Grandpa and MeeMee come to town!

 Although when we moved here, my dad grouchily swore he would NEVER come visit us in the winter, we finally convinced him this year. Luckily the kids stayed cute, so we had some incentive there. Also luckily, the weather took a break from the sub-zero fun-fest we'd been having and stayed in the 20's and 30's during their trip.

First on the agenda was a dogsled ride. Kind of random, but there was a Groupon, and it seemed like one of those "only in Alaska" type of opportunities, so we went ahead with it. Here are Dad and Joanie all geared up!

Here we are waiting in the car for Dad and Joanie to finish. The kids were troopers this day. They got to tag along during the hour's ride out there, and then wait for both sets of grown-ups to take their ride, then drive home. They did get to go out to lunch twice though, so I guess that's a bonus!

 After that, James and I had a chance to take our turn on the sled!

Is it just me, or do I look like my mom in that pic? ^^

Beautiful Winter

So winter has been cold, but when it's really dry and cold, it is breathtaking. The frost covers the trees, making them all beautiful and white.

 I took these pics of the INSIDE of our front storm door. Note all the ice accumulated in the inside corner.

Adventures in the Freezing Cold!

As my Facebook friends know from my constant whining, we are having a record-setting winter here in Alaska. And not in the good way that everyone else is. Record-setting snowfall and much, MUCH colder than last year. Finally I just had to throw the kids outside, even though it was below zero. We just bundled them up really well!

They had so much fun that the next day they stayed out for a few hours! They went sledding, James built a snow fort, and they even jumped on the trampoline!

Here they are all bundled up and ready to go out. We got these fleece head covering things for Christmas from my sister-in-law and they are AWESOME!

First lost teeth!

Kenley finally lost her first teeth! Her two bottom teeth had been loose forEVER! She lost her first one at school, and her teacher sent her down to my classroom to show me. I look up from teaching and there's Kenley: bloody tooth and tissue in hand! It was so funny, and I was so glad her teacher thought to let me share that special moment. I got to take her down to the nurse and get the famous tooth necklace.

Then when I got home from work that night, I thought the hole in her mouth looked a little bigger. Sure enough, she had lost ANOTHER tooth! She said it was "mostly loose" so she just pulled it out all by herself!

Random Fun

 Claire playing dress up.

 Playing restaurant in the tub....

 Kenley got to go see Beauty and the Beast with my cousins Kelsey and Peter...

 Parker and his friends making good use of the boy dress-ups he got for Christmas.

 We never should have bought that new dining set last year. Apparently they prefer the floor!