making lemonade...

Battleship Gray.

That's what West Michiganders call the color of the sky here. Apparently that pretty little lake we've got (L. Michigan) and enjoy in the blue sky season of summer, is the reason we get the "lake-effect" drear of winter.

The color Gray doesn't generally lead to jolly moods all around, so many will flock to Florida for reprieve. We, on the other hand, simply allow activities such as this :
After tiring of cleaning our over-used indoor playland...we decided it was time to make use of the outdoors...

We took the kiddos downhill snow-tubing...

One look at the gigantic hill and tow-rope that pulls you and your tube to the top of the hill...and the girls knew this wasn't any ol' sledding trip.

Lauren even managed an chin injury when her tube ran into someone else's.
Julia didn't reach the 42" height requirement to tube the big hill, so Jeff and I took turns with her on the bunny hill. She was angry (understatement) that the meanies wouldn't let her on the big hill and almost tried hiking up "all by myfelfh!!!". She did manage to have fun making full-use of her snow gear just rolling around in the white stuff...

Jeff and the older girls joined Julia for one run down her bunny hill. I thought it was a good idea to get it on video. I did not think about where I was standing...

Sorry the video isn't better (and I do apologize for the sniffing). After diving out of the way...camera first...the camera survived (barely).

I was able to get this sweet little video of Julia too (who surprisingly stayed dry and warm)...

So I'm thinking that Battleship Gray isn't such a bad color...as long as your standing/playing under it instead of looking out your window at it. It's still not my favorite, though.

oh happy day(s)...

When the kiddos started making their entrance, Jeff and I didn't really think it was all that necessary for us to celebrate Valentines Day by ourselves.

We've instead made a tradition of staying home with the girls and making cheese fondue and dipping strawberries and anything else in the pantry in chocolate.

It's always fun and only when the sugar rush has made them loud, loopey ladies do we ever think "next year = date night".

But, sharing our Valentine's Day goings on wasn't the purpose of this post.

(some quick back-details before I continue...Jeff = borderline pack rat....Me = toss it all).

So...Lauren and Sarah came home with bags of Valentines from school friends. Incidentally, when we went through them, Lauren made sure to tell me that one boy in particular made sure to tell her that just because his Harley Davidson Valentine said, "We go together like chrome and leather", it didn't mean he meant it. I'm not so sure if she was disappointed or relieved. I felt like his explanation was unnecessary...but that's just momma bear talking.

They've been plowing through the candy attached to them in the days since.

This morning, Sarah had her Valentines spread all over the table making sure they'd been picked clean.

When she found that they were, she stated (in almost a decree-type fashion), "I've eaten all the candy from these."

I said, "Well put them back in your bag and clean up." (I thought she'd want to keep them for sentimental value)

She said, "But the candy is gone."

I said, "So...what do you want to do with them?"

"They are trash, mom."

Lauren was appalled. "You're going to throw them away? I'm going to keep mine!"

Sarah was equally appalled, "You're going to keep your trash???"

It wasn't right for me to take sides on the subject, so I walked away. But...Oh....it is soooo fun to see how many crazy things are genetic, isn't it?