He's back! And...yup, more of that white stuff...

The first basketball game that Carter played in this year, he was very frustrated afterward.  Last year, he was one of the 2 main ball handlers bring the ball down the court.  He had the ball, often.  Too much sometimes.  He said that his coach wanted the other players to set picks & he would drive for a layoff or a closer shot.  This year, not quite so much.  He is on the "A" team which he was excited about.  There is also a "B" team.  After the 1st game, he stated that he feels like the boys out there with him don't even know he is there.  Most of them have played traveling ball (Carter never has - it is every weekend, it is quite expensive and they do lots of traveling - Elk River, Eden Prairie, Princeton, and so on).  So, they haven't really passed to him during the games that they have had (2 only since 2 were canceled due to COLD weather!).

As a parent, that is hard to hear.  He loves basketball.  Loves to play the game.  He may not be "Michael Jordan or Koby Bryant" but he has passion.  He tries.  He puts his heart into it.  We talked and said to give it another game or 2 to see if it improves.  We both know that he is not going to get the ball every time, but when I say these boys don't even know he is out on the court, that is what it is like.  He stands on about the 3 point like towards the baseline and just stands there.  If it doesn't improve, he has already told the coach that he would rather go down to "B" team.  He would rather play than stand out there doing nothing.

Both Dave & I agreed.  Give it a few more games.  Play your hardest whether it is in practice or a game. Show the team what you have to offer - it may not be a million points but all you need to win by is ONE point and you might be the one to get that one point.  Or stop the other team from getting 2 points.  Basketball is not just about scoring, it is also about stopping the other team from scoring too!

Yesterday his coach put him down to the "B" team.  He was excited about it.  They lost, but you could tell he was in the "zone."  He was back to the Carter that wanted to play not the Carter who thought he might as well just sit on the bench since he wasn't doing anything on the court.  Not the best photos (I need an better flash for in these gyms with their crummy lighting!).

More snow today!  Argh!  But Reese and Cooper had a little fun playing it in while I worked hard shoveling!

Yup, about 6 more inches!

Oh, Tooth Fairy!

Dawson lost a tooth yesterday - one that has been bugging him for about a week or so.  It had gotten pretty loose but was just not coming out. Finally, he pulled it out this morning.  He wanted me to send daddy a text with a photo of him with the "new" hole in his mouth.  We found a little baggie (those baggies from extra buttons on clothing items work perfectly for little teeth!) and later that night, he put it under his pillow in the tooth fairy pillow he has.
The next morning he awoke EXTRA early only to be so disappointed that the tooth fairy did not show up. ENTER THE HEARTACHE OF A MOM.  He was sobbing to daddy.  He sat on my lap and all I did was hug him.  Maybe she was running late due to the weather.  He WAS up quite a bit earlier than he typically is.  We sat on the couch for a few minutes then he wanted to go upstairs.  Carter was still sleeping so Dawson was staying out of their room, but when Carter woke Dawson checked his tooth pillow and low and behold the Tooth Fairy had come.  She must have had cold wings as she left some "fairy dust" on his bed and a little on the floor.  Silly Tooth Fairy!  Guess it is hard work for such a little lady!  Good things kids are so understanding of her lateness on occasion!

Captain Underpants!

Carter has all the Captain Underpants books from when he was Dawson's age up until about 4th grade, maybe 5th.  So when Dawson needed a new book to read, I took them out for him.  One night, we decided to be Captain Underpants!   Oh.  My. Gosh!  Love this boy!

This. is. getting. ridiculous!

Another day of no school due to SUBZERO temps and windchills!  As I write this it is currently ~7 degrees but with the windchill it feels like ~23 degrees!  When we went to the bowling alley this morning, it was ~16 temperature, not even including the windchill!  This also means a canceled basketball game for Carter!  :(

I am defintely feeling it and the kids are too.  Carter was actually a little upset that school was canceled - another missed basketball game!  Whenever the phone rings and I see a phone that starts with a 763-600...I know it is not good news!

So we went bowling to get out of the house for a little while!

Jump around, says Kendall!

On this ball, Dawson got all but one of the pins down.  The next ball he rolled, he got a SPARE!  

Check out Reese's form!  Look at Carter's form!  Go Carter!

Dawson was telling the ball to move over!

Need I say anything about this face!  Love this photo of Reese and Carter (he was such a good helper!).  Kendall got some AIR in this one!

Thank goodness my car started when we left!  I would have HATED to have to call AAA along with a bazillion other people whose cars did not start today.  I took this photo last summer... what is better, NEGATIVE or 100!?  

A Christmas gift to use!

I gave the girls all wine glasses for Christmas.  Both Jen and Jamie send me a photo this week of them enjoying their glass filled with some tasty wine!

A little Wii!

Home again... so why not play a little Wii!  Time for a WARM vacation!

Cooper loves to play with Dawson when he gets home.  Since Dawson isn't off the bus until about 4:20 (later in the winter with all the snow and ice!) there isn't much time to play.  So, Cooper took the opportunity to play with Dawson on this NO SCHOOL DAY!

ANOTHER "COLD" day

In the afternoon yesterday a few school districts started to cancel school - Anoka-Hennipin was one of the 1st because they are so big.  About 8PM I logged onto the computer to see if there was anything from school yet.  Nothing.  I figured that I would have gotten a phone call or a text first, but I thought I would check it out anyway.  At 8:30PM the phone rang.  I yelled out before I even saw it, "I am sure it is school!" and it was.  ARGH...another day of no school.  Two days this week already - one for MLK day and the other for a teacher day.

Trust me, I love my kids but this is getting to be a little much.  They have had a TON of days off over the past six weeks.  Before Christmas it was sicknesses that kept them home.  Then a week and a half off for Christmas.  Then 2 days back at school.  Then 2 "COLD" days, a few more days of school, then days off for MLK and teacher day, and now another cold day.  Trust me, it was cold today - we went to the YMCA at about 10AM and at that point it was ~16 degrees.  It was COLD.  Having the kids standing outside waiting for the bus, it is dangerous.  BUT...

3 "COLD" days this year - you can't even play outside on these days, it is just TOO dang cold.  Too windy.  Too dangerous.  That equals a lot of inside-ness!

1st Middle School Basketball game for Carter

Carter's 1st game and it is a cold, windy, wintery sort of day on top of it!  He was surprised, but excited to be on the "A" squad.  He is nervous though.  With having to bring all the kids, I forgot my camera!  So no photos!

He was a little frustrated after the game.  Most of the boys on the "A" squad have played traveling BB so they are used to playing with each other.  Carter has only played 2 years of rec ball.  He said that he felt "invisible" like he might as well of not even been out there since no one really passed to him.  That was frustrating for him since he was used to getting the ball a lot last year.  I told him to give it time.  If in a few games you still feel that way, talk with the coach.  Tell him you would rather play on the "B" squad then feel like you are not playing at all.

A skate party at Nana and Pop-Pop's!

No school today because it is MLK day...it is chilly, but we all bundled up and went skating on "golden pond" for a little bit.  Took more time to get skates on but the kids had a blast and they got a few minutes of fresh air, no matter how frigid it is.  Reese had skates on for the first time and did pretty well.  Kendall and DAwson have skated a handful of times and they did pretty good also.  Carter, he is an "old pro" now we just need to find him some skates that fit him better - he is wearing old ones of Pop-Pop's and like 3 pairs of socks so that they fit him better!

Scare of the day, darn Kendall!

Took the kids skiing today - in between the COLD days you have to take advantage of the not so cold days.  Today was one of those days.  It was as gorgeous of a day as far as winter days go, especially lately. Trever, Jennifer and Tynan met us at Wild Mountain.

Before lunch, the kids were taking their jackets off.  Warm on a 35 degree day!  Reese and I stayed until just after 2 but by the time we got out of there it was 2:45!  The kids had been figuring out the tow rope and going on the Terrain Park and the jumps.  It was fun to see them having fun there though it was so busy and there were a few times that I was a little concerned about the kids and all the other kids around.
When Dave got home after about 6, it was crazy getting the kids fed and ready for bed.  Kendall had fell and bumped her elbow and at some point a boy fell on top of her.  She started to say that her head hurt.  She did not want to eat.  We were worried that it might be a minor concussion.  But, after watching her for a while, she started to feel better, so just a scare!

Carter's 7th Grade Choir Concert

Yet again, I did not bring my camera...the days I wish I had a smartphone just to take one photo.  I don't want to be one of the few parents that take a photo.  But as I was sitting there, I wish I had it!  :(  The boys are all in ONE choir this year, while the girls make up the other group (and by far probably outnumber the boys choir by double!).  They sang an African Folk Song, a few other songs, Home by Philip Philips, and then put on their "shades" and sang "My Girl" while doing a little "dance or sway" to it along with some clapping and snapping!  I looked over at Dave and said are you getting some video of this, to which he simply and quickly replied "no!"

Rocking out!

Carter had some $ burning a hole in his pocket so he, Reese and I took a quick trip to Target.  Reese was rocking out to the music with these headphones on.  How cute!

Also, for a long time, Dave teased me about my last name, GREENE - not just green like the color but with an extra "e" on the end.  Well, fancy this!  Look at the blinged up iPhone case at Target.  Green with that extra special "E" on the end!

ABC Yoga!

Reese was looking at the book, ABC Yoga and doing some of the yoga tonight!  Carter decided to join in and do some with her!  I love when he does these spontaneous things with his little sister!  So, so cute!

Pesky Ear Infection..

Reese and I have been battling these colds - mostly coughing is the main symptom!  I constantly am coughing, so is Reese.  Well today I decided to bring Reese to the Dr.  After over a week it doesn't seem like it is improving, there has got to be something going on!  Or one of those darn viruses that just like to hang around!  Well, turns out she has the beginning of an ear infection - one ear was on its way and the other ear had quite a bit of fluid in it.  She also has really swollen tonsils and glands in her neck.  Amoxicillan here we come!  Poor girl!  Maybe I will go next... I am thinking I am on my way to a sinus infection, my typical illness any time of the year.

Back at it!

I have had my spurts in going to the YMCA.  I did not go at all after my surgery until about the 5th week post surgery.  I was really lucky that it has not snowed too much... until the last week of wearing my boot!  Now, I need to get back into it.  I am not that much into fitness.  I did Pilates and I really like that - I intend on getting into that again (after we are done paying off my surgery!).  Doing the Pilates really helped increase  my "core."  I

Fitness is not a "strength" of mine, so to speak.  I don't want to say that it my resolution to get in shape, but I do really want to.  I enjoy walking the track at the Y, but I know this is not going to help me lose some weight, which is one of my end goals.  10 pounds, maybe 15.  But I also know that the more I work out and use weights, the more muscle I will gain.  I know that I have gained some muscle weight, but I still have that "baby" belly flab...and I guess it can be attributed to poor eating habits (darn treats!).  I want to improve my waistline and my flabby under arms.  The belly is a challenge.

I have seen some older photos of myself recently and I noticed how much skinnier I looked.  While I don't think I will get down to that 120 pound skinny gal that I was prior to having 3 additional kids (I still was skinnier after Carter!) but I do want to be more of who I was.  I know that along with getting back in shape, it is also wanting to be healthier.  Healthy is so important especially after all the stuff that we have gone through with my dad in the last 3 years.  While being healthy cannot prevent all illnesses or diseases, I know it can help.  Being around for my family is the most important thing!

Shoes fit for a prince... or princess

Reese and Cooper are pretty good playmates.  Trust me, they have their "moments" but that is to be expected.  I love it that Cooper gets to come over here and play with GIRL toys.  They love to play with the dress up shoes that Reese gave Kendall for Christmas.  They love to play with the dollhouse.  They love to play in the little kitchen.  Someday, I will be able to tease Coop about this - he will probably deny that it was him, but lucky for me, I have a full body shot of him in these shoes, just thought it was easier to see in this one!

Polar Blast day off!

Today was about nothing!  the kids stayed in their PJ's (why not?  the high today is NEGATIVE 21 degrees plus a super negative windchill) and played all day.  Watched some movies.  Played some Wii.  And the added extra bonus for the kids, school is canceled due to weather again tomorrow!  this photo was taken when the temperature was "warm."

Kendall and Daddy date day

Kendall was sick when we went to the movie FROZEN almost a month ago.  She had thrown up the night before (and had been sick that week also) so we thought it was best for her not to go and spread germs and possibly throw up again.  So, for WEEKS she has been saying, "daddy we need to go to the movie" or "daddy, is it time to go to the movie?"  Today, in the middle of the POLAR blast that we are having (like ~15 to 20 degrees today) daddy took Kendall to the movie.

Last night before going to bed, she told me she loved me and that she would not see me tomorrow cause daddy told her they were going to the movie in the morning.  Well, unless I am going to get to sleep in until like 10AM, I am sure I will see you tomorrow, I told her!  She was SOOOO excited to go to the movie.  She was looking forward to the part where Olaf the Snowman sings a song about summer.  She giggled when I asked her what would happen to a snowman in summer, she said "he would MELT!"

They came home and she proclaimed that she LOVED IT!  She wanted to be the princess that made the ice castle cause it was so pretty!  I have to admit, I want to be her too!  It was so pretty!

Ginger Cookies and hot heads!

We are trying to finish off the gingerbread cookies from Christmas.  When the kids were picking theirs out today Kendall yelled out, "I want one with some of those HOT HEADS on it!"  They just love those Red hot candy toppings!

Arctic COLD blast

They have been talking about it for a few days now, some SUPER cold weather is headed our way.  Weather that we have not had since 1996/1997 winter.  At that time Governor Arne Carlson canceled school a few days... well, we got the notice today that Governor Mark Dayton is doing the same.  Lucky kids, only 2 days of school this week due to the winter break and now a day off.  Temps are supposed to at least NEGATIVE 20 degrees along with a NEGATIVE wind chill making it feel like it is NEGATIVE 40 to 60 below ZERO!  Yikes!  So NO SCHOOL on Monday... what ever will be do?  I know that I won't want to take the kids out - I would NOT want to deal with my car not starting...

Darn FREEZING POLAR weather!

Sunrise @ 7:40AM

 Sunrise @ 7:43 am

 Sunrise @ 7:44 am

 Sunrise @ 7:47am

New Year's Day!

Dave did some charcoal grilling today and cooked up some delicious steak for dinner!  How is that for the start to a New Year!?

Every year this is what the floor looks like when I am done taking off the lights!  Not too many needles left on the tree!

I would leave the tree up year round, but with about 1200 lights on your tree, it might become a fire hazard!