sacrifices. But whatever we have given up to be where we are now has been worth it and then some. We look forward to all the experiences and joys this new year will bring.