Around Thanksgiving time last year, we had our first snow. We were all excited to get out there and let the boys really experience the snow for the first time, too! I'm glad we got them out there!
I have no clue which two are walking with M.
Our little angel.
Again, I have no clue who she's playing with in this picture.
I think this is Tucker if I remember correctly.
This is Cooper. I remember this picture for sure.
Snow is fun - but I am so glad that Winter is about over and Spring is right around the corner finally!
I feel like I could just re-post my feelings from my last 'snow' post - found here. :)
Of course I've got some new pictures for our March snow storm from yesterday.
I gave her the tiniest shovel while I shoveled.
It was the only one I could find. She didn't seem to mind.
Hmmm...where should I begin?
Helping to clean off the ol' Escape.
My favorite picture. Her path to the tree. There's something magical about fresh fallen snow. She's all the way in front of the tree.
Rolling a snowball for her snowman...well, snow-woman.
P.S. Building a snow-woman was a lot of work (for me).
But...she loved her! Kisses!
Followed by yelling in her face.
Her favorite part...giving our snow-woman several stick arms in her back.
(I should add that our snow-woman's face (eyes, nose, and mouth) fell off today. M noticed this morning when we left the house, and she was sad about that. I told her to get over it (not is those words exactly).)
Dear Snow, Seriously. Please be done for the season. But thank you for bringing so much joy to my daughter. However, we are ready for Spring. At least I am anyways. Thanks, Megan
When Madison woke up from her nap yesterday I decided to take her out to enjoy the snow! I wasn't exactly thrilled for our February Snow Storm, but I knew she'd love it!
And hey...at least it makes for fun photos! :)
She wanted her ball out with her for some reason. She quickly lost interest in the ball though.
I showed her how to make a snow angel, and then she said she'd try it. But, she didn't like it! Haha! This picture makes me laugh though.
She loved finding big sticks under the snow fall.
Eyelashes!
This was great packing snow, and she loved all the snowballs I was making her.
She also enjoyed drawing in the snow with her stick.
We took off Friday February 1st for a long trip to Minnesota to visit with family and friends! We arrived at our cousin's home Friday evening just in time for a delicious Olive Garden dinner. Mmmm Mmmm! M enjoyed playing with all of Kinley's toys, and after the little girls went to bed we played a few exciting games of Spoons!
The next morning (Saturday) M had fun with Kinley's roller coaster ride.
We went to Cam's hockey game. At least Josh and Lex are lookin' at me for the picture!
After the game and lunch, we headed off to go snow tubing! M fit into her very own tube. A lot of our cousins joined us...I just failed at getting a group shot. Boo on me!
They were having problems with the electricity so we had to WALK up the huge hill every time. Madison walked up it 3 times by herself. It was a work out that's for sure!
Here we are going down in a big train. Madison LOVED it!
M took a break (from the walking) with Josh and Cam and watched some snow-boarders.
And then...she was SO so tired (no nap this day) and about to fall asleep in her tube!
She fell asleep as soon as Josh picked her up.
On Sunday Josh left for Las Vegas for the World of Concrete Convention with our cousin, Jason, and M and I headed to our friends, the Willms' home to stay for the week. We returned to our cousin's house Thursday (Josh was returning Friday).
M enjoyed watching her older cousin Dominic play his DS.
She also enjoyed making a huge mess with the army men she found somewhere.
On Saturday Jenny made us some delicious pancakes for breakfast before we had to pack up and head to lunch with our friends.
We LOVE our MN family! We had so much fun and they were great hosts! :)
Josh mentioned to me last December that he wanted to take M skiing this winter. I thought he was being ridiculous...but agreed to try it out after calling the ski resort and discovering they did have ski boots in her size (the smallest size they offered). We both didn't have too high of expectations, but our little M really surprised us with her balance and bravery!
So, on Tuesday morning we headed to Chestnut Mountain Resort (about 90 minutes North of the QC) in Galena, IL. We were happy to have Grandma Tracy AND Great Grandma Bev join us. After what seemed like FOREVER to get all ready we were all finally ready to hit the slopes! It was a beautiful day out (I think around 40 degrees). We were so lucky!
Her TINY skis were SO adorable! Josh was SO excited!
Tracy and Bev were super excited, too.
Her first time down was slow (obviously)...and she fell. :( She wasn't too sure, and while she didn't cry, she kinda whined just a bit. We were on the bunny hill. I left and tried skiing down once myself to get my bearings.
But she made it and even went up the flat escalator thingy back to the top.
She fell again the second time down. :( And she was crying so Josh decided to just sit with her and let her watch her Mama and Grandmas ski down a couple tmes.
And then...she was at it again! :)
After that, M went inside to get lunch and to hang out with the Grandmas for a while. Josh and I went down Old Main a couple times by ourselves (I was too scared to go down it again), and we went down Rookie's Ridge, and then headed in as well for a lunch break.
After lunch, I was on Madison duty for a while so that the Grandmas and Josh could ski down Old Main a few times. Josh and I had discovered that Rookie's Ridge was actually less crowded than the bunny hill, and it had an area that was not super sloped. So I let M try and 'ski' and follow me (chase) and SHE loved that!
Then, we were all able to help her ski down the small slope at the top of the hill a few times. Here are a couple videos. We were all so proud of M, and at this point, she was truly having fun and laughing as she skied.
This one wasn't on FB. Plus, you get to see Josh ski backwards!
She even went down Rookie's Ridge several times, too, with Josh. He's fancy and went down BACKWARDS so he could help her the whole way down! She was obsessed with the chair lift and requested several times, "Me go round and round and round on big chair!?" I was of course SUPER NERVOUS...but I knew that Josh would protect her. Although, I did scream, "JOSH. You hold on to her!" the first time she rode it up. (Later Josh told me that I was really loud, too. Oh well.)
Here they are skiing off the chair and coming to me!
Seriously. How sweet is this picture!?
After a while we were all tired, and headed to our hotel (we didn't stay at the resort) to check in and change, and then we went to a nice dinner in Galena.
Back at the hotel we hung out for a bit before all trying to go to sleep. M was awake for about 2 hours talking and playing in the bed with us. It was miserable. :) But funny. She said things like:
"Oohhh...what's that noise???" (once Tracy and Bev began their snoring.) "Too loud!"
"Daddy. Be quiet. Time for night-night." (obviously)
"Mama. I want blueberries and yogurt for breakfast."
"MAMA! Bunny fell! Bunny fell! Bunny fell!" (For the record...her bunny was just on the other side of Josh.)
Also, she sang made-up songs. Faked snored. Kicked me and elbowed me multiple times...all night. And, tried repeatedly to take the rubber band out of my ponytail. But...I was thankful that once she was asleep she stayed asleep (despite the snoring of our roommates). I did not. :)
**It was a FANTASTIC MEMORABLE experience for all of us.**
We plan on going skiing again next Winter for sure. Who's coming with us?!
