Idaho has "Frozen Over"

I am not a fun Mom. When it comes to coming up with fun activities for my children, I am not a fun..."Hey lets go do (something)" kind of person. My kids often ask if we can go do something, and sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes the answer is no. I don't like cold and snow. I've had a few bad, nearly frozen to death experiences, and so it has never been my suggestion to participate in outdoor winter activities. I cannot ice skate, or ski, and so I choose not too.
Yesterday, something came over me. Bill had gone on an overnight camp out with the scouts, and he called in the morning to ask someone to go out and feed the cows. I volunteered, and put on my nearly never used boots to go throw them some hay. Maycie started to cry and wanted to go out with me. So, after trying to coax her to stay inside (because it would take 10 minutes to dress up, and 5 minutes to feed the cows), I gave in, and we bundled up and ventured out to play farm. Once the cows were munching their delicious breakfast of hay, I tried to bring Maycie inside; she, however, was very opposed. So, I told her we could come back out later, and go sledding. WHAT? ME? A promise to go sledding. YES, I said it, and I must follow through. So, when Bill got home, he was 'delighted' to hear that after his night of frozen toes, he was being asked by his wife to go back outside and freeze a little more! :)


Off we went to Sugar Hill. Only one other car parked there, which left soon after our arrival, so we had the hill all to ourselves. We had a fabulous time. Up and down the hill.

Once Maycie saw the playground, she headed for that for a while, so daddy and the boys joined her.


When it was time to go home, we discovered that our parking place, off to the side of the previous car was not such a good parking place, as we were very stuck, in the soft snow. So, after a call to our neighbor to rescue us, we got home again, safe and sound. The kids felt like we were stuck "forever"! According to the time on the cell phone when we made our call out for rescue, and our actual departure toward home, the elapsed time was 14 minutes. (forever!)

Oozing with creativity!

I tried to think of a better word than Oozing, but couldn't. So that's what you get.

Matthew has been loving painting. I think he always has, but I always try to talk him out of it. Sometimes it's paper, but his favorite thing is to find cardboard, and cut it out a bit first. His grand plans are usually thwarted by his mother, as he attempts to saw with some dangerously sharp (or dull) knife, to first shape the desired painting canvas. Usually it's the Crayola washable school paint. But, on a good day, he'll talk me into using the craft paint. It's so much brighter and covers better. So it was the day he decided he wanted to paint a box of soda pop. I don't think he knew what he wanted it to ultimately be, but, as he painted and his creative juices got flowing, he got his inspiration. A hat. Yes, a Sunkist box as a cool swirling protective head covering. I never would have imagined. But then, I am not a 5 year old boy, Oozing, yes, oozing with creativity.

His little sister chooses her body as her canvas. We're not sure what she's going for, but as long as it's crayola washable, we're OK for now.