A little bit of everything

We had a pretty good weekend not this last weekend but the one before. We were actually able to get outside a little which was nice for a change. On Friday we took the kids swimming at the Y and then let them run around the gym and play basketball. Earlier that day we went to the zoo which was a lot of fun. It had been quite awhile since we went to the zoo. I love going when you are almost the only people there. We spent a lot of time watching the gorillas and orangutans. Saturday we went to the downtown library (the first two pictures). Glen had a few days off before he started a new rotation and it was so nice to have him around all day. Taylor especially gets pretty clingy to Glen when he is around.

At the zoo, there was a high of 32 degrees that day which Glen joked that it felt tropical. We have had a lot of snow recently which if it's going to be cold regardless, I'd rather see some pretty snow. I just want to be able to still drive and do things. We had one day where it was a level 3 snow emergency which means you are not allowed on the roads at all. It makes me laugh a little because I drove to school in high school in Idaho in much worse weather than we had all the time. Oh well....Glen didn't have to go to the hospital that day which was nice!

I taught preschool the last week in January and we learned about transportation. The kids had fun decorating their boats and then pretending in them; they even sunk a couple of times. Taylor loves preschool and wishes she could go every week with Matthew instead of just participating the weeks when I teach. She was actually really good this time and even stood up during our welcome song for her turn and sang the words. It was really cute!

This is a picture from match day; we found out at 9:00 and the kids woke up before 6 so Glen and the kids built this tower to pass the time.

YMCA family night....we watched How to Train A Dragon and ate popcorn. It was fun although Taylor preferred to dance instead of watch the movie. This was back in the middle of January in Michigan for Jonathan and Ana's open house. We got together with some Lau family friends over Christmas and Matthew and Taylor loved playing with them. Matthew was so excited when he saw Rachel at the open house. I love how quickly kids can make friends. Matthew tells me a lot about a boy named Joseph that he plays with at the YMCA while I am exercising. He was really excited to tell me today that Joseph was there and they were lions and tigers.

Playing with play dough is something we do a lot of in the lovely wintertime.

Fun in the dark and homemade marshmallows

It snowed a lot a few weeks ago and we decided to go play outside even though it was getting dark. It was such a beautiful night and so quiet outside; we had such a fun time in the fluffy fluffy white stuff!!! Matthew thought it would be fun to shake the bush by our back door and what he got was a surprise in the face.
Both Taylor and Matthew loved eating the snow. I can't believe they didn't complain about being cold. The bad thing about teaching Taylor the fun of eating snow is that everytime as we are walking to our garage to get in the car she bends down to take a lick of what is now an icy, dirty driveway where the snow is now more black than white. No matter how many times I tell her how gross it is she keeps on diving down to get a taste.

We came in the house to have some hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows. I got the recipe from a friend's blog and they are really good. Glen likes to stick a few big squares in his cup and just let them melt to get a creamy marshmellow layer on top. These are vanilla flavored with a little yellow food coloring. Next I am going to make the peppermint ones!

Tennessee here we come......in June!!

Glen matched at the University of Tennessee in Memphis where he will do his five year urology residency. We found out on January 24th and we are very excited. I have to admit that at first I was just shocked; I did not think we were going to go to Memphis. I had researched certain places on our rank list a LOT but not Memphis. It was a surprise and I knew very little about the place but I get more and more excited about it all the time. I feel very blessed that we matched and we are excited for this new adventure. I can't wait to experience all that Memphis has to offer. It will be fun to learn about its rich history and culture. Also, I am so excited about the weather there and I am constantly telling Glen about that part. I have included some pictures of things in Memphis that I am excited about.
I really liked something Glen's Dad told me over the phone a few days ago. He asked me to imagine if we were able to choose where we went to medical school. He said that we probably never would have chosen to go to Toledo. His point was that we have really loved Toledo and have had such a great experience here. I know we are going to Memphis for a reason and I know we will love it!

I have heard that there are a lot of pools, splash parks, and regular parks too.

They have a botanical garden

Hopefully Glen will have time to go with me on a date sometime to see the Grizzlies play.

Children's museum

A great zoo...they even have panda bears

Historic streets and different museums

Bridge over the Mississippi river

Memphis is just a jump away from Arkansas and Mississippi

Graceland....where Elvis lived

Funny that this is my last picture on this post because it's not the thing I am most excited about but it is something to see. We will probably be able to afford to buy a house in Memphis too. It sounds so good right now, being that we are all cooped up in our little apartment in the middle of freezing winter here in Toledo.

Finally Christmas pictures....and wedding post below

We had a great time in Michigan at Christmas and I just loved seeing how excited Matthew and Taylor were about everything we did. Since our trip to Myrtle Beach was canceled we found things to do in Detroit for the week we were all together. We went to the Detroit Institute of Art where Glen's Dad works, we went to the Detroit Science Center, and we went to a fun Chuck E Cheese type place with rides for the kids. The kids acted out the nativity and we sang songs on Christmas Eve and played a game after the kids were in bed. It was fun to spend time with Glen's family; all of his siblings are in Provo still so it was great to spend so much time with them. Dressing up like firemen at the science center

All ready for the planetarium video...Taylor looks scared.

Making stoplight cookies with the kids

This is a picture at our house when we were home for a few days before going back up to Michigan. We were watching a movie together and I was shocked to see Taylor asleep on the floor.....so cute!!! We have now said goodbye to the binky and she is now in a "big girl bed," that is a story for another day!

The brothers in their matching pajamas. We really should have gotten a picture of all the girls. I realized that I don't have a picture of myself at Christmas time. I wished we would have taken a family Christmas picture or something.....next year I guess. I don't have very many pictures of any of the girls in the family...Glen's sister Kirstin and my sister in laws Lizzy and Ana.

Matthew was excited to get more things to go with his bat cave; he was especially happy to get a bad guy (the joker)

These kids love play dough but don't love cleaning it up very much. We are working on that.

Taylor was so excited about every little thing in her stocking and everything else. She made Christmas so fun this year.

Matthew came away with a couple of flashlights and he loves all of them.

So excited to set out cookies and milk for Santa

We also sprinkled oats on the lawn for the reindeer.

Funny Uncle Jonathan who Matthew adores

Acting out the nativity. Matthew was a Shepherd, Taylor was Mary, and Benjamin was Joseph