Mouse Tent

We were shopping last weekend in Jackson and we were in Dick's Sporting Goods.  We were looking around at the tents and the kids were playing inside of some of the tents.  We moved over to the aisle where they had the tiny little display tents up on the shelf (they show what the life-size tents would look like that are in the boxes and they don't have room to set up).  Walker said "Awesome, is that a mouse tent?"  We got the biggest kick out of him.

And I guess a mouse might be happy to live in an awesome little tent like this!

Geometric Shape Fun

My kids tend to find strange, but creative ways to entertain themselves.  The other day they pulled out our geometric shapes boxes (my mother-in-law is a teacher and gives us great teaching tools) and started building things.  Emma made an awesome little girl and flower:

And Walker made a monster that he said was one that the Power Rangers fight.  (And if you have ever watched Power Rangers, you know that there are some pretty crazy creatures on there!)

I am always thankful that they have the ability and desire to find creative entertainment!

Comfy!

Walker cracked me up yesterday as he was having his snack and watching t.v. He was on his sister's princess couch, wrapped up in a blanket beside the fireplace and had his snack tray in front of him. After he got all settled he said "I like this!"  Emma decided to join in on the comfort as well!

Let It Snow!

We didn't have a white Christmas, but we did get to enjoy a white "day after" Christmas! When we heard that a blizzard was expected in our area, we were a little surprised, but very excited! "Let it snow" Was our motto for Christmas day. After living in Paraguay for almost 8 years, we missed out on a lot of snow. And we are still trying to make up for it!

We actually got about 4 inches and it stuck around for 2 days! And when I say stuck, I literally mean stuck. It was the best snow I have ever played in for building snowmen and having snowball fights. You could just reach down and scoop up a handful of snow and it was already a giant packed snowball before you could even get it completely lifted up! We had many play times outside for those two days! Lots of wet clothes and cold toes and fingers. We also had lots of post-snow warm baths and cuddling by the fire under blankets. As a mom, I got tired of wiping wet puddles out of the floor, hanging up wet clothes to dry and bundling kids up in 20 layers. But it was all worth it knowing how happy it made them.

We built two snowmen...

had tons of snowball fights...

made snow angels....

Daddy even pulled the kids around the yard and in the field next door on their sleds with his lawnmower....

We can't wait for the next snow!

Happy New Year- 2013 Goals

Happy New Year!  It has been a fairly quiet day in the Fry household.  Unless of course you count our children.  They are always rowdy and well, loud.  But other than that, not much has occurred.  I am starting this blog today because it is one of my New Year's resolutions.  I started another blog a few years ago , the Urge to Organize, and I have not been able to write in it like I really want to.  Part of that reason is that my life changed so drastically about a year and a half ago when we moved from Asuncion, Paraguay to the United States.  It was originally about my life in Paraguay.  And I was also not able to write in it like I wanted to because when we left Paraguay, for the good part of a year, I was so totally overwhelmed by every day life.  I just could not find the extra energy to sit down and write every day, or even very many days at all.  I am somewhat of a perfectionist.  So to me, not successfully writing every day crippled me.  I just stopped writing at all.  I attempted to get restarted in June of last year....and failed.  So, I finally have a new direction and a new resolution. I am starting this blog, which is just about my little family. Probably the only people who will ever want to read it are my closest friends, my closest family members, my children's grandmothers and hopefully one day- my children.  I have such a desire to blog so that someday my children can read all about their lives growing up.  And one day when their father and I can no longer be with them- they will forever have a piece of us with them- our thoughts, our lives and some fabulous memories.  My other blog, the Urge to Organize, will become my "extra stuff" blog.  I am slightly obsessed with organizing and do lots of things in my house and with my kids to keep us "better organized".  I hope to use that blog to share those things with others.  And who knows who might want to read it!  Maybe no one!  But at least I will have the pleasure of writing it.

My goals for 2013 are:

To spend time with God:  reading through the Bible in a year with the "Lookout Bible Reading Plan" and spending more time in prayer.

To spend time with my Family: being less task-oriented and more relationship oriented (this one is by far going to be my biggest challenge!)

To spend time blogging: writing entries in both of my blogs at least weekly.



I have a tendency to over plan and over-fill my to-do list.  I struggled to keep my list to only three goals.  However, I need to keep it simple so I can stick to it.  So, here is to a very happy 2013!