Winter Break #2

We are very fortunate to have the week of President's Day off each year.  We were extra fortunate, this year, because my mom came out to visit for the week.  We had a lot of fun!

These two little cuties loved having Grandma here.  They sure kept her busy.

They did a lot of crafts.

Check out these dusty boots!  I am embarrassed to say that Valentine's Day was our first day back on our cross-country skis since we left Alaska 8 years ago.  

We went to see some amazing ice castles!  

At least it looks like mom and dad are having fun.

crawling through an ice tunnel

Yep, that's Andy crawling through the same ice tunnel.

going down an ice slide

playing in the backyard

This is how the girls have had to talk to their dad, two nights a week, for the past year and a half.  Have I mentioned how excited we are for graduation?!  May 6th!

We took Grandma to the slopes to watch the girls ski.

We had Emma's friends, Katharine and Barbara, over for sledding and tacos one night.

We went to the Discovery Gateway Museum one day.  What a fun place for kids (and adults)! 

Aunt Kristin was in town from Roatan so we had a family get-together at Uncle Jim and Aunt Robin's.

Paia, Emma, Anne, Abby

with Aunt Kristin

Abby was enthralled by a fly that ended up by the bathtub one night.  

Sundance and Snow

Phew!  It's been a while since I've last posted.  I'm not sure if busy is the excuse, or if it is just pure exhaustion.  Maybe it is pure exhaustion from being busy.  Not sure anymore.  Without further ado, here are the latest happenings in the Tullis household...

We made our LAST graduate school tuition payment!!!  Ahhh...what a great feeling.

Emma is becoming a great little writer.

The bathroom demolition is coming along...slowly.  I never realized how hard it is to tear dry wall off the wall.

Two little cuties...

Andy and I got out to see 3 Sundance films together (and then I saw 1 more with a friend).  We saw "Love and Friendship" (which was based off of one of Jane Austen's book.)  We also saw "Southside With You" which took place in one day and was all about Barack and Michelle Obama's first date.  A friend and I saw "Lovesong."    

The actor who played Barack Obama looked and sounded exactly like him.

Our final film was the winner of the Dramatic Grand Jury Award and this was the LONG line to get in.  It was called "The Birth of a Nation" and it was INTENSE.  It was about Nat Turner and his life as a slave and then the rebellion he led to try to free the slaves.  It got picked up for $17.5 million so be on the lookout for this film.

getting every last drop of the ice cream

A couple of weeks ago, we got pounded with snow so, of course, we took full advantage of it.

night sledding

This was the view out our front door.  We couldn't even see the road.

ski date!

This was how our recess looked at school for about a week.

Andy juggling in the annual McPolin 5th grade circus

Then, this past week, the weather turned and it has been REALLY nice.  It was just in time for our sledding  and Super Bowl party.

A chili cook-off is a must for the Super Bowl.

This is what our recess looked like this past week--kids with no coats and bluebird skies.