Blizzard of 2013

We woke up still having power after the long night of strong winds so we were very grateful for that but we did have about 2 feet of snow.

With the wind being so strong all night when we went out to clean up we couldn't get out our front door because there was so much snow blown up against it.

  Katie and Aaron were the first ones out the door so it was funny to see Katie sink to her waist in the snow.

 Aaron is always a huge help but with this much snow he couldn't even lift a shovel full of snow.

 Like always John got to work on the driveway while I cleared the walkway. It took us quite a while but with everyone one helping we got it done in just under 2 hours.

 John decided to let Zach have a turn using the snow blower and he did a pretty good job with it. Hes not quite ready to use this  big machine alone but it was good to have him try it out and know how to be safe while using it.

  We were lucky and didn't get as much snow as they did in Boston so we were able to move on with our day once the driveway was cleared.  It was still pretty windy so the kids didn't really want to stay out and play so we all headed inside to warm up.

Waiting for the Blizzard

 The Blizzard of 2013 came to us on a Friday so in preparation the school closed for the day so we all just hung out waiting for the snow to come.  Early afternoon came and it started to snow lightly and the kids were getting a little stir crazy so we decided to get all dressed up and go for a walk before the storm hit.

 

 

 We found some trails that are just done the road from us so we decided to walk there so we could be more protected under the trees.

We had a good time walking around on the snow covered trails and listening to the wind blow through the trees.

 We all started to get cold and the wind really started to blow so we headed home.

 By the time we made it home the storm was upon us and we were now ready to hang out and watch the snow fly outside.  I'm so glad we went outside for a while to get some energy out.  We had a good night hanging out together watching movies while the snow piled up outside.

Susan's Special Day

The whole reason for our trip was for this one special day.  Nick and Susan were sealed together in the Louisville, KY temple and then they were sealed to their son William.

 

 

It was such a wonderful day and we were so happy that we could all be here to share this day with Susan and Nick.  Susan is the 5th out of 6 children to be Sealed in the LDS Temple.  All of my parents married children are now Sealed and that is such a special blessing for our family.  I know it meant a lot to my parents to share this day with Susan.

This day was a double special day because it was also Susan's Birthday. After we got home from the Temple we had a family party and celebrated this wonderful day.

Susan opened her gifts and we spent the night just hanging out together.  It was a wonderful weekend and we were so glad we could share this day with the Pullan family. 

Hanging with the Family

 Day 2 we woke up picked up my parents who flew in the night before and we got on the road for our 6 hour drive to Susan's house. 

We were all so excited to see William again and we all (maybe mostly me) couldn't wait to play with him again.

 We had a nice evening visiting together. Katie and my mom went and hung out with William in his room for a while and had a great time together.

 Katie helped feed him his bottle before he went to bed and she loved being able to hold him again. She is so good with babies and she loves spending time with William so she enjoyed being able to help.

Day 3 we all got to go on base with Susan to go shopping. At the entrance of the base there is this cool sign with a tank on it and the kids had fun climbing up on top of it to have a picture taken with it.

Later that day my sister Cathy and he daughter Melanie arrived after their long drive from TN.  We all cooked dinner together and it was fun having so many cooks in the kitchen at one time.  The men and the kids went outside and played ball together. 

Just after dinner John and Zach went to pick up my sister Jennifer who flew in from LA.  It was a fun night with all of us girls together again. It was a busy day and we all needed some rest so we could be ready for tomorrows big day.

Working Vacation

  We found out that my sister was getting Sealed to her husband in the Louisville Temple so we made a family road trip out of it.

John had an all day meeting in PA so we packed the car and picked the kids up from school and hit the road for our 4 hour car ride.

 The kids were full of energy even though it had been a long ride so we let them swim for a while before we turned in for the night.

 We got up early and took John to his meeting and then the kids wanted to go swimming again so we hung out at the pool till we had to check out.  Across the parking lot was a Chuck E Cheese so we hung out there all day while John worked.

 

 We had a fun day and it was empty most of the day so the kids had the run of the place.  Once we had our fill of fun we went out for a late lunch and then it was time to pick up John.  We got settled in the car and our next stop was Cleveland OH with about a 5 hour drive ahead of us.  It was a long day but we were so happy to join John on his trip and start our vacation one day early.

Master Bedroom Makeover

 We have lived in our house just over 4 years now and we had yet to do anything about fixing up our bedroom. Since John is now working from home we had to make Johns new office the corner of our bedroom so it was time for some sprucing up.

 The kids helped us with the painting and we were able to get 2 coats of paint done in one day. We chose a grayish blue color for the walls and it turned out great.

 We found these 3 wall pictures that I love and they fit perfectly into our decor.

 We love how it turned out and when we moved our furniture around our room looks so much bigger even with Johns computer desk. 

It was long overdue but now that John has to be in our room all day it all worked out for the best. 

Moving Up the Coca Cola Ladder

Back in November John was given an opportunity to interview for a new position within the Coca Cola Company. He came through his interviews with flying colors and he was offered the position.

His new job title is the Northeast Region Initiatives Manager, what is that well he is responsible for teaching and implementing new systems and technologies into Warehouses.  His job entails a lot of traveling so we are trying to get use to having him gone during the week. On the flip side he now works from home so when he is home we see him much more than before.

 We are so proud of John, we have lived here for just over 4 years and this is his 4th job as he has moved up the Coca Cola Ladder.  Great Job John thanks for always taking such good care of our family.

Basketball

 Zach's basketball team had a good season this winter and he played really well.

Zach played his heart out and was a leader on his team.  He got more playing time and scored more points than last year and he had lots of fun and that's what matters most.  We had to go out of town and Zach had to miss the playoff game.  He was sad to miss the last game but it was a good season and now we are moving on to the next sport....indoor soccer.