Crazy Days

Between snow days, power outage day, conferences - (yes, another day off of school), Blake home sick today ,girls on the run preparation and practice, physical therapy three times a week and just our "regular" activities... I'm ready for a vacation!!!  Did I mention that it is still snowing today????  Ugh!!!  We are heading to Gulf Shores one week from today with our wonderful friends.  The kids are so excited to vacation with their friends;)

Blake loving basketball

Caitlin's adorable report

Some of my favorite people in good ol' k-zoo.

Madison's 4th grade music program!

Blake cleaning up after the dogs...  Haha!  It is the "new" punishment at our house.  

FEBRUARY... Only 28 days!

For being the month with the fewest days, I somehow managed to squeeze the most into it...  I have so much to catch up on with the BLOG...  Here are just a few highlights that I remember:

* Snow days.... we've had 10 --- we need to make up 4 so far
* Izzy's 3rd birthday
* Field trip with 6th grade to museum
* Madison's well child check AND ophthalmologist appointments ---  thankful, thankful
* Daddy/ Daughter dance
* Caitlin's swim meet
* Madison's swim meet - since they are different divisions now, they were different weekends :(
* Valentine Day parties at school
* Snowboarding/skiing
* Battle of the Book meetings and competition
* Weekend with the Warner clan
* Madison's birthday
* Madison's birthday party at Sufari Joe's
* Caitlin's RollerWorld class party
* Blake's band concert
* Caitlin started a drawing class after school
* Justin Timberlake concert in Chicago ...  drove through a blizzard to get there!!!!
* Florida Georgia Line/Jason Aldean concert in GR
* Brett worked two weekends
* Lots of construction out back on the BARN
* Had a sick little girl Caitlin home with me today
* Two nephews' birthdays
* My parents 49th anniversary

And I still need to do the following:
* Pick up Girls on the Run materials, organize them and attend a coaches mtg
* FINALLY see my sports med doc about my heal and shoulder...  ARG!!!!
* Get my sister Christy from the GR airport - she is being a trooper and watching my children for me while I go on a cruise
* Head to Detroit airport on Friday for a little R and R in the sun...  and celebrate Brett's 40th!!!

I still need to pack and get ready to be gone from home for 9 days.........

I will post some on the items listed above later.  It was a super busy month!

All the snow days -- lots of game playing

Cait and her BFF

Daddy/Daughter DANCE

One happy little girl

She stuck by Brett's side the whole night... cute

What????  eye drops....

Trombones RULE... Blake's concert

Valentines Party at school

Valentines Party at school

Madison's swim meet...

The BARN

Kids love playing on equipment

My 10 year old!!!

10...  Really???  This girl has had such a great week...  She was a little upset that I was going to miss the morning of her birthday, but hardly knew I was gone and got a snow day!!!!!  Friends came over and snowmobiled all afternoon.

We started the celebration the weekend before with the Warner clan.  We kept the weeklong celebration going strong with dance treats, school treats, dinner at red robin, presents-- an iPad, her battle of the books team making the FINALS and an overnight birthday party at the water park...  I spent a night at an indoor wAterpark with 5 girls...  

I sure hope she feels special to be 10!!!  Happy Birthday Madison...  I love you so much;)

Madison and Drake ---  5 days apart!!!

Red Robin TRADITION

My adorable JOLLY READER...  They made their own accessories with Jolly Ranchers.

Birthday Party

FRIENDS...

This smile says it all...

Waterpark FUN

So cute that Madison included her sister in the sleepover.

Doggy Love

We must have one of the most spoiled dogs!!!!  We have a tradition to celebrate the dogs birthday.  It is just a good excuse to make cake;). I love how excited the kids get---  they really make Izzy feel loved!!!  The girls made these little bunny cakes from scratch this year.   It seemed an extra treat this year because we just finished our 14 day family fitness challenge withOUT any treats...  Thankfully the kids survived.

Happy 3rd birthday!!!

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Loving the Slopes

The kids and I had just a few hours this morning of free time...  What better to do than go to Bittersweet?!?  I am loving how easy it is getting to do this.   I just put a bin by the door and they throw all their gear in it.  They also put snow pants on, boots on and jump in the truck.

Once we get there, they are all on their own.  I don't even carry anyones equipment anymore...  OK- I do usually carry Caitlin's skis back to the truck at the end of the day.  How can I resist her little sweet request????

It was a great morning...  It is so fun to stay back and let them all go down and watch them.  Today Caitlin and Blake were riding the terrain park.  Adorable to see her following her big brother over the jumps.  Madison finally mastered toe side on her board.

sisterly love in the lodge!

four person lift comes in handy...

Amazing boarder....  

I never get bored of this sight!

Healthy KIDS

I am so thankful for healthy kids...  knock on wood.  We have only had to deal with Blake's tonsils and adenoids out in Kindergarten.  Yes, we have been plagued by the common colds that run through the house, but I have never been faced with a concern for my kids.  It does constantly remind me how much my mother must have gone through when I was a child.  She was a rock and very rarely showed her concern for my heart problem.  I will never forget her skipping out of the hospital on that joyous day that they said that my heart had miraculously closed up on its own.

I have been spending the last few days in a little worry for Madison.  Having a hard time sleeping to say the least.  I have taken my kids health so for granted.  Her "wonky" eye has really become worse. I know, calling it a wonky eye is so horrible!!!!!  I am waiting on pins and needles to get my call from the pediatrician office for our appt at the ophthalmologist.  We did go to the pediatrician for her 10 year physical.  They were very concerned with her eye.  They had several people look at it and commented on how strange that it just started doing this - her left eye does not track with her right eye and she gets blurry and double vision.  I immediately think of the worse - our great friends little boy has a tumor in his brain that caused eye problems.

Brett has been very supportive and helpful in making me just be patient and see what they say.

Other than her eye, they said she was in exception health... They did comment on how muscular she is...  I love my little athletic girl :)  She is 85 percentile for height and weight!!!!!

FIngers Crossed... Back to NORMAL!!!!

Wow, this weather has been crazy.  My sweet children went back to school today!!!!  We were all very happy this morning.  However, of course I have a doctor appt for Madison today ---  she has been off school for 4 snow days and today I have to pull her out early.  We've got to get her eyes checked out.

Thank goodness for wonderful friends.  I have been kept busy with kids, friends and girlfriends.

Since I couldn't get out to the gym much, I decided to have the kids work out with me.  They actually loved doing treadmill/elliptical/pushups/sit-ups with me.  It was a priceless moment to look over and see Madison running on the treadmill next to me in my running shorts!!!!  She has been wearing some of my clothes lately---

I also taught them many games that I played as a child with my grandma.  It was a very long Friday-Thursday with snow days, but we definitely made the most of it with time together!  Looking forward to a warmer weekend to ski and snowmobile.

adorable Caitlin

Together with friends

bowling queens

Madison's teacher is brilliant...  she sent via email, a to do list----  one thing was doing a chore!!!

By buddy at the bus stop this morning.  I broke down and drove her...