Good Bye Winter Wonderland

I may be speaking too soon, but I am SOOOO ready for spring!! Our driveway is fully melted and our back yard just has a couple little piles of snow left.  It is suppose to get up to 65 degrees this weekend, but then go back down to the 40s again on Monday. ): However, they haven’t mentioned the four letter S word…Snow. So here is to hoping!!

Just as a reminder this is what MANY days of winter looked like. I did enjoy it most of the time, so this is by no means a “complaining post,” just a reminder of how deep the snow got and how the icicles grew in abundance.

 

The ICICLES…

This isn’t actually our home, but it is exactly what our icicles looked like…

I may or may not have shoveled all this pavement too many times for a pregnant woman. shhhh…don’t tell.

The backyard was filled with snow.  Poor Mia, I felt so bad for her some days.  Other days she seemed to rather enjoy scratching her back in the cool snow. She also had hilarious tracks she made to all her favorite spots in the yard. I wish I would have take a photo of those!

 

Views around the neighborhood.

It was so clear you could see all the way to the Great Salt Lake and down to Bountiful!

Look at these mounds of snow!!!

I love the mountain views at sunset.

At a cemetery during a funeral.

 

GREATEST snow on Earth

Utah has the above slogan and last year our state did not live up to it. We even had ski passes and only got to go once on icy snow mostly made by the mountain resort.  However, this year, we love the Snow! Okay not the cold and the sickness around, but these girls like to get out and play. Even if they are out there for less time than it took to put all the gear on, it’s still a fun adventure.

L.O.V.E #5 – SNOW

Growing up I remember HUGE snow storms, snow days home from school, making huge forts, slides, and having snow ball fights. I can remember putting our soaking gloves and boots by the heater vent and coming into the kitchen for hot chocolate. (what a great mom I have!)  I remember watching my Dad shovel or snow blow our walks and driveway. Lots of fun snow memories.

We spent a lot of time as a family with my Grandpa Jack on the Alta Ski hill. Where I learned quickly that I LOVE to ski.  Now if we can get some more snow in the mountains perhaps Dave and I can take Anna and teach her!

Now I have grown older and have to drive in it! And honestly after two scary accidents, it isn’t my favorite any more.  But this winter, being a mild one in Utah, and one that I haven’t had to do a ton of driving in it I have enjoyed it.  Especially when I get to watch my own daughters watch their Daddy shovel and then I drive the next morning and have it be beautifully stuck to the trees. It is gorgeous!

P.S. Yes, I have done my fair share of shoveling as well, during naps of course.  I’m sure my mom did the same.

Crazy Utah Winter

Well Utah has welcomed us back very gently this winter.  I whined on Facebook the first day it snowed and was cold, I wanted to go back to sunny California.  However, that quickly changed as December was mostly dry and now it is the end of January and we are {mostly} dry. 

I took some photos last week on Monday when it was snowing and absolutely beautiful out. I didn’t have to go anywhere and I loved watching it snow.  The next day it warmed up and it has been beautiful ever since. I had the camera in the car and couldn’t stop taking photos, though I was driving so I did! I love the little layer of snow on the ground and the snow frosted mountains. All weekend I have been looking out our windows right  at the blue sky and beautiful mountains.  It was gorgeous.

I especially love NOT having to drive in it! I am a nervous nelly now that we have been in 2 accidents because of snow and black ice. We even got new awesome tires on the Pathfinder to ease our shakiness… haven’t needed them.   Though there is one downside to that lack of snow, we have some ski passes we need to use so I would like more snow in the Weber Mountains!

Monday…

Tuesday… (BTW, I love this little country road I drive down almost every day. It make me feel for a moment as if I live in a little town.  There are even Peacocks, horses, and ducks to the right.

I took the previous photo to show this road to Dave, I am so glad we don’t have to drive up or down this road when it is snowing! (I just happened upon it one day).  I love the way the snow sticks to the branches, it is so pretty!

I used to take a LOT of photos of nature, particularly sunsets.  This post reminds me I need to do more. SO GORGEOUS!!

Moving, again.

THREE WEEK COUNTDOWN....YIKES

Craigslist ads

*Selling items

*Looking for homes to rent

*Trying to find renters for our Bountiful home

many boxes - empty and packed

New garage sale/give away pile

Organizing and realizing what I don't need

Taking down a beautiful home

Keeping up with daily tasks

Preparing Anna and answering many questions

Dreams of what is to come

Wishes of what we could have done

Letting go of things

Goodbyes

"Lasts"

Seems like we keep doing all of this every year! Change is hard and enjoyable at the same time.

I continually hope that each time it gets easier, however I find myself remembering, shedding some happy & sad tears, then reminding myself that each moment is an experience and a memory to cherish.

There will be people and things that I will miss and more tears shed.

But there is always something new to look forward to.

At least this move I won't feel physically alone in a foreign place especially in the beginning as I meet people around me.

And thank goodness there is technology to keep in touch with those I have grown to love here in Modesto!

Let the 21 day countdown begin with a sigh... or two.

Blessing Day for MJ

While we were in Utah we had the opportunity to bless Madelyn. It was a really special night. We had most of our family there, including some extended family as well as our good friends the Walton's. It was planned with short notice to those who attended so we were surprised at all who could make it. It was intimate and wonderful. I would actually love to do it this way again.

Dave gave a wonderful blessing. I am kicking myself for not writing down key points, but perhaps now we can write some things down. The spirit was there with abundance and Maddie was content. I am so thankful for Dave and his worthiness to hold the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/'http://lds.org/search?lang=>Priesthood.</a> It has been a blessing on our lives on many occasions, especially with our children (and pregnancy). It is truly God's power on earth.

Madelyn Jane

looked so pretty in the same blessing dress Anna wore. She was dolled up with new shoes and pretty bracelet from her grandparents and beautiful bow made by Auntie Holly. Though she scratched her face, she was gorgeous! I love the photos of her skinny legs and arms.

Such a cute little skinny mini.

The refreshments. I had a fun time creating the sugar cookies. I wanted to make something special for the evening considering I wasn’t hosting something at my house. I felt like this was my way of personalizing it a little for my Maddie. I didn’t have the option of making royal icing, so instead I made my favorite white frosting. (Dyed pink of course). After a little bit of trial an error I ended up doing what you see below. It actually was easier to use a tip for the M’s rather than just a regular knife. And with the tip I chose they turned out a little more elegant and cute.

Many other hands help fill the table. I didn’t get a chance to take a photo of ALL the treats, but is was VERY yummy, and we had LOTS of leftovers. Which were enjoyed the rest of the week.

Here are a few who attended, I wish I would have taken more photos! Perhaps there are some on other cameras? We took a Kinnersley family photo before the blessing so all of us kind of matched.

The kids were off being silly at the end. Thank you Auntie Kjer for snapping these photos! They had such a great time together while we visited. Everyday Anna would ask for them!

Back at home after the blessing we caught a few more photos. Anna Loves her little sis!

My parents were a HUGE help in pulling to all together, in fact we probably wouldn't have been able to do it without them. They go the church reserved, set up chairs, helped make LOTS of desserts (as well as organized who brought what) and cleaned up. Thanks for helping us make it such a special night!

I

I don’t know why we didn’t take a photo of the just us parents or just Dave and Madelyn. These were the ones I have… perhaps on another camera??? (:

We love you Maddie and are so happy you are in our family! This was a special night!