ERHS

Life in our household has changed as we know it for the next three months!  Jason was asked to coach the JV Girls Soccer Team at ERHS.  He's pretty excited for this opportunity so that as the girls (oh yeah ... AND Owen!!!) get older, he would have already had experience coaching.  He wants me to come along every now and then to help out.  We wont see him much that's for sure, but it WILL be fun (kids are crossing their fingers) to ride the bus with them to games, and the kids LOVE riding their bikes on the track to keep entertained.  

I did graduate from Chugiak, but oh well ... GO WOLVES!!!

A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

OMGoodness!!!  This is a LONG & PAINFUL story ... one that I won't bore you with.  Our bathroom is on it's final stages of being completed!! We borrowed a tile saw from some friends and started the tile work this last week.  Jason wasn't too thrilled with my design, especially since he's never tiled before.  {above the top row, I have 6x6 & 6x12's that will make a decoration line}  But he is loving it now and says that I made a pretty design.  After the walls are done, we are doing the floor with the same tile, just in a square pattern.  

I CAN'T WAIT TO USE MY DOUBLE JETTED TUB!!!!

Bad Ball

Ok so I PROMISE I've never said this to Owen ... but I just saw him talking to his ball saying ...

"Never get snack, never get snack ... 'cause BAD!"

School Vacation

Our sixth day of school off, I could kinda care less what the kids did ... AS LONG as they didn't fight.  Things were touch and go with the Wii today, so that got banned.  Toys weren't as fun today since they played with EVERYTHING in the past 6 days.  So what else to do than to make a fort!  {and in swimsuits nonetheless}   Normally this doesn't work because the girls are YELLING at Owen for not crawling properly under the blankets making the fort fall completely apart.  So we decided to join in the fun and help build an "expert" fort (as Meg liked to call Jason & I).  After this pic was taken, we added even MORE blankets!  Eventually Owen had had it with the girls getting after him, so he sighed and went to his room to play with his train set.  I think I'm ready for school tomorrow :)

Spring ... Already?

Just after Christmas we had a horrible spell of -20 degrees for almost three weeks.  The kids went back to school with it still below zero, had one day where they could have recess, and then poof!  It all changed!!  

In alaska we call high warm winds a Chinook.  This one had high winds from 65-80 mph with some inlet areas getting up to 105!  The temps went from -20 to +50 ... a 70 degree difference!!!  School was cancelled wednesday, thursday, AND friday ... and on top of that, monday is a holiday!  So the kids got a 6 day weekend!  Some moms were HATING life, but I was enjoying it!  The roads the first two days were too icy to drive on from all the melting water pooling on top of the snow.  It was a MESS ... but we enjoyed spending more time on the Wii, and when the highway cleared ... we headed to Target getting SPECTACULAR deals of 75% or more off toys ... mmmmm ... Legos!  

Here's a picture of our house with NO snow!  The kids were bummed though that their XX-Skiing was cancelled.  It feels like spring break up ... but unfortunately it's only JANUARY!!  

Alyeska

Bliss, sheer bliss!!  The day after Christmas my entire family took off to Girdwood and stayed the night at the Alyeska Hotel.  We swam our little hearts out the first night we were there, and then skied all day Saturday.  I just love the feeling of being at a ski resort during the holidays, especially with all the christmas decorations.  {Jas & I talked about making this a Christmas tradition}  

Kali & Meg really surprised us with how long they wanted to ski, especially despite the cold weather. We took them to the top of the mountain on the tram, and Kali skied 1/4 of the way down all by herself! We were VERY impressed with how well they both did.  Meg's favorite thing was the Magic Carpet, a rubber conveyer belt {new-skool tow rope} that brought her to the top of the hill, then she skied as fast as she could back down.  We all had so much fun, we'd love to go back!!

 

Day #25 {advent calendar}

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

I don't think Santa needs to worry about video games for our kids for a VERY LONG time!!  He brought everything Wii, and Jason's parents gave us Rock Band.  {check out the video to see how excited Kali was when they opened it}  Jason also loved his present!  I got him the 6-tool Dewalt cordless power tool set.  His box was about the same size as the Rock Band box, so I hid the wrapped Rock Band in a closet, and wrapped the tools the same way and labeled it "To: Kali, Meg & Owen,  From: G&G Smedley" and let the kids open up what he thought was Rock Band.  He sat chilled out on the couch, and got all excited while they opened it saying "WHAT THE!!!".  He makes me laugh when he says "i got my MAN tools" :)  And Jason this year, well lets just say he got me a nice PrimaLoft Jacket for winter.  {i picked it out ;D} 

Day #23 {advent calendar}

For todays activity we were supposed to make cookies, but this was more exciting!!  Our friends Matt & Tiffanie invited us over for pizza, Polar Express, Rock Band & Snowmachining for the kids.  We had a blast!  Especially the kids!  They just rode around and around the house till 10:30.  Josh let Kali try out his skis and Kali picked it up QUICK!!  She was even brave enough to keep trying out the jump that they made for Josh.  We were SO impressed with how determined she was!  Those four little kids, Josh, Kali, Liz & Meg were a hoot to watch.  They were like midget teenagers that knew exactly what to do, I didn't even have to help them.  Anytime Kali fell down, Josh would yell "go help her, go help her" as Meg or Liz jump off the snowmachine to go help Kali get the tow rope.  And if she got left behind he'd jump off and yell at the girls to help him push the snowmachine backwards to go get Kali.  I was cracking up the whole time just watching in amazement how it all went down.  

While the kids were doing their thing, us adults jammed out to Rock Band.  It was only my second time playing and I already feel like a Rockstar!!  There's something about those guitars and drums that just gets me!!  

The following videos are of Josh being pulled by Kali, landing the jump.  The second is of Kali's best attempt.  Oh yeah, and in the last pic, Liz & Meg are pretending that they are falling off!

 

 

Day #21 {advent calendar}

These were fun stockings to make!!  I obviously had to do Owens.  I have quilted stockings that I made years ago that hang over the fireplace for "pretty" sake.  Does Santa fill these puppies . . . HECK NO!!!  

We have had the kids choose a sock of their choice Christmas Eve, and lay it on the hearth of the fireplace for Santa to come and fill with goodies.  This got challenging for Santa when socks, especially GOOD socks {the ones that have cute patterns and aren't bought at Walmart!} were filled too full, thus stretching them out!

So I decided to make fleece stockings for Santa to fill this year. Something a little more Christmas-y, and kid-contributed. Aren't they cute!  The kids LOVED the added touch of the bells and the stuffing in the toes.   

Day #18 {advent calendar}

This week has been a busy one, and the activities have been less interesting to be posted.  We've made cookies, gone sledding, watched a few movies, etc. etc. 

I am AMAZED though at how all three of my children had a great attention span for sitting down and watching the church DVD, Joy To The World.  Owen wouldn't stop saying "baby Jesus, there's baby Jesus," Kali would sing with the Mo-Tab, and Meg was purely entertained {see, she's a movie junky!}

We enjoyed this movie and will probably see it again before Christmas comes.  It brings a great spirit into our home!