Window well fort

So, my ever creative Hailey came up with a new idea for her birthday.  She decided to make a fort in her bedroom window well. 
Shaylea & Hailey used shovels to pile snow into her window well and then dug part of it out so you could climb down in and look into Hailey's window. 

A view from outside

A view from inside of Hailey's room

Hailey in her bedroom with the fort in the background.

Hailey's birthday

Hailey's Birthday

My Hailey is turning 11 today!!  I have been super sick this week so I'm super duper grateful that Jeff stepped up and did all the birthday shopping and made her birthday dinner & cake!!!  She picked chili dogs for dinner and a Funfetti birthday cake.   Traditionally we would have gotten her concert tickets to her favorite singing artist - but Taylor Swift's tickets are WAY too expensive.  So she got some Taylor Swift memorabilia instead.

I had to convince her to postpone her birthday party to next week.  Jeff leaves for Saudi Arabia in the morning and I'm still sick.  Kinda bummer birthday for her - but hopefully I can make it up next week at her party.

Getting ready to open her gift

Taylor Swift books, poster, bracelets, Zinkies, and Color Blooomz craft

Strange things are happening...

I've haven't been feeling well this week - like real sick.  Fevered, chilled, achy, sore throat - you name it.    Anyway, I took a nap on the futon in the kitchen and noticed something hanging from the bottom of the cupboard when I woke up.
Upon further examination, I discovered an origami swan attached to the bottom of a spoon.  I still don't know the full story behind this - but I'm sure I know who it was.

HAILEY!!!!!

Our Snow Sculpture

I talked to my dad on the phone today.  They have very little snow in Idaho - while we have quite a bit.  He told me about a snow sculpture that someone made of Abe Lincoln sitting in his chair.  I told him that we would make something - but probably not as grand as Abe.

We were going to make a penguin but then changed part way through and decided to make a cupcake.  Hailey's birthday is next week and we though it would be perfect.

Hailey painting her snow sculpture.

Hailey's doing a no sugar challenge in January - this might be the closest she gets to a cupcake.

Mom piled up the snow
Dad cut out the shape
Hailey helped make the lines and spraypainted it.

Proof that they can play nice together...sometimes

Our kids are in that stage of life when they argue nonstop and about everything!  So, it's a rare and monumental moment when I find them playing nice together.  LOVE it!

Calista & Chance playing cars

Yay!!! Snow!!

Most people mumble & grumble when it snows - but I love it!  (as long as I don't have to travel very far)   I would much rather look at snow than dead dead grass.

Jeff taking Chance for a ride on the snowmobile

I don't know what to say about this...Chance is sticking his head into the snowbank?

Hailey LOVED snowmobiling - especially when she got to drive.

You're never too old for.....

Shaving Cream!!!

I used to spray shaving cream into a pan and let my kids play in it.  They would use it to practice spelling words or  draw pictures.But it's been a long time since they've done that.  Hailey found a bottle in my craft box and asked if she could play with it.  It wasn't long before Calista wanted in on the fun and Chance had to join in too.

New Year's Eve

We usually go to a cabin with the Stewart's for New Year's Eve but they were sick this year so we ended up staying home.  We decided to spend the night indoors just playing games & snacking.

We started with a game called Headbandz - which totally bugged Jeff.  You have to wear these silly headbandz with a card on them.  You are trying to guess what your card is and you can ask yes/no questions for approx 2 minutes during your turn. It's harder than you think.

Then we play some Wackee Six and Jenga!!  Somehow we ended up having a mini-marshmallow war.  I'm pretty sure Jeff started that!  haha!

Then we banged in the new year with pots and pans.  As if that wasn't enough - Hailey & Chance decided to SCREAM in the New Year.

Here's hoping 2013 is awesome!

It took Jeff forever to guess he was a parrot!

Hailey was an umbrella!

Calista was a piano!

And Chance was a kite!