Snowklahoma-Round 2!

Christopher-2 months old

Christopher-2 years old

Christopher-13 years old

Birthday Ice Cream Cookie Cake-Made by Mom :)

Silly kids!

We Braved the Weather to treat Christopher to Lunch!

Christopher's Birthday Lunch!

Our Waiter was a little bored so he made Mersades a flower out of a napkin!

Our waiter giving us special attention!  He was showing the birthday boy how to make a chicken out of a towel!  He was very entertaining!

So today marks the second round of Snowmeggedon in Snowklahoma!  We received another 6 inches or so on top of the 18 inches we received last week!  We have now set new snow fall records for Tulsa!  Today just so happens to be 2-9-11, which is Christopher's 13th birthday and it reminds me of one of my favorite verses in the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11!

How are we spending the day today, after being snowed in for 9 days, you ask?  Well we ventured out today to take Christopher out to lunch for his birthday.  I have made an Ice Cream Cookie Cake that we will eat after we eat his favorite meal for dinner tonight.  We stopped at Best Buy so he could pick out his Birthday present.  Now we are spending the rest of the day hanging out, playing games, etc as a family.  As far as the other 8 days, well we have watched tons of family movies, played lots of games, had quiet reading time, did a little math, some writing, we have made snow ice cream (gonna do a second round today), shoveled driveways and sidewalks, went night sledding (I am sure we will do that again), had sleepovers (well one), cleaned house, played video games, played in the snow, and I am sure there are things I left out, but you get the idea.  We are starting to miss our scheduled lives though, such as school, church, work (me), basketball, etc.  We will be looking forward to the 60 degree weather the weather man is promising us in the next week!  Although, our snow probably won't be completely melted until the Spring or Summer :)  We have been enjoying our time together. 

So I now have TWO teenagers in the house, I am sure I will be needing prayer from all of you :)  Christopher is pretty excited to finally be a "real" teenager, but he is second guessing himself when I had a discussion with him about "becoming a man"!  Not what you guys are thinking, not "that" kind of talk, but the kind where I tell him he is more responsible now, that sort of stuff :)  He has always been the impatient child.  I went into labor 4 days before my scheduled C-Section and ever since he has been that way.  When he was a baby, he wanted to eat before it was time, he wanted to sleep before it was time, he woke up before he should have, he has never liked to wait.  He gets that from his dad!  I blame him for that! :)  However, I am so blessed that God chose me to be him mom.  I love him more than words could ever say.  I always said, God gave me Christopher to teach me to have patience :)  and that he has done! :) 

Surviving Snowmagedden 2011

The Dog was a little afraid of all the snow at first!

The kids were snow troopers!  They helped shovel massive amounts of snow!

The best part of a nice big snow is the "Young Tradition"  Snow ice cream! Yumm!

The kids helped a sweet neighbor by shoveling her driveway and sidewalk!

Finished product!  They are learning to "Be the Church" where ever they may be!

We had plenty of snow, but more decided to fall!

The funnest part of a HUGE snow storm, is the fun sledding afterwards!

Matthew and his best friend fixing to hit the slopes!

Matthew fixing to slide down the biggest hill of his life!

Not everyone sits on the sled! 

The long haul back up the massive slope!

Most people would go absolutely crazy being cooped up in their houses for more than a few days with their families.  We have been snowed in for 5 days and finally got out of the house today.  How did we spend the last 5 days you ask?  Well, we played lots of games together, cleaned some house, cooked every day, did some laundry, shoveled our driveways and sidewalks numerous times, we practiced "being the church" and helped a friendly neighbor by shoveling her driveway and sidewalk, we played in the snow, and the best part of all this was making our traditional snow ice cream and spending quality time with each other.  I know 5 days is allot for anyone to spend 24/7 together, but we made the best of it and really enjoyed most of it.  After 5 days we finally got to get out of the house.  We did a little shopping, we went out to dinner, and then we took the kids sledding at this massive hill.  The kids had a blast!  We had a lot of fun watching them, taking pictures, and video.  I even joined them and went down the hill myself!  We closed out the evening on a fun and exciting note!  We are expected to get more snow in the next few days, so I am sure I will be adding to this post or making a part 2.  When all is said and done, I appreciate God's humor behind all this snow.  We get so busy and caught up in our busy lives, we just don't make enough time for family.  I see this as God's way of telling me/us to slow down and enjoy the very gift that has been given to me/us.  Family is very important to me and I enjoy my children and I enjoy being with them and playing games and stuff.  I have had the opportunity to tell my kids how proud I am of them and tell them that I love them.  When was the last time your 15 year old sat on your lap, or the last time you told your soon to be 13 year how proud of him you are, or when was the last time you played a game on your 8 year old's level as a family?  That's right, life gets in the way of us enjoying our families. Even though I admit I am very tired of the snow and ready to get back to our schedules, I don't regret the last 5 days I have gotten to spend with my kids and wouldn't change a thing.  These are memories that will last them a life time.  I want the to grow up and say "My mom and dad made time for me".