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So, Nate's parents picked the coldest weather so far this year to come for a visit.  (Technically, they didn't really "pick" it, since they came out for Zach's baptism…)  They weren't sure they liked it this cold… so we bundled them up and took them outside so they could really enjoy themselves.

We did have some inside fun, too – Wii, Ninjago spinning battles, and of course playing on Grandma's iphone and eating treats (some [loosely supervised] people more than others).  

Thanks for coming, guys!  Come again when it's warmer!  :)

The kids typical rush to the window to see the grader plow the cul-de-sac; same scenario exists for the garbage/recycling trucks.  Amazing, the fascination after all these snowstorms (and garbage days!).  The fun often ends with some shoving to get the best view (since one of our windows is always foggy inside…)

 

I cannot believe Zach is 8!  Time goes by so fast.  I always get nostalgic on birthdays about people growing up… and I must say that it gave me some comfort on the day before the big day to be creating something (a huge death star) out of tinfoil, just like I was making a huge rocketship with tinfoil for his 4th birthday – made it seem like not that much had changed.  :)

8 is a big birthday!  Baptism, cub scouts, accountability… Zach was actually so excited to be 8 (or to open his presents) that he couldn't sleep and woke up at 4am ready to go.  Needless to say his birthday celebration waited a couple of hours.  We spent the day eating his favorite foods, building Legos, playing Wii winter olympics and going to buy his cub scout stuff.   

Here are 8 of my favorite things about Zach:  

1.  He LOVES to learn.  sucks up information like a sponge.  It's actually quite scary sometimes… 

2.  He is an all-or-nothing kind of guy.  Even though the days when he insisted on dressing every part of whatever he was playing are past, he is still adamant about going all-out for whatever he is doing.  (If you are going to be a hockey goalie, you sure better have a facemask…)

3.  He is extremely concerned (and mostly responsible) with every little piece/toy.  When he was little, he had these inch-tall worker guys he was always keeping track of.  Now it is Lego heads, Lego hair, Lego lightsabers… and while he can't always locate them right away, he can always tell you exactly what is missing.

4.  When he wants something, he goes for it, and there is no stopping the kid.  He really wanted to get his Bobcat award in the week between his first cub scout night and the pack meeting… and self-driven, he did everything it took to get it done in only 4 days.

5.  He still wants me to play with him.  Even though I am not a good ninjago spinner, or a good wii player, and I don't pitch a baseball up to his standards, I am still always invited [and expected] to join the fun.  

6.  He is very creative.  Always coming up with big dreams and big plans and great inventions and great stories.  

7.  He is a great brother, a good example, and a good friend.  Emma and Carter love to play with him, and I can tell when I visit his school that he is kind to everyone (even those who don't really deserve it.) 

8.  He really wants to be good.  He just came that way.  And although I am not ready to send him off into the world of being 8 and accountable… I think he is ready and he will do great.  

And for the second year in a row… a star wars birthday party.  Zach was super excited to complete Jedi challenges with his friends… and although no one gets into it quite like Zach they had a good time and he enjoyed leading everyone on the quest to destroy the Death Star and playing Legos afterwards.  And my favorite part of the evening:  Zach informing us that he didn't want the traditional "happy birthday" song, but instead wanted the Wookie Celebration song.  :)  Zach's "all or nothing" approach to life is one of my favorite things about him, and never ceases to make me smile.  

Don't know why I can't get this to show up straight, but I had to put it in here.  Nate is (unfortunately for the rest of us) done with his easy anesthesia rotation and is back to the longer (although more fun for him) hours of his own specialty.  Emma made this for him at school and I thought it was so cute.  
 

Aside from adjusting to a normal schedule again, this is what we've been up to lately:

A birthday party for "Honey" the dog (Emma goes all-out for birthdays, and we have since celebrated one for Woofy and another for Honey.  I guess you have to have something to look forward to after Christmas!)

And Zach and his Hero Factory creation that he sent in to Lego magazine with high hopes of winning a $100 prize.  Hey, I'm just proud that after all the contests he has wanted to enter from the magazine, that we finally got the thing built, took AND printed off the picture, and mailed it in.  That deserves a prize, right?  (Not to mention that his Hero is super cool…)

And, Emma and Carter's blanket fort.  They did it all on their own… very impressive!  (And yes, our Christmas decorations finally came down this week…)

So far, a more successful try than our last one with the big boy bed… that lasted all of 3 days and I made Nate put the bars back on the crib.  It hasn't been perfect… with the advent of potty training he has learned that all he has to say to get out of bed is "I need to go potty!" (which has required some creative adjustment) and naps only come every 2 or 3 days now that he can climb out of bed, grab a few toys, and then climb back in bed (so as not to be breaking the "don't be out of your bed" rule.)  But he – and his siblings – have loved the change!  (and today is a napping day, hallelujah!)  

The kids are really into the "best and worst" parts of their day (one more thing to delay bedtime is always a hit at our house.)  After a day like today, I couldn't resist sharing mine:  

Worst:  a visiting teaching appointment at a spotless house full of glass things with a certain someone being a complete monster on my lap the whole time this sweet lady who never really talks is telling us about her conversion; all 3 kids being on their worst behavior (the kind that makes people look at your pregnant belly and think "why on earth does she think she can handle another?!?") at a member of the primary presidency's house (where we left in glorious fashion with 3 kids screaming and throwing punches, thankfully not at her kids); breaking my new years' resolution not to yell when I cannot hear an old (literally OLD, and sick) friend from Philly who calls maybe once a year over fighting children; then when they stop yelling and I sit for 10 minutes and talk in peace, I enter the kitchen to find that 2 of them have spit and dumped water all over each other, creating what they called a "swimming pool" on the kitchen floor.  

Best:  my almost-baptized boy "getting" the concept of repentance tonight – and then trying to teach Emma about it, and without trying to, teaching me about it.  (As I type this I realize I will be using the principle also to repent of being ungrateful… which is what I must be if I let my "worst" be lines and lines longer than my "best"…)  Tomorrow is another day, right?   

We never made it to watching the Grinch before Christmas this year (mostly because it didn't come back to the library till just before Christmas Eve) so we watched it after.  And Carter spent the whole time right next to the TV making the funniest faces – he was alternately laughing and smiling and then SO concerned.  I never did capture my favorite face, but this was a close second.  

4:00 – Get Emma ready to go out to skate.  Get skates on.

4:05 – Get Ellie for Emma.  Get Ellie's skates on.

4:10 – Ellie is "cold".  Bring Ellie in.  Emma keeps skating.

4:15 – I start to get ready to go out to join Emma.  Carter wants me to stay in.

4:20 – Nate goes out.  (He gets himself ready.  Thank goodness.)

4:30 – Carter decides he wants to go out.  Get Carter ready.  No small project – even though he has no skates.

4:45 – Carter goes out, Nate shows him how to "zamboni" the ice on his fire truck.  He LOVES this.

4:55 – Zach wants to come out.  I go back in, help Zach get his skates on.  

5:05 – Zach goes out.  I go out too.  Carter is cold and wants to go IN.  

5:10 – I get Carter's winter gear off.  I resign myself to taking my winter gear off too, having spent about 5 minutes on the ice and not much longer than that actually outside.   I am so glad the rink is only in our backyard.

5:15 – The 3 skaters remaining have a serious hockey match until the game is called on account of dark (and cold.)