A snowflake is one of God's most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together! ~Author Unknown

This was a common site over the past few days. We played a lot of one fish, two fish, red fish, go fish and old maid and memory.

I have to admit, most days are somewhat monotenous. I get the kids ready for school and I go to work. We get home for the day, have supper, may be a bath, read a book and to bed we go just to start the process over again. I like to blog, but most times nothing out of this routine happens and I struggle for anything you all might be interested in. The past 7 days, however, we have not used that particular routine. It took about three days to get Gillette dug out from the Blizzard. Isaac did have two days of school last week, but it did snow on those days and filled in some of what we had just dug out. Most were out of electricity for 2 days. We were lucky and it just flickered. By Wednesday I was ready to go. I packed the kids in Chris's truck, cuz my car was just no match for the roads. By the time I got done with work, the weather was warm and the snow was melting. Our culdesac seemed easily manuverable in the truck with just slush. So on Thursday when I tried taking my car, I totally forgot about the cold temps freezing everything and with my car being lower than the truck I totally got stuck in my driveway and had to have Chris get me out. In the mean time, we hosted the Solem girls for a few days. So I had my taste of getting 4 kids ready for school. Everything went great. Of course it helped that Chris wasn't working this past Thursday or Friday. But all of the kids were great and I could still see myself with more kids. Last evening Isaac wanted to go for a walk. It had been nice earlier in the day and I figured we should go before the next storm comes. Yeah--we missed that. We didn't get vary far cuz the wind and cold had already set in. Other than that we didn't get the expected weather last night, but we are in a blizzard right now. No school. Interstates are all closed. I don't know exactly how much snow we are going to get during the week, but travel to MN over Isaac's spring break looks bleak.

A clean house is the sign of a boring person. ~Author Unknown

Isaac has had school closed for three days in a row. Yes, they have already called to cancel for tomorrow. I know we are currently at rest for the snow, but I am mostly certain that we are going to get more before the weekend is here. I am currious to see if he has to go to school at all this week. May be we are in the clear, but I'll have to see it first. I know the country is getting hit with floods, thunderstorms and tornatos also--Happy Spring!!

Poor, dear, silly Spring, preparing her annual surprise! ~Wallace Stevens

Sunny and 70. Isaac can do his bindings by himself and he didn't crash this time either. Look at Zoey go. They both had a great time.

Now blizzard and 30s. We woke up to about a foot of snow or so and a power outage. Our power was only out for about an hour, but most lost power for the day. It still flickered through out the day. The kids loved having a jammie day yesterday. Today, we starting to get back to normal even though we still cant get out of the culdesac. With the wind, we have some pretty tall drifts. Its kinda nice to be home and get little things done. I had laundry and whatnot done on Sunday night so I got to bake cookies and put out Easter things.

Our poor sad looking tree.

Chris attempting to dig out our driveway. The snow is up to the top of the wheels on the neighbor's suburban.

The drifts are at least 3 feet deep in the back yard. Don't know exactly how much we got, but went from nothin to this overnight.

The future is a mystery, yesterday is history, but the present is a gift.

Last night for supper we had mini cheese burger thingys. Super delicious, even Chris likes them. But of course Zoey was not too interested at the time. She says "Mom you made them wrong." "Oh, I did? How should I have made them?" She says "With cookie dough."

Spring has never really been my favorite time of year and here in Gillette it is just rough. I don't mind the extreme weather conditions, but I prefer them one at a time. We decided to take the kids snowboarding today. The weather was absolutely fabulous!!! Yesterday it was well into the 60's (and Chris got the climbing dome back up). Today was in the low 70's. But you all know I don't like to be cold regardless of the temp, not to mention I really didn't want to get wet from the snow and whatnot. So everyone there is shirtless, tank tops, mostly tee shirts and a few even snowboarded in shorts. I on the other hand have on my jeans, snow pants, a tee shirt, winter coat and snowboarding gloves. I would have been less wet swimming! But we all had a great time ( well me and the kids anyway). The snow really wasn't that bad, but I did ride my board though some kinda big puddles of water. It was Zoey's first time. They didn't have snowboard boots in her size so she tried skiing. It went just like Ike's first time--You think they are only going to go once and then want the darn things off their feet. It did take her a while to warm up to them, but once she did, she wanted to keep going. Its kinda hard to take the kids, because I let them both try the tow rope thingy, but neither could get the hang of it. I have enough trouble getting on and off the lift, so I didn't think I should add a couple of kids to that, plus I don't think I could get them down the mountain anyway. So we did it old fashioned way. We stayed at the bunny hill and I pulled them up and watched them go down--like a million times. I am so hoping this will be one of the best glute workouts I have ever had. Chris did take the kids on the lift one time each and they got to do one run down. I think Ike did ok, but not sure that Zoey really did much skiing that time around.

So anyway we are headed for another snowstorm. Not sure how much snow, but we go from 70's to 20's like its nothin'. When I had apple trees it was tough, they would think --oh its spring, we should bloom and then the next day 3-4 inches of snow would freeze the blossoms and no apples. So it will be nice once we decide what season we are in. Isaac is still convinced that because the official day of Spring has arrived that there will be no more snow until next winter.

Isaac got his report card on Friday and has mastered everything that has been introduced to him.

And if you want to make mini cheese burger thingys they are super easy to make. Refridgerator biscuts--line a muffin pan with one biscut in each muffin space. Brown, season and drain hamburger. Scoop the burger onto the biscuts. I added some chopped tomato. Covered each with shredded cheese and put in the oven (about 350) for 8-10 minutes. I bet some bacon would taste fabulous on these too.

A best friend is like a four leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have. ~Author Unknown

St. Patty's day was quite a day. We didn't notice any shenanigans in the morning, but when we all got home--those silly leprechauns seemed to have had fun in the house. Very tiny green footprints running on the kitchen sink and the bathtub, green toilet water, green milk and some things got switched in the kids room. They couldn't believe it. We had corned beef and cabbage for supper made in the crock pot. Apparently the corned beef comes with seasoning. Chris let me know this as he fished the packet out of the crock pot. So when we got home Zoey thew a fit about the stinky cabbage and cried about the green milk. I don't believe that we have a St. Patty's Day parade here and for some reason this year I really missed the one in St. Paul. I had so much fun the last time I went!!!

Chris is now a level 4 Dish Tech. This is the top level and a higher level than he has been before.

Tonight we went to Humphrey's for supper. Zoey needed to use the restroom, so I took her. The music was kinda loud in there, but Zoey says "There's no music in here Mom." So I am like-whatever and say " Well, I guess I have music in my head." To which she replies " Mom can you quiet down your brain?" You know I can't win for losing.

Isaac had his first soccer practice tonight. It was so good. The weather was nice today, so it was great for playing some soccer. Isaac knows his coach because she teaches at school, his classmates are on his team and it appeared that he will be much better (or at least enjoy) soccer better than ice skating. We are the red team and the kids got to name their team. They chose the Flaming Red Dragons. It was nice that I knew some of the moms. I am bad at intros so I don't know all their names yet, even though we all hang out on the south side of the building hiding from the wind, waiting for our kids everyday. Its still Isaac's mom, Wyatt's mom, Justice's mom. We'll get there. Spring is a great time to get to know people, cuz we all have a bit of cabin fever. Zoey doesn't have practice until next week. We'll see how the weather is then. I hear random stories of another snow storm blowing in--so I haven't checked the weather.

If I had my way I'd make health catching instead of disease. ~Robert Ingersoll

Athletic Training month is here again. This year has been a very different year for me in terms of athletic training. I believe that I am still promoting health care for life and sport, but it is in a different way now. I have not covered any events since last May, however, I am giving a coaches academy on Wednesday. I will be providing pre and post event massage therapy at the 5 Feet Don't Fail Me Now races here in Gillette that will take place over the summer. This past week I had a booth at a health fair to promote personal training and massage therapy to those who had just gotten their wellness results back. Please remember that personal trainers and athletic trainers are not the same type of professional, but both are beneficial in their field of training.

In other words of health and wellness, I got Zoey a braclet to help her with her writing. She is 4 and still does not have a pencil grip yet. Most kids have this between 3 and 4, but she still holds it like a stick. Angie was over last night, I asked her about it and she whipped up this slick braclet. It was fabulous and because it came from her--Zoey loves it and uses it. Also this coming week the kids will start soccer. Bring on the Spring weather!

In kid news today we were sitting at the kitchen table coloring and Zoey starts talking about writing an essay. She starts writing on her paper and is going on about how she is going to be a good girl and not fight with momma or daddy or Isaac and keeps going on that she is not going to fight with all of the characters of Sponge Bob either. So I am wondering about this whole essay thing. How does a 4 year-old know of such things? Sponge Bob Square Pants. Yes, he had to write an essay for boating school and now she is writing an essay because she did not get her own ice cream after church today. I did not mean to imply that I had her write the essay, that part she did all on her own. But it was interesting hearing her go on and on about the S A S A S A.

If you want to be happy, be. ~Leo Tolstoy

I was so excited about free picture day at Isaac's school. Actually I knew the sitting fee was free, so I asked about how much the package was and at the time they said that it was free too and since they send the package home before you purchase any pics I believed them. Of course now that I have the pictures I also have the price list. But it was fun while it lasted.

Chris and I both forgot about daylight savings time, but now my car has the right time in it! And now after quite a few super warm days in the 60's and I think 70's we are well below zero with a significant amount of snow. Pretty--Yes, Slippery--Yes and by Saturday a wet sloppy mess as it will be in the 50's again. I'm not really a big fan of the wet and mud and dirt.

I was knitting a scarf yesterday and Zoey comes up to me with a green piece of cut out paper. "Here Mom, I knitted you a sock." Yep, just one, but it did look like a sock and it was so sweet. My kids have been so busy lately, cutting things out of paper (like whole meals with full dinnerware) and building with blocks and playing babies and puppies. In order to keep up with thier fabulous minds I have brought back the sticker chart. The kids play so well together, but I keep stepping on toys.

I wish I had more news to tell. But things are going well. I am busy at work and still keeping up with things at home, so that makes me feel good!! I think the kids might start soccer soon. Not sure I am ready for that. Also, need to start looking for someone to watch Isaac this summer. There was a whole deal on the radio about how full the childcare centers are. I am super hoping to have my kids go to the same place this summer, but right now I think Zoey's daycare is totally full. The rec center has a really great program that I think Isaac will like, but I don't know how fast they fill up. It will be interesting to see how this plays out with scheduling and whatnot.

One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop. ~G.M. Weilacher

Chris has returned from his minivacation in Montana. He and Kevin went snowboarding for a few days while I stayed here with the kids. We took in some youth hockey, which the kids totaly enjoyed. While Chris was gone the weather was warm and snowy. Now its just warm, sunshine and 60's. It makes me feel more productive. We walked to pick up Ike from school and the kids got to ride bikes while I did a mimimal amount of yard work. Well I had a reason to blog, but it totally escapes me at the moment so I am just going to say Hi to everyone and blog again later. OH I would like to add that last night at book reading time Ike picked out a Dr. Seuss book, because it was his birthday yesterday. He picked out Green Eggs and Ham. I started reading and he stopped me cuz he wanted to do it. He read the first 25 pages all by himself!! I was so proud of him! It was amazing. Zoey, as we all know, needs to keep up with her brother, so she read a little too. We would point at the words and mostly she would repeat after me, but she did read "I" and "a" and once in while got an appropriate "me"or "in" by total coincodence I am sure. She always feels so bad if she is not totally, absolutely the point of attention in the same way that Ike is. But she does well too. She has a Tinker book with a kalidoscope picture thing to go with it and she appropriatly matches up the numbers to follow along with the story.