Trying New Things

Reese has been able to experience two new things this week:

1- Ice skating

2- Skiing

Here is what we have learned:

1- Don't even try to tell her what to do or offer ANY advice, period. 

2- Even though it is her VERY first time, she is a self-appointed expert at all things. 

So just sit back, be quiet and let her do it BY HERSELF! 

Here is a little clip of her ice skating, she picked it up pretty darn quickly....

Skiing without A WILLINGNESS to accept ANY advice is slightly more difficult. 

Let me offer a caption to the picture above:

"We have been waiting to ski for an eternally infinite amount of time.  

How long can it possibly take to rent us four kids skis, poles, helmets and boots...

then drive to the mountain, take us all potty, put on all 3454 layers on each of us, 

take off 3 layers because something is too itchy, adjust boots, helmets, gloves and scarves 23 times....get all of us AND all our gear across the entire parking lot without getting run over OR scratching a car, then wait in line to buy lift tickets and afterword properly place each sticker on a metal hanger on our coats in the freezing cold and windy air?"

Well, much to the girls surprise we DID finally make it to the

"slopes," 

which, in Ohio means 

"the baby hills." 

Bless this little determined girls heart,

it was a bit of long day,  

especially for her father,

but ultimately she learned how to ski.

Brinley, Avery and Aspen picked right up where they left off 

last year and were quite comfortable speeding down the hills.

Their mother does her best to embrace the Ohio skiing experience

 and not daydream about the

  real snow and real slopes 

she grew accustomed to skiing in Utah her entire childhood. 

Creating Together

We love legos in our family!

Avery and Aspen recently needed a good getting along project.

I challenged them to work together to create something unique with legos.

After some time they were excited to show me that they had recreated 

my group fitness studio!

The stage, stereo system and mirrors are properly positioned 

and they depicted me teaching a yoga class. 

 It was pretty darn cute and creative!

A couple of weeks back we took lego play to a whole new level by 

taking a family trip to the lego creations business near our home.

The entire place is filled LEGOS of all
different sizes for kids to create with.

The children had a wonderful time and wanted to 

stay for much longer than we were able to.

Reese has created time/pleaded/demanded/bribed/begged

for family members to play ZINGO with her nearly 

everyday since she received this gift for Christmas.

 WHAT A HIT!

Cody recently created a new invention for dry eyes while onion cutting....

the girls swim goggles. 

Way to go babe. 

You always find awesome ways to make us laugh!

During a recent trip to our favorite local children's science museum Avery was chosen to help create a science experiment in which she turned a banana into a hammer using liquid nitrogen and then pounded a nail into a board with her creation. 

There is also a really neat LEGO exhibit on display at the same 

museum that we were able to tour during a different visit. 

In this exhibit there were countless masterpieces all created using nothing but LEGOS.

We received our very first snowfall last week. 

The girls were beyond excited and did their very best to create a snowman with a 

somewhat sparse amount of snow.  

Later in the week a more substantial snowfall blessed us 

and the girls enjoyed two afternoons of sledding in the backyard!

It is so fun to learn, explore, grow and create together!

Christmas 2015

We had a most lovely Christmas this year.

Below are 17 pre-Christmas highlights:

#17- Children saving up money and using it to purchase

 thoughtful gifts for one another and their parents!

#16 - School parties. 

#15 - Irish dance parties and demonstrations. 

#14- Preschool musical performance.

#13 - Ugly Sweater Party.

Cody was working so I went along, but this picture 

Chris provides a substitution for Cody's lack of attendance that night. 

#12 - Elf. He arrived 10 days before Christmas and, as usual, pulled some crazy stunts.

#11 - Ollie. We visited him, again. 

We still love him and can see that he is one happy puppy living in paradise with his new family.

#10- The annual Ksenia Sharipov birthday party 

at the OSU practice gym where her father is the head coach.

Sunday before Christmas pictures...just because.

#9- Story time by the fire...

even though there has been no snow and the average that week was 55 degree. No complaints. 

#8 - Children's creativity gone wild.  

Being home for two weeks provides wonderful opportunities for discovery...and lots of messes.

#7 - A trip to Great Wolf Lodge to swim and see Santa himself. 

For how excited she was at the idea of sitting on Santa's lap, 

Reese is not demonstrating that feeling in this pictures. 

Don't let it fool you, she was beyond thrilled. 

#6 - A visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus 

during evening story time at Great Wolf Lodge and a little Christmas miracle in the form of snow (bubbles) that showered down upon the crowd dressed in PJ's.

#5 - Christmas Eve finger food feast picnic style in front of the tree.

#4 - We successfully completed another year of the 

25 Day's of Christ lessons.

At this point the girls are able to recall many of the lessons they have learned

during our 25 Day's of Christ tradition.

#3 - "Gifts to Christ."

This is an individual goal we each set to become more Christlike throughout each year.

Cody records it in his phone so that we can check up on our progress throughout the year. 

#2 - We made caramel chocolate sea salt cookies for Santa.

I think he was pleased. 

#1 - While brushing teeth that special night, Aspen proclaimed that her second 

front tooth was on it's way out. Indeed she was correct. 

We went downstairs to snap a picture in front of the tree to remember this epic timing.

 All she really wanted were her TWO front teeth!

(okay not really)

The girls had a sleepover together in Brinley's room and were 

bright eyed with excitement 

when we came to retrieve them at 7am. 

Our rule is that kiddos are not up before that time 

AND that they have to wait for us to come get them.

Santa came! 

The gifts were lovely. 

Thanks to family and friends 

who were so thoughtful and generous 

to our family this Christmas!

The children loved playing with and experiencing their new found treasures

until it was time to head to Christmas Dinner at our friends home. 

Learning to play the game of LIFE.

Learning to use a new scooter. 

QUITE unfortunately we failed 

to take any pictures at dinner with the 

Bull and Rodgers families, 

but we enjoyed an incredibly delicious meal!

We brought the ham and rolls. 

The ham was most definitely a hit due to 

Cody's mastering of a new ham glaze recipe 

complete with orange zest. 

Merry Christmas to all!!