Spring! Are you out there? Please? Somewhere?

I can not believe the amount of snow that has landed upon us in Royal Oak this year!!! There is more snow here than at my parents' home (which is normally unheard of)! Although I am never all that fond of the fluffy white stuff, Russell and Sloane are having the ultimate play time adventures outside! I hope they never forget this winter, because they may never experience another one like it! Thankfully Aron had his casts removed a week ago because with me out-of-town, he has been our main shoveler and snow fort builder. Our backyard is truly a winter land amusement park with a snow hide-out complete with 3 tunnels and slides!

Aron, Russell, and Sloane all took part in the construction.

Sloane loved tunneling through the snow. Mac was typically right behind her.
Russell enjoyed digging, climbing, and jumping!

Building Bears for Grammy

I have been spending the last few weeks at my parents' home in Gladwin in order to be with my Mom. Needless to say, stress is running high these days and I am missing Russell and Sloane tons! Last week I snuck home to Royal Oak to surprise the kids on Valentine's Day. I took them to Build-a-Bear Workshop where they both built a teddy bear to their exact liking! They each placed a special heart in their bear that holds all of Grammy's love. I told them that each time they think of her, all they have to do is squeeze their special teddy bear and know that Grammy is squeezing them right back! They loved this! It was so much fun watching and listening as they made all their selections for their one-of-a-kind bear! Thanks to all for the outpouring of prayers. Please continue to keep my family in your thoughts.

Here Sloane is assisting in stuffing her bear.

Russell gives his bear an air bath.
The almost finished products:

Princess bear and Captain Rex bear

With me out-of-town, AC has proven to be the World's Best Father! Friday night he treated the kids to dinner at Steak-n-Shake. Wish I could have been there, but he texted me lots of pictures and quotes the entire time so I could feel like I was taking part. I just wish I could have been sipping a chocolate shake too!!!

Blizzard 2011

I wanted to share a few pictures of our bizzardy day in Royal Oak! After I shoveled us out bright and early this morning, I got the kids dressed in their snow gear and we headed out for some fun! We went back out after dinner for some snowy fun in the dark. I thank God everyday for Russell and Sloane. This week has not been a good one for my family, but Russell and Sloane always seem to be able to brighten my days and bring a smile to my face. Here are a few funny quotes followed by pictures!

Setting - Dinner table Monday night

Sloane: When I am a mommy someday, I will have a job too.

Russell: What kind of a job will you have Sloanie?

Sloane: Oh, that's easy Russell. I will be a rock star.

Russell: You can't be a rock star. Only boys can be rock stars.

Setting - Aron walking inside after trying to fix the snow blower. He wreaked of gasoline.

Kirsten: You smell like my dad.

Russell: You smell like Uncle Keith's snowmobiles. I like that smell.

Kirsten: I guess the Sleeper men must smell like gas!

Setting - Arriving home from school and Sloane unpacks her things and holds up a small Michigan map that she made at school. While pointing to the U.P. she states...

Sloane: And this is our Upper Peninsula!

When telling this story to my dad, he was happy to know that Sloane already knows where "God's country is!"

Winter on Altadena Avenue

Not quite "God's Country," but pretty none the less!

Sure... now you get it fixed after I just spent 2 hours shoveling!

Fun in the snow!

Igloos, Icicles, and Insurance Deductables!

January has been an interesting month in our house. We started off the new year with Aron's 35th birthday! We celebrated with a golf themed cake and presents. The year then lead us to lots of illness and injuries with several visits to the doctors' office and even the ER - which means our health insurance deductible was met in less than 2 weeks! Aron is managing well with his casted arms and I am surviving without his normal hands-on help. We are both hoping the next 5 weeks go FAST! Now we have entered into a deep freeze with snow and ice everywhere you look. The kids have bundled up on several occasions to play in the arctic weather. We even managed to walk to the park and play on the super slippery slides! The kids had a ball landing in piles of snow at the end of each. I have begun my 1/2 marathon training which means that yes, I am running in this bitterly cold weather. I ran 8 miles yesterday in -4 degrees and 6 miles today in -6 degrees! By the end of my run today, I had icicles on my eyelashes. If it wasn't for my running partner, Leigh, I would never be caught out in this weather! I just keep thinking how beautiful it will be in Nashville by the end of April!

Aron's Birthday Cake

It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating his 25th birthday! Help from the kids to blow out the candle.

Russell worked extremely hard at building his "igloo!"
It is dark by the time we get home and eat dinner, so most of our outdoor time has been in the evening. There was a full moon this week. The kids LOVED it!

Sloane spends most of her time in the snow making piles with her sand shovel and pail.

Sticks and Stones Never Broke My Bones, But Ask Me About Football!

After 2 weeks of cleaning up vomit in the Carlson house, I finally thought we were on the mend and heading in the right direction for 2011. That was until 4:00 a.m. this morning! My wonderful, healthy, athletic, and very competitive husband still plays flag football with a group of buddies 2 nights a week. Over the past few years he has chipped a tooth, fractured a finger, sprained an ankle, and bruised a few ribs, but he insists this is a terrific way to keep his "heart healthy." He headed out last night for a late game that began at 10:00 p.m. while I was fast asleep with Mac curled up at my feet. At 4:00 a.m. I woke to find that Aron was still not home. My first thought was that he had gotten home late and fallen asleep on the couch. When he wasn't on the couch, I began to panic and went looking for my cell phone. As I was grabbing my phone to check for messages, I saw headlights coming up our driveway, but it wasn't Aron's car. At this point I became nauseous with fear. As I watch, I see Aron's buddy Johnny fumbling with Aron's keys trying to get into the house. I open the door to see Aron in not one, but TWO casts! He had broken both arms while jumping to intercept the football. Yes, I said BOTH arms!!! So needless to say instead of our house being on the mend, we are now trying to adjust to not having Aron there to help out physically. Anyone interested in shoveling our driveway???

One of Aron's x-rays

Johnny took this lovely picture of Aron while in the ER

Training Time!

"Our running shoes are really erasers. Every step erases a memory of a past failure. Every mile brings us closer to a clean slate. Each foot strike rubs away a word, a look, or an event that led us to believe that success was beyond our grasp." ~John Bingham

It's that time of year again. Training time!!! I have decided to run the Country Music Half-Marathon in Nashville, TN on April 30th! I can NOT wait!!! I guess that means I need to go buy a new pair of running shoes. Yippee!!! I will be running this with Aron's best friend Gregg (our Best Man). It will be his first 1/2 marathon. Awesome! Now I need to work on Aron :-)

Wonderful Christmas and New Year's Celebrations!

We had a wonderful Christmas celebration with my family in Gladwin last week. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, we also celebrated the holidays with Aron's family. We returned Monday and I ended up laying in bed for the next 3 days due to Strep Throat...ugh! I was finally up to getting out of the house today so we joined our neighborhood clan for a new year's celebration at a local bowling alley. The kids had a ball. I have put together a slide show to show off all the fun the kids have been having! Tonight Aron and I will celebrate quietly by sipping champagne and feeling thankful for another blessed year! Happy 2011 everyone!!!

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