Winter Carnival: McCall 2016 take 2

We made one more magical trip to McCall this winter.  It was magical in part because Chris and I got to take a ski date together just the two of us.  It was also magical because I am pretty sure that Grady enjoys nothing more than eating snow and building snow tunnels.  Grandpa is a good pal to that boy answering his every wish to "please go outside and shovel."  Graham refused to keep mittens on despite extreme efforts on my part so don't report me to child protective services.

Yup, here still catching up . . . Maybe some day I will be back in the right season.

The day after Graham chipped his front teeth (sad!), he was smiling like a champ.  Only eight more years of chipped teeth buddy.

This kids climbs on everything!   It is slightly annoying and a safety hazard too, no wonder he has chipped teeth. 

Ski Date!

Dig,eat snow, dig, eat snow, dig,  . .  you get the point. 

Babies in hats and on sleds, one of my faves!

It was a big snow year in McCall, so much fun. 

It was Winter Carnival, I am always so impressed by the ice sculptures. 

Family Pics

I didn't post these family pictures when we got them because they were going to be used for our Christmas card and I didn't want to ruin the "surprise" factor.  Well, I guess I am in the clear to post them now :).  We got these pics the week or so before Graham's b-day in October.  I was picturing a crisp autumn morning down by the cool Boise river.  Instead we got Boise's rare 100 degree autumn day.  The boys were hot. Mom and dad were hot too and stressed and sweaty. Grady hates smiling for pictures and is typically relatively uncooperative, but to my surprise he was quite the trooper. Graham on the other hand is usually very easy to get to smile for pictures and he was a nightmare.  I am glad we got any pictures at all!  All in all, I still look at the pictures of my boys on my desk every day and am thrilled that we documented this stage of our lives with more than iPhone pictures.

 

Donut Dates

Grady and I have a thing.  We like to go on donut dates.   I don't get as much time with him at night so we try to take advantage of our mornings when I have a little more flexibility.  With a school start time of 8:45, there is plenty of time to pick up a donut in the morning.  So on the days that I take him to school, we have a little routine.  We go to the grocery store (or donut shop),  he picks out a donut (typically chocolate) a water and a fruit pouch and happily tells the check-out lady that he is getting a donut for breakfast while collecting his sticker from her.  He makes friends with the older gentlemen who tend to read the newspaper at the grocery store Starbucks counter while he tells them all about his donut and whatever else in life is on his mind that particular day.  He is quite a little old soul and I love seeing how he has the ability to light a spark in some of these older gentlemen who so enjoy talking with my spirited boy.  We have delightful conversations and then I send him off to school sugared up and ready to go.  I am sure that his teachers love when he shows up with that sticker on his shirt clearly indicating that it was "donut day" and that he is probably on a sugar high.  I also love donut days because it helps me know when he needs a little extra mommy time. Sometimes when we lie in bed at night, he asks, "Can we get a donut tomorrow, Mommy?"  While I know he enjoys the sugary chocolaty mess of a donut, it is at these times that I know in addition to a burning sugar additction he he needs me and you better believe that I sure try my hardest to make that next day be a donut a day.  

Christmas (yikes!) Catch Up

The good news is that I still take pictures of our family.  The bad news is that I have gotten very bad at keeping up on this blog.  Well, good things come to those who wait, for instance a bazillion pictures from Christmas now being posted in  April, how is it April and I am just getting these up?!?! Yikes.  Well, OK, here is it, maybe if I write it, I will be more apt to do it.  I want to get back to a weekly posting of the normal day to day stuff.  Not the big milestones, but the everyday things that our boys do that make me laugh, cry or smile.  I realize that is what has gotten lost in my failed attempt to keep a semi-real time up to date blog.  Until then, I bring you Christmas. . . .

Christmas was a magical and busy time for us this year. The Christmas spirit lives strong in Grady and that makes my hear happy.  He loved finding our elf Quincy, picking out our Christmas tree and helping to decorate, turning on his own little tree lights each and every night in his room, opening his advent calendar, making Christmas crafts at school, and everything in between.  3 years old may not be ideal for everything (I could live without the power struggles), but I decided it is ideal for the magic of Christmas. 

Quincy lives!

He loved being my decorator helper this year!

Love love love Winter Garden a Glow.  

Graham and I have a strong selfie game due to his strong mama attachment.

I think that this so sweetly captures what Christmas is all about.

We discovered a new tradition, seeing all the wooden Santad at our local library.

Our trip to Santa's village started well. . .

And ended with one very upset little boy.

When Santa could finally hear Grady having removed his screaming brother, Grady asked for an American flag and a fishing pole.  Doesn't get sweeter than that.

So relieved at lunch far far away from the scary man.  Plus the Counter has come to Boise, woo hoo!

Even work can be good when you have this to look at.

Can I just get one picture of you guys before we go on the annual tour de lights?!?! . . . please. . .

Nope.

This guy's hobby was climbing the Christmas present mountain. He was not even walking by this point, but this kid will climb anything.

One of my favorite parts!  At least I got my cards out before Christmas!

My mom and I took Grady on a very special night Santa Train complete with a full meal. We made some of the most magical Christmas memories together.  Santa and Mrs. Claus visited with each child at their own table over the course of the trip.  They sat and really chatted with us.  Grady's eyes lit up with each Santa sighting.  He so loved getting hugs and extra time with the big guy.  When the night was over Santa stood outside giving kids one final hug before we were sent on our way. For whatever reason Santa gave Grady a great big hug swooping him off his feet and swinging him in the air.  It was pure sweetness, it was pure magic.  Top 5 Christmas memories of all time for sure.

Ms. Claus was a little unconventional with a British accent not being the most unusual of her features (she was slightly provocative but very sweet). She took a particular liking to Grady and asked if she could carry him out to see the lights when we stopped to see the village lit up. Grady loved yelling turn on the lights Mr. Jingles so that the elf would finally turn the village lights on.
.

Seriously, not much in life gets better than this.  I get teary looking at it, which is probably a little strange. It was just so sweet and genuine and magical.  

"Look Bella won't move because I am holding her head down like this"

We were welcomed Christmas eve morning with snow!  A white Christmas is pretty much always at the top of my Christmas wishlist.   We were all thrilled especially our snow loving, shoveling, Grady.

Hot Chocolate for all . . followed by a little rest, then back out to shovel more snow!

Chris, Grady and I all attended church while my mom graciously watched our wild one. The children's service allowed every kid to participate in the Christmas pageant.  Grady was a pretty cute little Shepard.

We had a great king crab dinner with my mom and wrapped up Christmas Eve night with a showing of the Polar Express with blankets, pillows and snacks on the floor.  I love this tradition.  I also love that Grady loves the Polar Express as much as I do.  It absolutely captivates him.

Sprinkling reindeer dust so Santa can see the landing runway.  I am so glad that Grady's school is so amazing and does the Pinterest things that I always wish I would do but don't seem to find the time.

Santa came through!

Santa Paws also came through!

Daddy picked out a bow and arrow for Grady.  It look him a few weeks to get the hang of it, but now he is better than I am and he has declared that this is his favorite toy in his preschool "all about me" book.  I am sure that his teachers think we are crazy when a three year old lists a bow as his favorite toy!

My little man was a Chrismas delight.

We then took off to Spokane for a little fun in grandma and Papa's amazing Christmas filled house. Grady loved the train (obviously!), loved playing the jail game and catch with Papa in the kitchen, loved Grandma's feeding of cookies in all forms (dough and fresh out of the oven), and especially loved sledding in the winter wonderland of Spokane.  It was beautiful up there!

Absolutely a winter wonderland. 

More Polar Express picnics.

This sweet boy carries this look of amazement on his face often.  He is such a sweet boy and so full of wonder. 

We made it home and took off for for McCall for a few days with my dad and Robin.  The boys continued to love playing in the snow, Grady took more sledding runs and even tried out skiing.

Huge hit as far as Christmas toys goes!

Mountain perfection.

For the record, we did make it to midnight on New Years Eve, barely.

Two thumbs up for this little skier.  He was mostly adorable, a little headstrong, but mostly adorable.

Skiing snacks are half the fun!

Back to the cabin for more time to play in the snow!

 . . . and eating snow. 

Sledding was awesome!!!

Of course it is awesome when some drags you up the hill and does all the hard work for you.

My two cute big boys!

Grady enjoyed the snow tunnels made by his cousins in the earlier weeks.

He also enjoyed eating more snow than I thought humanly possible.

Even Grandpa participated in the snow tunnel.

Date night with this guy around my birthday, love him!  All in all it was a great and very busy holiday season.  We were so blessed that our boys got time with all 5 of their grandparents, pretty special stuff.