Another Way to Beat the Winter Blues

A trip to the waterpark in January. 

This weekend was our third year of meeting the PA fam at an indoor waterpark a little ways north of here.  It was fun time with family and so nice to be warm!  But I don't have any pictures.  My sister-in-law had a really cool waterproof camera that took still shots and video, so we left the picture taking up to her.  Maybe I'll get some of hers and post them later.

• Mr. Mister was Mr. Confident on the kids slides.  He was a little too short for some of the bigger ones, but he was perfectly content going down the smaller ones a hundred times in a row.  Tonight after we got home, he kept saying, "I'm just a little sad. I miss the waterpark."  

• Mr. Newton loved splashing in the water. He was super flexible with his nap schedule which allowed us time to all be together in the water.

• Last year, I was pregnant so I didn't get to go down the slides.  This year I got to play a lot, thanks to the wonderful help of Grandma, Papa, Aunt J and Uncle C who help us so much with our kids!

Back to life here.  It's always hard to come home after a fun weekend!

Beating the Winter Blues

It was so refreshing to see the sun today and to see some snow melting. Although with the melting snow comes a melting ice rink, much to the dismay of a certain 3 year old. I'm not sure how much longer we'll maintain it, but it certainly has been fun.

Besides the ice rink and the occasional trip outside to go sledding, we find ourselves inside for much of these cold winter days. So here are some of the things we've done recently to make life inside a little more eventful.


A picnic inside! The boys loved it and it added a little fun to our same old lunch. Peanut butter and jelly tastes better on a blanket.

Trips to Costco provide some new scenery and some yummy free samples. And I love the cart for two!

This is our superhero who came to save his damsel in distress Mommy from bad man Daddy while riding his faithful black steed.

Here's his partner who did more drooling than rescuing but still looked cute in his red cape.

It's Here!

The long awaited ice rink is official!  It is sure to provide many fun times this winter (and to provide some challenge in getting out our back door).  Mr. Mister already loves it and wants to skate all the time.  I'm so proud of my husband for sticking with it.  This video was his inspiration.
Maybe that will be us someday!

Here are some pictures of the action.
We have open skate all day if anyone wants to stop by!

This is the water waiting to freeze.

This is my favorite.  Good looking slapshot!

Even tough skaters still need their mamas.
Mr. Mister took a hard spill and needed some cuddle time to feel better. 

A Well

You may remember me posting this video a couple weeks ago because it's one of our favorite songs to dance to as a family.

But, it's so much more than that.  If you haven't taken a minute to watch it, please do.  It is worth it.

The reality that so many people still live in this world without access to clean water blows me away.  It is unimaginable to me that people in the Central African Republic (and so many other countries in Africa) actually walk for hours to get buckets full of dirty water, which causes 80% of all sickness and disease and kills more people than war.  That is not right.  ESPECIALLY because there is clean water available.  It's just deep beneath the earth.

Enter Charity:Water.  Building a well that will provide clean water for 400 people for 20 years is $5,000.  A lot of money.  But not in comparison for what it provides.  

So this Christmas, our church made a goal of raising enough to build a well in one of these village communities.  And on Christmas day, we reached the $5,000 mark.  So now 400 people that we will most likely never meet will be able to drink and bathe in clean water.  They will not have to walk miles for water, they will be healthier, they will live longer, and they will experience the joy of redemption in the form of clean water.

I am encouraged that our small community of believers would give so generously to take on such a grand vision as this.  But it is not about us.  It is really about loving God and loving our neighbors. Even if they are halfway around the world.  It is about giving clean water to drink, but even more so, giving a them a glimpse of the living water that is the true satisfaction of our thirsty souls.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  John 4:13-14

You, God, are my God,
   earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
   my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
   where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

It's coming...

I'm not sure how many of you really care about the development of our backyard ice rink, but in case you are wondering, there should be some skating going on tonight.  My husband did some renovations on the construction and it is looking good.  Hopefully I can post some pictures tonight or tomorrow!

No Ice

No ice rink yet. There's been some difficulties in the construction, but it's not a lost cause yet.  I hope it works because he has worked so hard on it!

Ice

I have realized that having boys and all that it entails is only compounded by having a husband who loves adventure and risk and out of the box living and who is still a boy at heart.

Are you ready for a glimpse into my life?

Daddy came upstairs after he was done working and had the idea to build an ice rink in our backyard.  That is a crazy idea in general, but even crazier if you know how big (or not big) or backyard is.  It's tiny.  And not much of a yard, mostly a patio with some garden area around it.  And by garden area I mean mulch that is home to a sandbox and a wagon and balls and bats and a plethora of other toys.  Not flowers like it used to be in Life B.C. (before children).

Anyway....he wants to build an ice rink.  He explained that he would make it really small, in the side mulch area so I approved and set out making dinner.

Then I looked out and noticed that our patio furniture was moved off of the patio into the designated mulch area that was supposed to be the rink.  That leaves....the entire patio to be the rink.  This patio also happens to be our main walk way for exiting our house to get to our cars.

Am I the only one who thinks this is crazy?  In this family, yes I am.  I tried to fight back with logic, but nothing was going to match the boy-like smile of excitement on my husband's face.  I don't think he heard a word I said.  He was too busy laying out the wood and making his plans.  And Mr. Mister was out there right alongside him, hammering away with his tools.

So I'm off to make dinner...not sure what's happening out there.  But I'll be sure to report back!  I wonder what the neighbors will think...