Clearing the Camera

We've been just doing our thing...winter weather, rehabilitating after colds, school routines, intense preaching weekends, etc.  You know, the Melder thing this time of year.  Sometimes I go a few days and don't have time to blog or don't have a major event that prompts me to blog (and it's sort of been that way this week).  So I thought today I would empty my camera of the photos and get inspired.  Here's what I came up with...a smattering of shots during some regular days.

Monday - 2 Hour Delay (again!)
Thankfully Doug was home and able to spend that time with his boys (and me), so that actually turned the anti-routine bumble of a delay into a really nice treat for our family off of a busy weekend.  Here are the boys shoveling in formation with one cute onlooker indoors.

Tuesday - can you believe it, no cancellations or delays!
Koen went to school, Tav went to preschool, Penn and I ran errands and played at home a bit before picking Tav up again.  No pics from the AM, but check out my hilarious Penn.  We have these stuffed letters.  He found all the circular ones and put them on as bracelets.  I laughed out loud when I first saw it!

Koen's been a roller coaster lately (which I don't really blame him between his age, this crazy disorganized winter we are having with routine going out the window almost daily and a bad case of cabin fever).  The last few days have been especially difficult.  In recent months his sweet, sensitive nature has really shown through, but he battles against (as we all do) that human nature that can be so tempting with disobedience and disrespect towards me (and lots of angst towards Tav at times).  Last night was an especially tough evening.  It's sometimes the little things, sometimes the big things.  Last night it was EVERYTHING.  I resorted to the consequence of writing out the message to get it through his head.  

Wednesday - delayed again!
Today was very, very busy, but all in all a great day (just super packed!).  I won't bore you with the play-by-play as that would be a long blog post in and of itself.  I'll just stick to the pictures that I have to share with you.  Due to the delay K & T got to play out in the yard before Koen went to school.  Penn wanted to be with them and requested his hat and enjoyed watching them from the door.  Too cute.

When the boys came in, Penn snatched Tavin's hat so he could feel like a big boy out in the snow too.  Oh he's so cute!

Our Wednesdays now include swimming lessons.  It's not as straightforward as it sounds though.  We are usually carless on Wednesdays.  Doug's up in Wexford with the van and we trek around in the city.  All year we've had a lovely friend (Lisa) helping us out by stopping by for a quick stop on Wednesdays when I have to pick Koen up at the bus stop.  But with adding on swim lessons, Lisa agreed to stay longer and hang with Penn until we could get back around dinnertime.  This means that I wake Tav up early from nap, we walk to Koen's bus stop and then all 3 of us walk to the gym for swimming.  Today was a bit of an urban momma's can-do attitude adventure.  We had 3 inches of snow, and 1/2 inch of ice on top.  Tav was in the stroller and we plowed our way to the bus stop.  

In the picture you can actually see that there is windy, stingy snow.  Koen's bus was actually 20 minutes late (classic...new bus driver and Koen said he had to tell them how to get to the bus stop, great bus company, great).  We had fun with the weather though.  The boys loved running through the crunchy snow on the way to the gym and I was so happy to have them out in the fresh air and walking a bit myself.  

Well, that's it for the Camera Clear-Out.  Nothing major really, but you know what, with these little guys, it's always major.  Every day comes with its special moments, sometimes I catch them on camera, sometimes I don't.  Thankfully I caught a few in the last couple days.