Happy Birthday to Lowell and Early Winter Wonderland

Happy Birthday to Lowell today! He is 30--such a grumpy old man! Ha! Not really although he is not feeling well at all at the moment. Such a bummer to not feel well when there is so much good food around. I have to say today has worked out well for me though, if not for my waist-line, I am enjoying his left-overs from Cheesecake factory and a piece of the 7 lb giant chocolate cake he got from work. There are so many people that love Lowell and it's because he is just so easy to love. I know it is non-specific to say he is a great guy, but he just is. It shows by all the people who love him so much. He got 2 cakes at work today and no, they don't give everyone cakes, just him. He also got lots of fun stuff at his party on Saturday. It turned out pretty well I think, we all had good food and a good time. Lowell got this Halloween Mr. Potato Head and also the really fancy BumbleBee Tranformer that his cheap wife would not get him from his mom. I am sure she loves all her kids and grandkids equally but she is a softy to her boys. Lowell was the first boy after 2 girls. Anyway, the Bumblebee really is something, he programmed it to shoot a little dart at me if I make a noise or enter the room. He was also scolding Davis for something and it turned on and said, "Whip it, whip it good". Odd, but entertaining . . . I know Transformers was an odd theme for a 30th birthday, but I think it really fit quite well and was well received. Here is his ice cream cake (chocolate peanut butter with Reese's being guarded by Bumblebee and scorptrix--or something like that). And here is Lowell, his brother Mike, and his 2 friends since childhood Aaron and David wearing Transformers masks (and yes I made them for the picture).
And the birthday boy himself with the 3 and 0 balloons, I had the 3 so I just added the 0! Wasn't that convenient? And isn't he a cutie?
Lowell also got Dance Dance Revolution from me and my parents, tickets to an upcoming BYU game from me, some candy and Dr. Pepper from his bro, and a BYU shirt from my bro Robbie. So 2 more birthdays in the books until next year. So that was Saturday night, we woke up Sunday morning to this:
I don't think anyone told this storm that it was still mid-October! C'mon! We had snow in May so that makes only 4 months without snow. Not just 4 warm months, 4 without snow! Sheesh! The boys were excited though. Carter looked outside and said 'Mom, snowman!' and Davis said 'Look, snow-nose'. I am not sure why the new names, it was just snow last year, but I think it is cute. They also call church, door, and their coats, kite. They use the proper names too but the alternate just as often. I don't get it, but at least I have decoded that much of their language. There is still more that they understand and Lowell and I do not, but slowly they are adapting to our version of English so they can get what they want. Twin-speak is so odd. Anyway, Carter thought jumping in the snow sounded fun:
And Davis enjoyed it only so long until he realized Mommy hasn't gotten them new gloves or boots yet and he was cold!
Can't blame him, I was too! I have to admit that this winter isn't looming quite as scarily--the boys are getting much better at playing inside. They like their toys and coloring and crafts. They like to do puzzles and listen (briefly) to my little preschool lessons. It will still be long and probably difficult, but I think it will be the best winter we have had so far.

In other news, on Sunday we went to my parent's ward for my dad's first sacrament meeting. He bore his testimony and it was a special experience to be there. He expressed how God loves everyone no matter their circumstances and how he felt that love and shared it with others in the prison. He spoke of some of the missionary experiences there and how we often take for granted things like sitting in a chapel or taking the sacrament. He also thanked the ward for their help and rightly so, my mom's ward has done SO much to take care of her over the last 3 years, I don't think she once shoveled her own walks, her home teachers did home and car repairs, and they were all so kind in welcoming my dad home. Good people. Their old bishop got up right after my dad and it meant so much to me for him to say how my dad was given the choice to lie and be free or maintain his integrity and go to prison for 32 months. He asked how many people could make that choice. It was a special day even though the boys were climbing everywhere. At first they sat right down next to grampa and folded their arms like him. It was sweet and good reminder of the power of good examples. I wish we could have stayed longer but I needed to go battle the kids at nursery (it was not a fair fight--they were all melting down in unison, tough day in the land of 2 year olds!).

Anyway, that brings us up to date! I am still not positive what we are doing for UEA but it looks like we will be staying closer to home and enjoying the fun things here. That will be fun too, mostly I am just excited for the time off for both of us. Lowell and I work so much and opposite schedules so time together all 4 of us is pretty special. Maybe we'll even sneak in some just 2 of us time! We have 3 sets of movie tickets and gift certificates to use, just have to find an available sitter. Here's hoping . . .