Snow Days

This post finds me back to business as usual after a wonderful 3.5 days off. Let me back up to where I left off and say that Jeremy and I had a fantastic time in Kansas City last weekend at the Gary Allan concert. The concert was at Harrah's Casino and we stayed at the hotel on-site which worked out fabulously. The convenience was well worth the extra cost. We were about 10 feet from Gary (I'm on a first-name basis). Very exciting and as usual, a great show. I didn't even mind standing for hours in my red boots. I saw that people were handing him things after the show to autograph and decided next time we're in an intimate venue like that, I am going for it. Last week I saw that they added a show at the MO State Fair. I texted Jeremy immediately, "WE'RE GOING." We can take the kids this time and let them experience the fair and the concert; Gigi and Gramps may even go too. I can't buy tickets until tomorrow but I've already booked a room. I remember more than once calling every hotel in a 50-mile radius of Sedalia when we would decide far too late to try and go, and they would all be booked. No playing around this time. Jeremy and I went to the Fair quite a bit when we were dating; his dad used to take him and the boys every summer. The first time I went I remember Gene and the 3 boys picking me up at Finger Lakes in their minivan. We took Jared once when he was about 2 1/2 and left Baby Jenna home with Grandma. I haven't been back since; Jenna and Julia have never gone. Jeremy and Jared did get to go a couple of years ago to see Jason Aldean. They slept in the pick up and I think that was easier said than done. I also remember going to a LeAnn Rimes concert at the fair once with Ruf, Tiffy, and DD. I'm not sure if Jeremy or my mom went to that one. Anyway, hopefully it will be a fun time for the family (and won't be 109 degrees). So we'll have this fun trip to look forward to (the kids don't know it yet; too long for them to deal with the excitement. I'll bill it later as an end-of-summer/back-to-school "last hurrah"); then Nashville for the week of New Year's - if mom is able to get it booked. We are all really looking forward to that; hopefully Tiffy, DD, Missy and Todd will all get to come. Note to self: start saving for these trips NOW.

Last Monday, after Jeremy and I got home from KC, we went to Jenna's last KV game. This was a fundraiser for the KHS team and Grandpa bid/won at the silent auction for Jenna to get to work for 3 hours each with 2 of the HS basketball players. No word yet on when that will be, but it should make for some good one-on-one time for Jenna.

Tuesday Jenna had a game with MI. She had a great game and scored 3 times! I think she's really going to be a good little ballplayer - she definitely has the drive for it.

 Wednesday the girls had pajama/pancake day at school. I didn't get a picture but they were excited - and it made for an easy morning: no dressing/no breakfast to make at home.

Thursday we had a snowstorm come in and the kids got out of school at Noon. Jared rode the bus home and Jeremy picked up the girls and me. We went home and snuggled in, watching movies and relaxing (in between lots of laundry). School was cancelled Friday so I took the day off. Jenna was supposed to have a game that night that had to be cancelled. We had another relaxing pajama day and just hung out. Jeremy ran to the store for me Friday and Saturday and I cooked all weekend. Beef and Noodles Friday, chili Saturday, lasagna Sunday. It wasn't until Saturday afternoon I realized we had beef on a Lenten Friday night (oops). (Speaking of, I did well the first two weeks as far as staying away from chocolate, even though Jeremy keeps forgetting and bringing home cookies from his grocery trips - he can't make it through the store without bringing home some type of junk food. I did mess up over the weekend but I'm not throwing the towel in. Going at it with renewed commitment!). The girls made Grandpa peanut butter cookies on Saturday for his birthday the next day. We didn't end up seeing him until yesterday, and he stayed and ate lasagna with us. Also on Saturday, Jared went to "little Conner's" across the street (our wonderful neighbors, Vicky and Terry - their grandson visits often and pounds on our door when he wants the kids to come out and play) to watch the MU game and play xBox. Yesterday I took the kids sledding at swimming pool park. Jeremy loaned our sled to Derek so I tried to make one with a rope and Jeremy's creeper. That didn't work so well. So I headed to Wal-Mart to find them sold out of sleds. Westlakes just had a flimsy plastic sheath for five bucks so I tried that. Jenna did pretty well on it, but luckily someone had left a snow saucer there that we borrowed. The kids had a good time but I definitely don't get mother-of-year award. I couldn't figure out why Jenna and Julia's faces were so red, long after we had come in from playing. "It wasn't that windy," I thought. Maybe its because they put their faces in the snow a couple times (crazy kids). I had a co-worker remind me this morning that all the bright sun reflecting off the snow would indeed cause sunburn even when its 30 degrees in February. Hit the fail-blog on that one and now I can't wait to get them home and get aloe on them. Didn't seem to get Jared or I but the girls really got it.

A Kirksville monument - at "Swimming Pool Park"
(It's not called that anymore, but I still call it that. Nowadays it's "Rotary Park"). 

This is my homemade sled - didn't work so well, but in theory, it should have!

How a little girl's bedroom looks on a snow day.

How two sisters snuggle after a long, fun snow day!

Jersey serving as Jared's Kindle prop on one of the snow days. 

 Jenna and I watched the Oscars for a while last night. Here is my other Oscar buddy:

So after our leisurely weekend, we are back at it. Jenna is supposed to have a game tonight, tomorrow night, and Wednesday in Moberly at the St. Pius tournament. The girls have dance tonight. And mom is scheduled to have a surgery in Columbia tomorrow. However, the weather may foil all our plans. We are due for another winter storm to hit later today; more snow and sleet predicted tonight and tomorrow, with hazardous driving conditions in the forecast. It remains to be seen if we'll get to have any games or if the surgery will have to be rescheduled. Jeremy is at the store getting more groceries as we speak, in case we get snowed in again. If there's an upside to him having less work through the winter, its that he does help take the girls to/from school and with some chores around the house (*sometimes*).