Stuck

Today is day 4 away from home. We are getting terribly cranky. First, we were stuck at home due to the snow on Monday and Tuesday. Then we awoke on Wednesday morning to a house that was getting colder due to no electricity. After a few hours, we decided we couldn't stay there, so we packed our bags and hiked off Cobb Knob. First we went to my parents' house for 2 nights. Our electricity came back on after 2 days, but our road was so encased in ice that we couldn't get it cleared. We decided not to hike up at that time. We spent Friday night at Chad's parents'. I had to work until the wee hours of the morning, so it was just as well. It has been a tough week trying to keep peace and sanity while maneuvering between homes that are not our own with backpacks and duffle bags. Needless to say, we plan to go home today even if we have to walk. And there we will rest and prepare for another week of snow . . .

My papoose

I love my sling! I mean, I really love my sling. And I wish I had had it with my first 2 kids and used it more with Ben. Annie has been "slung" frequently, and I am finally comfortable with carrying her papoose style on my back. I made cookies and gave the other kids a bath while she hung out back there. She dozed off a little and was quite content. Aaahhh, sometimes I want nothing more than to hold my children forever.

Aaron's 7th Birthday

Superman and Batman
Aaron and Will - best buddies

Make a wish!

Ben as Superman and Batman!

It is so hard to believe that Aaron just celebrated his 7th birthday on Saturday! How did this happen? When did this happen? I'm sure I will say that many more times in this child's life. It's fun to see him grow up into a big boy. These days I am frequently saying to Chad, "Oh, he sooooo has your personality!" Aaron thinks and talks like Chad in so many ways. He seems to be most excited about turning 7 because I have told him that your tastebuds (supposedly) change every 7 years, and he wants to know what new foods he is going to like now!

We had a wonderful celebration for him on Saturday with a Superman party complete with a Superman cake and Superman ice cream! We played some fun games, too: a phone booth relay which required each child to fight through an obstacle course and then enter a cardboard box phone booth in order to don their cape; a tag game called Lex Luthor on the Loose with Chad being Lex and chasing all the little supermen; and also Test Your Superskills in which they tried to recognize sounds with their super hearing, identify zoomed in pictures with their super vision, and blow ping pong balls with their super breath!!! It was a lot of fun!

Enjoy the pictures!