Kickstart the New Year

 We brought in 2022 with a birthday girl and a pretty solid snowstorm. The kids were so desperate for snow and we were long overdue so it was a huge relief when it came (and stayed!). 

My girl is FOUR! Her birthday is very hard because it is so close to Christmas and not only am I zapped mentally but also zapped on gift ideas. We ended up staying up until 2am putting together this giant dollhouse that guess what? she doesn't play with. Instead her favorite toy was a $3 sand filled wiggly lizard Chris got her from a hobby store. I made her a unicorn cake and she told everyone about it for a few days, so I think overall, she had a most excellent birthday. 

A family that we camp with makes a skating rink in their backyard each winter, and this month it was finally cold enough to have the grand opening! It was so much fun, and the kids had a blast. The time and effort that they put into this thing is truly amazing. They also have a dry retention pond in their backyard so the kids could get some sledding in as well. 

The kids had a long weekend in the middle of the month so we went on our first adventure: to the indoor ropes course! I was solo, and was a little nervous I'd have to split time between two kiddos. Turns out, didn't need to worry at all because 90% of the time I had no clue where Colin was, and Blair was jusssssttt tall enough to go on the big course as long as I was with her. I was definitely more nervous than she was, but man did those kids have an absolute blast. 

We headed up to Grand Rapids the last weekend in January to eat in a globe and to enjoy some of the outdoor art installations that are part of the World of Winter exhibit. The kids were very underwhelmed by eating in the globe (rude) but the art pieces were really amazing this year. The kids love it because it is interactive and it is a marvel how the artists put the pieces together to be intact through the roughest months of a Michigan winter. 

We are doing the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge again this year, so I have really been pushing to find ways for them to be outside. The real killer is the time rides and dies with me, because I always have to be out there with them if I want to get any solid time. Otherwise they go out for 20min and then come inside. We are most successful when I'm able to take them somewhere that isn't home, and major bonus if there are other kids! In January, we totaled over 50 outside hours so I am very proud of that! 

Hanging after school with FRIENDS

Hanging out at HOME

Popping popcorn on the fire!

Hiking in the great outdoors!

We made some ice molds and hid them along a hiking trail for others to find :)

The JOY of sledding 

A friend of mine does geochaching, and we thought we'd try it out. Colin found this cool one!

And of course, snow ice cream!

It would be downright wrong for me not to include some of Colin's masterpieces. 

We continue to just trudge along, keeping expectations low but staying busy. I hoping for a snowy February so we can continue those outside hours. I am ready to plant the garden and I think we are going to get chickens this spring? Stay tuned to find out LOL.