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1|52 Looking ahead, with 2017 just a reflection. My hope for 2018 is to simplify my life. Spend more one on one time with each kiddo, take more walks in the woods, sit and talk more, laugh and enjoy each other to the fullest. Oaks and I took a walk to the river today, just the two of us. It was seriously cold, but it was sweet to have some time with him. Cheers to the new year!

Cold Days of February

Even though it's cold outside, we still try to have as much fun as we can!  This particular week in February ended with a ton of fun at Great Wolf Lodge.  Jason and I decided that instead of buying the kids more "things" for Christmas, we would buy them experiences.  We hadn't been to Great Wolf since Lakelyn was one.  Avery and Oaks had been talking about going back, and were always telling Lakelyn how much fun it was.  We made a cute little note and wrapped it in a box to give them Christmas morning.  Needless to say, when they opened it, they were super excited.  Might of been the best response ever to a Christmas gift!

 Beautiful snowflakes! Isn't God's beauty AMAZING!

 My little Elsa watching Frozen on this snowy day.  This costume has been worn more than any other in this house!

 Family challenge of who can do a handstand push up.  I lost, but I will get them next time!  lol!

 Morning sunrise from our front porch.

 This little dude wrapped up his basketball season.  He played hard this year!

 Avery is loving Netflix and is addicted to the show "Heart of Dixie." Can't say I blame her, it is such a cute show.

 This little lady curled up in our bed and fell asleep.

 Avery's all packed for Beta Convention.  I am pretty sure she has clothes in there too!  haha!

 And she's off!  Her first overnight school trip.  She is excited and I am having a hard time letting go.  How do they grow up so fast?

Over the weekend we headed to Great Wolf Lodge with friends.  The kids had a blast and so did the parents!  We are blessed with wonderful people in our lives, and I am so thankful my kiddo's have friends to grow up with!  Sorry for the iPhone photo's, but I didn't want to pack my good camera.

 Soul Sisters!

Avery, Allie, Jovie, Brody, and Gia.

All our sweet kiddo's!  The only photo we took off all 9 of them.

 Oakley and Chaz taking a break to eat some lunch.

 Right before they ran off to another ride.

Eating a snack.

February Days

Another week in February has come and gone.  With Valentine's Day this week and Spirit week at school, it has been a fun, but busy one.

 Lazy Sunday mornings can be such a blessing sometimes.  Can you believe I was on this couch too until I got up to take the picture?!  These girls sure love to cuddle with their Daddy.  I can't say that I blame them! ;)

For spirit week, students had to dress like they were 100 one day.  Avery wore her hair in rollers with a robe and house shoes.  I think she will be one cute 100 year old some day.

Lakelyn loves to floss her teeth.  Now if I can just get her to quit pulling off a whole yard of dental floss to do it!

This was 80's day for Spirit week.  Now that is something I can do well!  haha!  You can't really tell in this picture, but I have Avery's hair teased and "winged" out on both sides. 

 They were so proud of their Valentine's Day boxes.  Lake said she didn't want her's to look like anyones, and she wanted to come up with it on her own!  Oakley wanted to make sure he had the

 Seahawks logo on his.  He drew it on with an ink pen and I think he did a pretty good job!  That kid loves everything about football.  He is a boy after his Daddy's own heart!  I loved hearing them watch and talk football together this past season.  A few more seasons and I may even know enough to join in on the conversations.  Avery made a monkey with a pink heart belly button for her box!  Thank goodness for all those scrapbooking supplies I never use anymore!

 This is not the best picture.  I took it in a rush to catch the moment before it was gone and I didn't check my settings.  Even so, I still love the story it tells.  Lake has a love hate relationship with Valentine's Day chocolate.  She has such a sweet tooth and loves most chocolate, but hates the ones filled with pink or orange.  She was inspecting this piece to see if she could determine the inside before she bit into it.  Needless to say, she bit it and quickly spit it out...it was orange.

Saturday's we are busy with basketball.  Avery played her heart out in this game.  They ended up losing in overtime, but they played hard.  She has also really improved on her free throws this year!  I think Jason has enjoyed getting to sit back and just watch her games.  This is the first year he hasn't coached her team since she began playing in Kindergarden.  

Papa's Ninety!

On February 6, 1926, an extraordinary person was born, one of my hero's, someone I love with all my heart, my Papa Crawford.  As a little girl, I would run around his milk barn with my sister, Katie, and cousin, Jill.  We couldn't wait for the milk truck to show up, the driver would always give us a carton of ice cold milk to drink.  We spent many hours playing in the barn, letting the calves suck on our fingers, building hideouts, trying to tame the wild barn kittens, creating escape routes, riding the 4-wheeler around the farm and the list goes on and on.  When we weren't outside we worked puzzles, colored, roller skated in the basement, set up photo shoots and pretended to be models, and sang to the top of our lungs...Grundy County Auction and The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia were our favorites.  I have too many wonderful memories to count, but I am willing to bet my Aunt Linda probably has most of them on video.  haha! Visiting Papa and Granny was always something I looked forward to.

Going to visit is still one of my favorite things to do.  I wish we were able to go more often.  Time always seems to slow down at Granny and Papas.  You sit around the kitchen table for lunch and dinner, you visit with company, you walk around the farm and check out the chickens and the goldfish.  Yes, I said goldfish.  They live in the concrete watering tank that the cows drink from.  You relax and enjoy the family that you don't get to see near enough.  I cherish our visits and thank God that my children have also been blessed with making memories at Papa and Granny's.

  

Me with my grandparents.  A handsome couple, don't you think?  And here's to hoping I get my Granny's hair gene!  That's her natural color with very little gray.

My grandparents, Dad, and Aunts.

Papa and Granny with my kiddo's.

Lakelyn was super excited to get the last of the coke.  When I was a kid, right behind where Lakelyn is standing, was always a jar full of Little Debbie Cakes.  Mom would never buy them, so getting one out of Granny's kitchen was always a treat.  I bet by the time we left, they had all been eaten.

One of my favorite places in the world.

My grandparent's church.  I have so many memories coming here as a child.  My Aunt Edna and the church congregation singing "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem," the slow drive to and from church (I always thought we would never get there, even though it was only five minutes away),  and on nice days Jill, Katie and I would walk back to Papa and Granny's after church.

   

My great grandparents home, Papa Gosser and Mama Gosser.  I only have one memory of my Mama Gosser, I was standing by her bed and she looked over at me and said, "You sure are a pretty girl."  I suppose I was three or so.  My Papa Gosser drove a beige Volkswagen Beetle.  It seems like every time we went to Papa and Granny's it would be parked at the graveyard where he was visiting Mama Gosser's grave site.  I remember asking Mom and Dad why he was always there.  Mom would say, "To take her flowers. He misses her."  (I think that's when I first started hoping I would find a love like that someday.)  But I mostly remember him sitting in a chair whittling and his smile...I still remember his smile.  For years every Gosser reunion was held at their home, even after they were both gone.  Baseball in the back yard, a hay wagon full of yummy food, the toys under the stairs, playing on the cellar roof, tag, hide and seek, more cousins than you can count, those are all part of my childhood memories at this home.

I could not be more grateful for my Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and all the wonderful memories.  Happy 90th Papa!

February Fun

At one time, February was my least favorite month.  Now I can honestly say it is one of my favorites.  Basketball is winding down, softball is only once a week and baseball, and soccer have yet to start.  Jason isn't crazy busy and we seem to have more time at home together.  These are the moments I cherish.

 Again, wrestling is always a favorite activity!

 Daddy got the new basketball goal put up and the kids stayed out way past dark to shoot hoops.

 These two were glued to a movie.

 Lakelyn was so excited to get a bag of M&M's to put in her "M&M Trophy" as she calls it.

 Oakley has been wearing these house shoes every night.

 Lakelyn was walking her dog! lol!

Hanging out in "mine and my sisters" bedroom at Papa and Granny's.  Mom, Uncle Mike, and Oaks are looking at old pictures.  Avery, Lakelyn and Aunt Kat are playing barbies.  This bedroom will forever hold a special place in my heart.  Every time we visited my grandparents, this is the room Katie and I always slept in.  

Goodbye January

Goodbye January 2016.  Thanks for the memories!

 Nature and God's beauty never ceases to amaze me.

"You were born to dance to the beat of your own heart; to roam without cages; with the innocence of a child, and the free spirit of untamed horses; I hope you laugh without stopping, live with abandon, and love like that's all there is; say wild, my wild, wild child."

Jason and I were upstairs when we heard Lakelyn, from the basement say, "My abs hurt!"  We tiptoed down there and all three were doing T25.  lol!

 Homework.  I am so proud of Avery when it comes to homework.  She jumps in and always get it done before we even ask, most of the time!

 Afternoon wrestling sessions are a favorite with the boys!

 Sending my love ones out the door on a Friday.  Now for a little peace before I leave for work. ;)

She was so proud of her painting that she made at a friends birthday party!

Sledding with Friends

On Saturday, the roads were clear enough for us to head to a friends house for an afternoon of serious sledding.  The hill behind their house is amazing and we all had so much fun!  A weekend in the snow with my family and friends was perfect, and just what my soul needed.

Beginning my day with my quite time.  Wish every morning could be this peaceful!

  

 Our driveway.

 It was a beautiful day!

The Link and Strader kids ready to race.

 I was super impressed with Avery's snow boarding skills.  By the end of the afternoon, she could make it to the bottom of this huge hill.

 The boys were too excited about the car hood!

Lakes wipe out!

 Sledding and hot chocolate with  your best friend...doesn't get much better!

 My love!