We are at the end of the boys' spring break.  Wow, 2019 is 1/4 of the way over!

It has been a very chill week.  We started it by celebrating Jacob's 12th birthday.  He did not want to have a party, so he just invited a friend over.  This past Tuesday, JR and Ben headed to Miami.  JR's cousin's youngest daughter had her big quinceanera (15th birthday).  His parents also came up from Honduras.  Here are pictures from the big party.

Benjamin and JR's mom (Abuela)

JR's brother in law, sister and parents

They get back on Tuesday.

I have enjoyed a week of no cooking and very little cleaning!  Jacob, Joseph and I have just fended for ourselves.  The weather has been warmer, so they have gotten out on their scooters and also played with a lot of friends.  I think Jacob had 5 different sleep overs!

I am slowly trying to go through things again.  It seems that I am always thinking about what I could do to maybe get the house looking better, in the event we find something and want to put our place on the market.  I have been on the hunt for a small, comfy chair for the corner of our room.  I found one I liked.  The store (a local one, not a chain) told me I could take the chair home and if it worked, then swing back in and pay them for it.  The man let me leave the store with just my name and phone number.  I did not leave a credit card or driver's license.  Blew me away that there are still people out there that took me on my word.

Speaking of driver's license, the day of driver's ed is approaching.  Not too long ago Ben and I were running errands and I needed gas.  I told him to pump the gas and he informed me he did not know how.  So, he got his first lesson.  We have also been to the bank and he has learned how to deposit and with draw money.  So many life skills I just assume people know.

I am looking at several trips in the near future:  going to South Dakota to meet up with a friend for a women's retreat late April, a Cleveland trip late May for my niece's graduation, a NYC trip with Benjamin  late June(we have been saving for 2 years and have yet to make the trip happen) and potentially one or two more trips later in the summer/fall.  That is potentially a lot of traveling!

I have finally learned how to use both of JR's saws and have recently made a book shelf.  I am hoping to spend more time out in the garage once it warms up.  So many ideas I have for things to make!

We are at the end of what has been a huge snow week for us.  In the 12 years we have lived in town, we have never received as much snow over a short amount of time as we have this week.

The snow plows are struggling to keep up and our road has not been plowed in several days.  Fortunately, I have not gotten stuck.  (I have a front wheel drive van and I have regular tires and not winter/all season tires...that will change next winter!).  A lot of activities were cancelled, due to travel concerns.  When the sun is not out, the light is very flat and it can be hard to tell where the road ends and the snowy ditch begins.  It was so bad Thursday after school that the bus drivers refused to continue driving with the roads so deep.   We got more snow Thursday night. And, school was cancelled yesterday!  First snow day we have had probably since the 80s.  It was interesting to see all the remarks on Facebook.  Many were thankful, but then the other side is, come on, suck it up, Montanans are tough!

Here is our backyard.  Notice the snow on the fence shelf.  Our meter boxes are now completely covered.  (Also see the houses behind our house..makes me sad we lost our big open field.)

One of the many huge parking lot snow mounds Joseph wanted to climb.

Our porch light is covered with icicles. 

Looks like we will only see full sun one day in the next two weeks and we won't be above freezing until March 12th!  It is safe to say that everyone is ready for spring!

Jacob has his last basketball tournament this weekend.  So glad it is local.  Will be nice not to have any weekend commitments for a while!  Benjamin is considering track this spring, other than that, should be a quiet extra curricular next couple of months.

There is light at the end of the tunnel...winter tunnel that is.  Every day we are one step closer to the snow being gone.  We have passed mid February.  I am so excited!!  In some respects the winter has been milder but I still don't like the cold or the snow day in and day out! 

Jacob has one more basketball tournament and it is local!  He has been practicing/playing tournaments since October!  This is the longest sport season we have ever had!  Ready to get our Saturday mornings back!

Joseph finished up his snowboarding.  He is interested in soccer, but not sure yet if he will play.  Looks like it will be a quiet spring in the activity department! 

I am still working unlimited!  So hard to have a slower week when I know there is money I could be making.  I am finally getting in a groove and not committing to too much, so I have time for other things.

Almost 4 weeks ago, a good friend of mine lost her husband in a tragic train/car accident.  We have attended church with them for about 10 years and they have kids similar in age with some of ours.  The husband taught two of the boys' Sunday School classes.  It was the first time someone close to the boys have died, so lots of conversations about funerals, cemeteries, dying in general, etc.  When we attended the grave side, there was a 21 gun salute.  Those services are always so special.  He was buried in a small community cemetery, just down the street from our church.  I honestly did not even know it was there, because it sits up on a bluff.  An amazing view of the whole valley.  I told my boys that it was the cemetery I would love to be buried in.  Would be a wonderful place to walk through once the snow melts and see all the names and dates on the head stones. 

One of Joseph's former baseball coaches has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Just an amazing man/coach/mentor.  This past Friday they had a celebration of life for him and he was able to attend!! What a wonderful idea!  For those that are terminal, why have the celebration after they are gone.  Again, lots of discussion about quality of life issues, cancer, treatments, etc.

Tomorrow I am participating in a 7 day clinical trial.  I have to be at the local mall at 7am for the next 7 days to walk for an hour.  This is through a local lab that I have always wanted to get involved with, but never have followed through.  I will have to wear patches on my shoulders for the whole week to test how well they stay on.  The best part, I am going to get paid $450 to walk at any pace I choose, indoors for an hour.  Excited to put some more money in my fun/travel account.  I have several trips I am hoping to make in the next 6 months or so!

JR is staying busy with work.  He is over the snow, so there just might be a party when it is all gone! 

Benjamin missed the driver's ed cut off, because he is one of the youngest in his class.  So, he continues to anxiously await until he can get behind the wheel.  He is saving up for a car/insurance and gas!

January has come and gone!  Where did the days go.  I have been working 35-40 hours a week (so thankful for the work and it looks like it will not slow down anytime soon).  However, I feel like I can't keep up with everything.

On the 13th I celebrated my 50th!  My mom and sister flew up and surprised me for the weekend.  It was a totally chill Saturday and then on Sunday we went for brunch, to see a movie and then cake with the boys.  I think this is the only picture we took from the weekend.

Joseph has just finished 5 weeks of snowboarding lessons.  He did so good!  He picked it up really quickly.

Jacob has another 5 weeks or so of travel basketball.  Nothing else lined up for the spring right now.  Maybe soccer for Joseph.  At some point hopefully we can get Benjamin into Driver's Ed!!!

Nothing else really going on with us...basketball, snowboarding and work for me! 

Again, photos that never posted...

Here are Christmas Eve photos.  This is JR with his cousin and her husband.

The step son (who is not leaving FL and moving to MT), the oldest daughter and her mom.

The cousins!

Our crew!

The cousins did a few outings of sledding and one day of ice skating.  I took the two girls, their brother and my three to the ski hill one day.  They really enjoyed it, although the girls struggled some and one of them said it was probably their first and last time skiing!  We also had a few rousing games of Pit and Spoons (thought of you Jan, Mason and Kelvey).  It brought a smile to my face to hear Jacob tell the cousins that he did not want me to play because I was too good and would beat him!

Speaking of Jacob, he has a friend that he invites over every so often.  I really like this kid, but Trentin seems to bring out the rowdy in Jacob.  One day I asked Jacob why they never went to Trentin's house.  He said, 'to be honest, their house is messy'.  I said like really messy and he said yep, stuff everywhere.  I asked him how he liked it and he said he did not like going over there.  Then I made sure to tell him all the cleaning and chores sure paid off at our house!   He has learned to appreciate my cleanliness/organization. Brought another smile to my face.

Speaking of organization, I finally rented a storage unit.  We are just busting at the seams and I am tired of tripping over the out of season stuff.  Plus I am wanting to get everything out of the crawl space and to the storage unit.  Then I will have plenty of room to spread out and really go through/organize/label everything.  (Plus I am secretly hoping that this is a first step to decluttering a house that we will need to put on the market!)

Here is a photo taken at an ugly sweater party we attended mid December.  It was with our Friday night dinner group.  Almost every one showed up in a regular Christmas sweater, none of which I thought were really ugly.  I think I set the bar pretty high.  I won the Christmas gnome, which is now the traveling trophy from year to year.

(I had several posts pre dated to post and for some reason they did not...so these are really late, but oh well....)

More random pictures from last month or so.

Gingerbread making!!  Kristine seemed to be the best builder.  All the boys struggled with the frosting and being patient while it dried!

I wish I could say that the houses made it until Christmas, but their time was pretty short lived

When I was at my Dad's early December, I went to Hobby Lobby.  I found this mug.  I have learned when I really like something, I should buy it.  Just makes me happy.  The back side says "Let it Snow"  We are getting a Hobby Lobby sometime this spring and I need to start a cash envelope for my Hobby Lobby fix.  I think it might become one of my new happy places!

One of Jacob's bball games.

He actually made this shot!!

One of our new games, is called Bounce Off and seems to be the biggest hit.  You bounce ping pong balls and try to get 4 in a row!  I highly recommend it, if you are looking for a new game.

Some ice skating pictures.  Not sure how well you can see it, but behind Jacob is a small goal he made using the saw and drill at home!

He is so fluid.

Here is Joseph, yes skating in shorts, with 'tights' underneath them!

Every time I am back in Abilene, I drive by the old stomping grounds.  Sure loved this house.  There have been additions added since we lived there but the circle drive and basketball hoop are still there!

 During one of Jacob's basketball tournaments we had a 5 hour break and explored Phillipsburg.  We found an amazing candy store, which ships things all over the world!  This is a taffy machine.  It rolls about 300 pieces of taffy in just a few minutes.

 So much candy to choose from.

This is a drawing by Joseph, done free hand!  He is getting pretty good!

Another month of silence and a new year has been ushered in!!!  Things have been so crazy here, but I am also excited because after probably 3 months of no internet capabilities on my regular computer, it is fixed.  Which hopefully will mean easier for me to download and post pictures!

The boys went back to school on the 2nd!  We have a lot of activity for Christmas!  JR's cousin and her family were here for 12 days.  They did not stay with us, but we saw them every day but one.  It was his cousin, her husband, their 2 daughters (aged 14 and 15) and then a step brother, who is early 30s.  These are the same cousins that came to visit over the summer.  The reason they came to visit in the winter, is because they wanted to experience the cold and see if it is something they could handle permanently.  And  guess what, they loved it and are making preparations to move here this summer!!  They would live in our community and the girls would go to school with Benjamin.  They are a lot of fun.  My mom and niece got to hang out with them too!

My mom was here for 5 days.  We spent lots of time hanging around the house and playing games.  Christmas Eve was spent at the cousin's place...lots of food and music.  Then Christmas day we were at our house.  We had our annual scavenger hunt before opening gifts and then spent the rest of the day eating and playing games.  I am glad to say that I don't even think the tv was on during my mom's visit. 

We have been on a screen free kick lately.  I took away the gaming system early November and then removed the tv (so no movies) a few weeks before Christmas.  And you know what...everyone survived!  Joseph even said recently that he has enjoyed the break and the older two have not had a huge desire to play the PS4.  It has been nice seeing them playing board games, inside football, building things with their hands, etc.  I was always quick to point out to them how none of those things would have happened if screen was an option.  Jacob and Ben both alluded to the fact that it was nice not having the arguments that often ensued with the gaming system.

With the exception of a few cold, cold days, the winter has been mild.  Temperatures for early January have been above freezing, which is very unusual.

I have been allowed back to unlimited status with work!  Very excited for the boys to earn some money and for us to get more money in the bank.  I am still watching the housing market and just praying for contentment until we get more space!

JR has been busy at work!  He had lots of clients in town over the holidays.  He even picked up a new client and is in negotiations with another potential client.

Jacob continues with basketball and Joseph starts snow boarding lessons tomorrow!

Pictures are coming very soon!!

Another regular hunting season has come to a close.  JR and Jacob both harvested an animal. Jacob got a doe and JR got a buck.  We have meat in the freezer now! 

This next year, Joseph will be old enough to hunt.  Ben still does not express much interest in hunting, otherwise he would be out there with them.

I have been going through all of my pictures.  It seems I have them scattered in several different spots, so trying to spend a few hours a week consolidating them all into one spot.  Amazing how many I have, but I find I hardly ever take any right now.  Trying to remedy that because every year I print a collage for each boy of the past year's pictures.  Really hard to get a good collage when you only have 3-4 pictures. 

A few recent pictures that never made the blog for some reason.  I believe this was the picture taken on Halloween.  My little cowboy is quickly catching up with me.  He is already 4 and half feet tall!

Up until recently, this was a very common sight in our house.  I felt like it was taking over our home and unbelievable the adverse behaviors and attitudes I was seeing.  So, it is gone.  We have been screen free, for the most part in our house for over 2 weeks.  I decided I was going to invest in lots of board games and make sure that I am available and free to hang with the boys after school.  I can see small changes and hope we can only continue on the path.

A rare photo of Ben!!!!

I am currently in Abilene.  I flew down to spend three nights with my dad!  Fun to get away and be here!  Thankful that the boys are able to fend for themselves during times like this.

Snow is on the ground and looks like it is finally here to stay!  Things were slowing down a bit at work, but appears that they are going to pick up a little bit.  So thankful for the extra money and a great flexible job!!

Thanksgiving 2018

Hard to believe another year is coming to a close.  So much to be thankful for, from the really small, insignificant to the really big.

**Thankful for our health.  Aside from few broken bones and stitches, we have never experienced a major health crisis.  We are even blessed with great immune systems and are rarely sick.
**Thankful for board/card games.
**Thankful for my juicer and that I am really enjoying veggie drinks...who would have thunk it.
**Thankful for extended family close by (my niece).
**Thankful we have not found a house yet, God has just the one for us, in His timing.
**Thankful for the continued/growing independence of my boys.
**Thankful for a small handful of gals who I am still connected to after all these years.
**Thankful for recent laughter in our home ~ seems we had lost that for a while.
**Thankful for my Crossfit gym and as the years tick by, I still have great mobility/flexibility.
**Thankful for fried eggs and nutritional yeast (one of my go tos right now)
**Thankful that my boys don't argue about picking up dog poop. (our neighbors yard is nasty)
**Thankful for a group of about 8 families that gather weekly to connect and sharpen each other.
**Thankful for texting that allows a different way to stay connected to Benjamin.
**Thankful for my new coat that I splurged and bought after 10 yrs!
**Thankful that despite 1500 plus miles, I still see TX and OH family once or twice a year.
**Thankful for a 100% flexible job.
**Thankful for Netflix and podcasts that help my work hours fly by.
**Thankful for the hard.  This year has been hard, not sure why, but so glad I can grow and become a better version of me through the hard that the Lord allows in my life.
**Thankful for my electric blanket that I curl up under each morning to read.
**Thankful for JR's hard work/clients.  This is the first year we've fully funded our accounts.
**Thankful for candles and baths.
**Thankful for local friends who know just how to encourage.
**Thankful that the boys are old enough to put up Christmas lights this year.
**Thankful for the biggest blessing, a Lord that continues to love me in spite of myself!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Winter is on it's way.  We have had a pretty quiet fall.  I have been working a lot, however, they have recently starting limiting our number of hours, so I have some breathing room.

Jacob finished up his fall tackle football season.  He played quarterback and middle linebacker.  He really enjoyed the season.

Every year all the teams get invited to the University to go through drills that are put together by the university football team.  Also fun to see the kids on the big field.

Yes, this was what one of the games was like...this was probably mid October.  A little early for a big dump!  Can't wait until I can sit in the stands, versus standing in the snow.

The day of his last game, he went home and had a 2 hour break and then headed to his first basketball practice.  He is playing on a 5 v 5 team.  There are 8 boys and they will play a total of 7 tournaments between now and March.  It will be fun to travel to some nearby towns.  I am not sure how excited he is to be all in for the next 5 months.  He is concerned that he might not be able to ski this winter, since practice is every Saturday morning.

I recently had a long weekend with college roommates.  Sure was fun to get away for a few nights and reconnect.  We are hoping to make it an annual event!!

 My sister came in for the weekend to see Kristine and meet Andy.  Had a fun time carving pumpkins, wrestling and playing Sorry.

Andy has some police training, so the boys enjoyed going head to head with him.  Benjamin actually held his own pretty well.  We were all encouraging him to get into wrestling!

A quiet November is in store.  A few appointments and work, but lots of projects for me.  We are still watching the market, but have not seen anything that is a good fit for us.