Friday, February 21, 2020

A Great Winter Day

Friday!  It feels like both a short and a long week. Short as in Monday was a holiday, Wednesday was a snow day....long as in we STILL had to get "all the things" done in a week. LOL 

There is a family who have moved to Alaska to help BreZaak with Alive Alaska. I will only be watching the sweeties one Friday night a month and so that was an extra 6 hours back into this day. I wasn't sure what we'd do, but was looking forward to spending a Friday night with the family...pizza and games? 

But FIRST - Alex and Michael prepared to leave for their Guy Study. I believe they are working through, "Your God is Too Safe."  I SAW this as I stepped out to say goodbye. Honest. 

Once it registered what I was seeing, I grabbed the camera and recreated it.  What do you see "wrong" with this photo? 

Yes, shorts in winter is a bit odd - but very Alaskan. Shoveling snow OFF DAD'S WINDSHIELD with a SNOW SHOVEL may be a quick snow removal trick, but is not father ordained. ::snort:: 

I was late to workout, but determined to get one in. I dragged dad down to the basement. He is not 100% enthused about the workout routine - but does stay on 2 - 4 minutes. I heard him telling the others he is riding the bike about 20 minutes a day. ::wink::

Cory has Friday and Saturday off this week - at the SAME TIME AS ARIELLE'S time off. This time is precious and I knew they planned to go to the river or something today. Therefore, it was a huge surprise when the door opened and we heard, "Baachan, I'm here."  Yay! They chose our house to play....

While they suited up and went out into the winter,  Stacia dragged me into a yoga routine - much as I drag Dad to the bike. 

Via Arielle's instagram - she SAID to take it
We finished yoga and I looked out the window...the camera with the big lens just happened to be in my hand...not a bit creepy. We stayed inside and gave them time alone to play.  It was snowing. Magical - and a bit cold. 
Benny, Cory, Arielle and Kimber
"A little help here, guys?" 

Did they notice my face plant? 



Check out that determined look on his face!




Kimber seems to love EVERYTHING about the snow! 


Cory found shelter from the snow

We maintained our inside stance until Arielle told us they WANTED to play with US,  if they wanted to be at the river they would have gone to the river. Ok, then...game on! We came out into the winter...how much snow is there? 
From the basement window
The frame of my greenhouse - sigh. 

The top of our tiki torch

Check out the well under the chair

Krista made it home from work
Michael and Alex came home. Michael and Cory did a bit of upkeep on Josiah's snow machines. 
BENNY - don't miss Benny helping
 Male bonding - priceless
Michael, Benny, Cory
 My snow shoes came out! 
Arielle - Via Krista's camera
 G Dog spends many happy minutes checking out the paper. He HAD been looking at houses and asking about various fees. The calculator came out and I got a bit worried. "Dad, are you planning on buying a house?"

No, evidently, today he is looking for "equipment" and "cars."  We do love our time with Dad. He chose NOT to go outside. He said he knew we'd all be back in when we got cold.

Cory on the snow machine - I'm thrilled they are packing down the snow. It is much easier to walk in when it's been packed down. 

Krista and Benny peek in at the uncles.

Benny and I pose for a photo

Benny wants to ride. He assumes we aren't going anywhere because he needs to work on the snow machine. 

Hmmm...it works for Papa.  

Krista fixed the snow shoes and enjoyed them. 
Via Krista's camera

Sister Shot
Krista, Arielle, Stacia - via Krista
 Arielle found a leaf. ARIELLE.FOUND.A.LEAF!!! See - hope of other seasons...it will not always be winter. Not in Narnia and not in Alaska.
Via Krista's camera

It was about this time Benny grew tired of waiting for a ride on the snow machine. Cory and Michael were having trouble with it in the deep snow and so were packing down a trail for easier riding before any of us took a turn. 

"Baachan, I got brrrr!"

It so happened I was brrr too - so we went inside.  Stacia was brr and happy to supervise the warming up process. 
Via Arielle 
Benny asked for hot chocolate. He knows the drill. Tea and hot chocolate. He informed me the frother from the 100 yen store is, "Not a toy!" 
He's great with the frother
It DOES work to put a nice froth on tea, coffee, OR Hot Chocolate.  I looked the frother up on Amazon and they are seriously more than 100 yen. LOL 

Tea time with Baachan. 

The rest of the tribe began to come inside.  Michael and Alex brought pizza home. We popped it into the ovens.  We happened to have an extra one from Walmart and invited CoRielle to stay for dinner; which they did.  
Via Arielle 

Arielle nailed this - even if it's just ritz and hot chocolate, or Papa Murphy's pizza - sitting around the table is a blessing we have learned not to take for granted. I can't begin to know if we'll always live close, but I recognize the blessing in this season. 

After CoRielle went home, Nolan and Alex headed for bed. They have to be at work at 0500. The rest of us watched Family Feud Funnies on YouTube. ::snort::

This was a day lived wide awake and fully present. It's so easy NOT to engage. I think we all feel this day was lived right.

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