Buddy turns 5

I don't think any of us can believe that this little guy turned five on February 17. Wow! 

Everyone was off from school and work (President's Day weekend at RPI and Girls' Winter Break), so we enjoyed a slow morning and, of course, Pioneer Woman's French Puffs. 

 Will really wanted all his presents in the morning. But, well, I wasn't ready. We had travelled all weekend and I needed some time to finish party prep. We met half-way and let him open Gramma Maggy's and Grampa Bill's present - a new bike! It's a great bike, and we even took it outside to try it out - through snowy sidewalks and puddles of melted snow, we finally let him ride on the street with Dave near by.

For dinner, Will wanted "Taco Tuesday" - good for all of us, since tacos are a hit and Will eats crunchy taco shells and grated cheese. Yep, that is him eating a taco shell full of grated cheese, in a new Emmett shirt.

 He has quite the personality and was shooting that dollar-store gun all day. He is a little showman.

 Will wanted brownies and yogurt pretzels and M&Ms for his birthday, rather than a cake. Everyone was ready for dessert, and Will still wanted to keep playing with his new things. We managed to draw him to the table for singing and candles, but he didn't eat any brownies after all.

February, the first half

We've been getting a lot of snow (not as much as Boston, though), and it keeps coming on Sunday night and Monday morning. So, we've gone a couple of weeks with unexpectedly long weekends. Sometimes the kids sled down our porch stairs

 We spent President's Day weekend at Camp-of-the-Woods. It was arctic cold. But on Saturday we ice skated in the pavilion.

 And spent some time outside. Camp-of-the-Woods is in the Adirondack mountains. Will decided to climb over a pile of snow rather than walk around it.

 The Camp is actually located on Lake Pleasant, which is, of course, frozen solid. We walked out on it and played some.

 Sunday was super cold, so we spent our time indoors, doing things like rock climbing.

During our Winter Break, we went to The MiSci Museum in Schenectady with Myra. I didn't take many pictures. But a couple of some familiar-looking butterflies

 And the hurrican tunnel!

Some more memories

 Will likes to help in the kitchen, even making a salad, which he won't eat. See that fire truck on the windowsill? He made it at After Nap!

 Samantha got glasses this fall!

 Fall leaves

 . . . were quickly replaced with snow.

And early, dark evenings reading by the fire.

In January, Anna Kate participated in her school's musical Aladdin. I am so impressed with what her school put together!

 And, that same weekend, we were lucky enough to have the Betts staying at our house. Junie needed a late night snack, and I, very happily, obliged.

El Paso for Christmas

For the first time since we moved to Albany, we went to El Paso for Christmas. It was (supposed to be) an early morning flight from Albany. 

But then, after pushing from the gate, waiting to be de-iced, and waiting some more, we returned to the gate because we needed maintenance on our second engine. We waited and waited and waited. We had almost 3 hours to connect in Chicago, so I wasn't worried. Will fell asleep and had a great nap - while we were sitting at the gate.

And then we arrived in Chicago after our connection had left. We waited some more at customer service. Then tried to re-book 6 passengers from Chicago to El Paso just days before Christmas. It seemed impossible. We thought we would have to get as close as possible and make up the difference. No one was happy. Everyone was tired. Everyone was hungry.

We had one shot - a flight to Atlanta, then to El Paso - but we hardly had time. And when we checked in at the desk, we were put on standby and given little hope. God intervened for us. This was, quite literally, the only flight that would get us to El Paso, and it seemed like we wouldn't get on it. And, then we did!

"El Paso, here we come." (Finally.)

It was worth it for a sky like this, with those low clouds on the mountains.

 And like this

 Sonic

 And lots more . . . .

Here's us on our way home, without Dave, who travelled earlier.