What's a Woman to Do?

Here I am, posting pics of the kids working in Feb when it's already July. Woe, woe is me...

Anyways, we had some cold days this winter, despite our lack of snow. Cold enough days that I needed help bringing firewood up to the house. What's a woman to do? Yep! You guessed it! Put yer kids to work!

Good thing I have two kids and two sleds! I'd pitch wood into the sleds and off they'd go!
Look at my big boy...off and running with his sled load!

Then, they'd pull their sleds full of wood up onto the deck...

...and stack it! Whhkshh! (cracking whip!) Get to work, kiddos!!

Then, gasp! One day we got snow! I know, I know...hard to believe. So, what's a woman to do? Snow on the deck, kids in the house...yep! You guessed it! Put yer kids to work!

Then let them play.

Nice snow angels!

And let them eat snow...

A little snow, a lot of cold...

December brought some snow and some pretty cold weather. Nothing we couldn't handle, of course! Not here in the foothills, where my husband says the Native Americans used to winter. Presumably because it didn't get too cold here and they could still hunt buffalo? Really, just guessing...it sounds good, doesn't it?!

The kids like to help. Really. So Michael went out to bring some firewood up to the house. We got a cord from some kid trying to make money. Then a couple more cords from Bret, Michael's brother. Good pine from him. Anyhoo!! Here's the kids helping...

Annisia waiting for her next piece to put in the sled.

Then, and here's why the kids like to help Daddy, a ride on the sled with the firewood!

Aaagh! Crash! I'm stuck! Daddy, I'm stuck!

Then, Jonathan's school had their Christmas program. They were assigned parts for the program...Jonathan was Joseph. "My name is Joseph. I love Jesus too. He is the Saviour for me and for you." It was very cute. Like I said about the previous program, he hardly participated in any of the rest of the program! But he sure makes a cute Joseph!

Kayla and Annisia cuddling Christmas morning.

And Annisia modeling her Mary (as in Joseph and Mary) headband I found on eBay. I just thought it was a cute princess crown thingy (and was another item the guy had in his store when I was bidding on a pile of kids tools for the kids to split), but the kids were a little fixated on Joseph and Mary, a fitting fixation what with Christmas and all!

Rest and Work...

Jonathan had his friends over again this afternoon, Feb. 24. That night he was tired. He asked to "read" some books in his bed, and this is how I found him a little later. HeeHee! He really likes Graeme Base's books...the one he is hugging is Animalia.

Then the snow and cool weather hit again. Michael and the kids brought more firewood up to the house. They really like riding in the wheelbarrow...

...and on Daddy!

When the workers come...

When the workers come, what do you do? Why, you put them to work! The same day we went through Crazy Woman Canyon, we also went to a friend's place in the mountains (and woods) for some firewood. Loren and Joe were a HUGE help. We were so appreciative.

Annisia is checking out Lucy, our friend's dog. Lucy is a happy, loving, wants to jump up and lick your face sort of dog. So she got stuck in the house while the kids were there. She was as curious as Annisia.

Loren limbing...he had packed along gloves and ear plugs, and had on a work shirt. He was prepared for work!

And Jonathan is busy "driving". Good thing I had the keys!

I'm not really sure what Loren is doing up there. The guys got a great truck load of wood. They had to do some minor trimming to make all the logs fit in so they could close the tailgate. And fit Bella in too!

Michael attaching the straps...

And Bella is snug as a bug in a truck full of wood. She rode partway down the mountain laying facing out the side of the truck bed. Then, somehow, she managed to flip herself so she was facing in to the middle of the window again (like this). At that point, we stopped and let her in to lay by Joe's feet. Poor doggy! There were clouds in the sky, and, gasp! it actually started raining...poor doggy...