Dillon's Championship Soccer Event

 Dillon't team came in first in their league.  The were offered the opportunity to be recognized at a major league indoor soccer league game.  So we bought tickets (Kayda and I) and went to watch the game.  Indoor soccer is VERY different than outdoor.  It feels a lot more like a subdued hockey game.  Carson and Daddy enjoyed watching it.  Dillon not so much.  They were supposed to be announced during half time.  Sounds really cool right?  Unfortunately the facility didn't do it well.  Their team was announced as the winners as the second team was walking on the field, which happened to be a girls team.  By the time his team walked out the announcer was done even reading the teams.  They were out there for a couple minutes as the last few teams walked out.  Then they left.  Neat to see them out on the field, disappointing that they weren't announced when they could actually be seen.  

Dillon's 14th birthday!

Dillon turns 14!  He is such a kind, athletic, smart, and bashful boy.  The day before his birthday school was cancelled so he got to have his friends, Leelan and CJ, come over earlier.  They spent the night, played games, shot airsoft guns, among other things.   He is always a pretty calm kid so it was neat to see him acting pretty excited about it. 

After they headed home (on his birthday) Grandma and Papa H came down.  He opened his gifts, we had beans and weenies for dinner, played some games and ate brownies and ice cream.  This is for sure my kid, he wants beans and weenies for dinner (traditionally my birthday meal) and pumpkin pie for dessert (my birthday dessert).  Though he was disappointed when costco didn't have their pumpkin pie so he begrudgingly decided on the brownies.  

Kayda had to read Grandma's card to him because he can't read cursive well.  

Buddy hung out with us on the table while we played games. 

We had trick candles, he had to keep blowing it out, he put an end to that by licking his fingers and pinching the wick....spoil sport.  

Post Christmas Snow!

We were so excited when it started snowing!  It snowed some on Christmas but we didn't expect it to actually accumulate.  I was so excited!  This was one of my dreams for the patio cover.  I went out, turned on the two heaters full blast and the fire table.  Then we all went out and sat.  It was still a little chilly but it was nice to sit out there as a family and enjoy the snow.  

Carson is always on the go and went out into it as soon as there was enough to enjoy.  He made his mini-snowman in no time at all. 

The trampoline is always a fun one in the snow.  We just have to shovel it off now and again to save the springs.  They've lasted a VERY long time considering it's the trampoline I grew up with. 

Kayda was enamored with the snow.  She kept going out with the camera to take pictures.  One of her main goals we to take a picture of the actual snowflakes.  This was her best shot, even with the big camera it wasn't much better.  We don't have a macro lens.  I'm sure there are about a million pictures on the camera that I'll go through and add sometime.  

She got to drive in the snow for the first time!  She went out for a drive with dad to the store.  They then went to the high school parking lot and she drove around for about 30 minutes getting a feel for the snow.  Later Eric took her up to a parking lot and had her driving around, getting a feel for how it will slide and learning how to respond in order to correct it.  She had a lot of fun.  Apparently once they started more and more people started coming around, though only one came anywhere near them.  This truck in particular managed to get itself stuck on the curb.  She had a great time intentionally sliding in the snow.  

Carson managed to convince Dillon to go out and play in the snow.  Kayda went to snap some pictures, as soon as they noticed her they attacked her with snowballs. 

The boys wanted some friends over to play in the snow with.  Carson and his friend Avry spent a long time out playing in it.  Even after it got dark.  They had their friends stay the night since I wasn't going to drive back in the hill on little used roads after dark in the snow. 

Carson found a HUGE icicle hanging on our hot tub. 

The boys spent a lot of time outside.  They decided that it would be fun to do a polar bear dip in the pool.  The pool was frozen solid with a couple of inches of ice.  They took the hoe out in order to break the ice so they could jump in. 

Of course.... our boys didn't jump.  Dillon, being the first to go, climbed in ever so slowly.  He sat about half way in debating if he'd go in the rest of the way for a solid two minutes.  He finally climbed in the rest of the way before dunking and hopping out.  

He stood there, soaking wet in the snow, trying to get his shoes and towel.  We just yelled at him to run to the hot tub and we'd bring him the stuff.  

Dillon's friend Leelan practically cannon balled in.  Then came Carson, who decided to climb in like his brother.  It was kind of embarrassing actually, lol.  It is definitely the hardest way to do it.

They all ended up in the hot tub, which actually was barely warm.  I guess it felt warm to them though because they stayed in there a bit.  

We were so excited when it kept snowing for a few days.  It was so nice to just enjoy it without having the potential for school the next day.  Not knowing if you'd be home to enjoy it or not. 

Carson and I took a walk by the river.  The river rock covered in snow was absolutely gorgeous.  

Kayda and I went back again later.  She pointed out that roots of the trees had icicles!

As we got warmer during the day it was cool to watch the snow sliding down the patio cover roof in one giant sheet. 

It was cold enough that the snow couldn't form a snowball.  It wasn't much for playing in, more looking at and walking in.  Then it started getting warmer, then it became the best building snow.  

Daddy and Carson made a tunnel. 

Dillon and Carson did a snowball toss. 

The snow ended up giving us three 2 hour delays when we were back in school.  It was actually a really nice transition for being back.  We had a full day Thursday.  Then Friday we ended up cancelled.  Between the melting snow and the rain we had flooding again.  We went to the store Friday morning and most of it had resolved.  They could have gotten away with a two hour delay Friday also.  Instead we lost our second (and last) snow make up day. 

It was so wonderful to be in the snow.  It went back to grey and rainy way too quickly.