Some Of Our January So Far....

Growing up, our family was big into "game nights" but as we got older, the tradition slowly faded away. Why I don't know seeing how competitive our family is. So we were all surprised when the boys brought out the "Bop It" game idea at Christmas. It got even more old school after that! Two of our favorite strategic games were "Risk" and "Crokinole" so we decided to pull those out as well. We've had a few family game nights since and boy do they get CLASSIC! There have been some pretty tense games that include "the pout in the corner", "the slamming of the fist down on the table","the alliance", "the trying to manipulate the numbers to win", etc.etc. Like I said...CLASSIC and hilariously awkward at times.....
You can't expect Carter to let the neighbors ride by without conniving a way to get on as well...

He had so much fun...

Kindra and Carter had this "PLAN" to build a snow fort. But this was not to be just any snow fort. It was going to be an IGLOO snow fort. Poor Michael got suckered in to coming down to help them. I tried to warn them that it was not cold enough to build an igloo but there was no stopping them :)

Yes. This is Michael attacking the fort with shovels full of snow...

This is as good as they got but thankfully they were still happy...

Remember "The Secret Garden"? If not. Look here, here, and here....

Carter was bound and determined that he was going to use this small hill as his snowboarding "practice hill". It was so funny watching him as I sat in the car. Not so funny when it took me 20 minutes to get out of the driveway that had never been plowed or shoveled. Yeah you know I had my phone in hand, 10 seconds away from dialing AAA Road Services to come and get me out! :) I'm serious!

Oh yeah. Notice that Kindra is nowhere to be found? Uh huh. She was sitting beside me in the WARM car. She was so over it!

Now to the massive hill at Evergreen Park

Carter begged Kindra to take a run with him and she finally gave in...

Kindra got stuck riding the crap sled so it was no surprise when after she "almost hit the tree", she gave up, and came back to the WARM car...

See that big group of "big kids" and see my Carter. They were trying to tell him that he was not big enough to sled there and that they were not going to let him go down. Well...he did anyway and then made his way back to the car and then burst into tears. I was furious! Those are the times when I get pissed that I need a wheelchair to get around because I would have gone right over there and yelled! I know. I know. It's bound to happen but as a parent you never really WANT it to happen. I was so proud of Carter though that he completely ignored their obnoxiousness and just did it anyway. We had to have a talk about WHO it is that can really tell you what to do or what not to do. We had to talk about being smart about who it is that you listen to and about not easily giving in when people tell you to give up or that you can't do it. Still. It broke my heart to see him so upset. Then we talked about being kind, friendly, loving, honest...you know...all of those things that "bullies" are obviously ignoring or that they are not learning! BOOOOOOO to them :)

I swear that if a perfect stranger looked in to the activities that Carter chooses to do, they would report me and accuse me of breaking the child labor laws!

Carter wanted to go out and shovel the walk. When he was gone longer than 10 minutes, I looked outside and this is what I found....Carter slowly breaking and chipping away the ice. Are you serious? Where did he come from???

I love this kid! :) Just as much as I love my Kindra who sits in the WARM car with me! :)