5-Days Off.

It's a five day weekend. And I love it! I love routine and having Kinlee in school and all but man there's something to be said for time together and sleeping in and well even a break in the routine. 

I would have loved to have been up in Edmonton this weekend holding my newest nephew born 2 weeks early to my little sis on Thursday the 8th ((Surprise BOY, when u/s showed GIRL)). I would have so loved that but that ended up not being an option for more reasons than one. We made the best of the 5 days off and invited our besties, Jill, Dani and the boys over for a day of hanging out. The storm was just starting out on Thursday, the first day of our 5 days off and I was so glad to have Jill come over and hang out. I wanted to plan some fun things to do with the kids but we just don't get together near enough so it was free and wild play time instead! 

On Friday, I knew it needed to start out active with shoveling the walk and going sledding and ending off the day with a bowl of Kinlee's favorite flavored popcorn and the newest Tink movie, throw in some hot cocoa and soup and a hot fire and I had the perfect plans for a winter storm warning kind of day. We picked up Kinlee's Bevans cousins and hit the only slope in town. It got cold and we had fun while it lasted, well some of us did, Masen got the short end of the stick there... :( 

But otherwise, dang fun! 

Kinlee was the next to get too cold to function and then it was back to our house for the hot chocolate and a full afternoon of playing. 

 I draw a fine line in the being tough vs. being a whiny wuss and I let Kinlee know that I understood that she was very cold and that that hurts but that I was there for her and would pull her in the sled so she wouldn't have to walk and whining and crying about any of it wouldn't help anything. 

So she changed her beat...and sand all the way while lying down on the sled I was pulling her in singing a random song singing "I Love my Mommy!" all the way back to the truck. 

I'll take that over whining and complaining anyday.

Poor Frozen Cheeks!

 Lauren lent her gloves to Kinlee when Kinlee's got too wet to wear. Sweet girl that she is! Thx L. 

Hot Chocolate after a cold sledding excursion...much welcomed!

 The rest of the night was Date Night for Mont and I which was fabuloso and a Babysitter for Kinlee. 

An also fab babysitter who brought a much loved toy and played with her and got her to sleep with the house clean by the time we got home. I was finally impressed with a sitter! Thank You Jenn for lending your amazing eldest Ehlert beauty for the night. Kinlee had that baby Care Bear tucked in next to her when we got home and held a long photoshoot with the other Care Bears she has and made the cutest little family out of the three together. It really was too cute!

We had a great family day on Saturday and after all the cold activities and working we did it was so great to sit next to a real fire burning, drinking hot chocolate and watching a movie together. It really was perfect.

And then the little beauty woke up not so bright but very early right next to me moaning and groaning about a tummy ache.  

 Within an hour she had her first in a very long time experience with the upchuck-ing of her chunkies. TMI, I know, but that was the course of our day. Mont got up and went to church, took one for the team when he had to stand alone when our new callings were issued and claims he heard an audible groan among the congregation when they announced my release as Gospel Doctrine teacher. Not sure that's true but I am so sad to say good bye to that calling. I LOVED it! And I do miss it already. I wasn't really ready for the change, I think we've had enough change with our moving in to a different house and such. Oh well, here goes a a new chapter in our lives. As for being home with the baby cakes...what a sweetie. So sad to have her sick but I'm not going to lie I really enjoyed rubbing her back, holding and rocking her while was all wrapped in her favorite blanket she endearingly named "Mommy's Hug". I really loved cuddling that little gem while she laid listlessly on me while we rocked back and forth in the glider rocking chair where we spent many, many hours so many years ago doing the very same thing. Only she was so much smaller, but that baby face hasn't changed a whole lot. She took her first nap in years ((I swear it)) this afternoon on the couch. I had to document that....haha, a mid day nap. She definitely needed the sleep! And she's on the med. I Love that girl! She definitely needs to cut the thumbsucking habit but either way what a sweetie!!