Build it Up and Tear it Down

We never miss an opportunity to play in freshly fallen snow.  We got only a little snow compared with areas farther east, but it was just enough for Christian to construct a snow wall as a defense in a snowball fight.  He (and later Bella too) used the recycling bin to form the blocks.  Bella, he and I all had snow shovels and shoveled our yard clean in an attempt to gather enough snow for the wall.  I felt rather foolish shoveling the grass but it was for a good cause.  Once the mini wall was built, Christian sat atop his wall in all his Trump-ish glory and Bella fanned him with her snow shovel like a slave would fan a Pharaoh.  All plans to use it as protection in a snowball fight vanished.  

After fanning Christian, Bella wanted a turn at the seat of honor.  She thought Peter might like to sit with her, but he was not in agreement.  

Within seconds of being done, Christian suggested destroying it.  Bella readily agreed.  I voiced the only dissenting vote as I exclaimed, "Wait!?  What?!  I just shoveled the whole backyard to make that!"  They were unsympathetic.  They hacked and kicked and jumped and in no time, the wall was reduced to snow rubble.  They declared that the destruction was every bit as fun as the construction.  After that they laid down to rest and caught snowflakes on their tongues.

After they'd rested, Christian played with Peter for a while.  Peter most enjoyed being pushed around the yard on the shovel.  I really need to get the sleds down out of the attic!

Yesterday the weather was wet and cold in a slushy, rainy, snowy way and Christian lacked all desire to go outside.  So we designed an indoor exercise activity.  Using varying treadmill speeds, varying bag locations, and varying jump styles, we created what will certainly be a new olympic event.  I kind of stunk at it but Christian was the champ.  I found I have a little too much self preservation instinct to allow myself to fly through the air as he does.  He makes it look easy, but I found I had some inner hesitations that were hard to overcome.  I had some decent jumps but Christian went home with the gold medal.  Here's a small sample.

Today we decorated our much anticipated gingerbread houses while watching church.  I hadn't planned to make one, but Benjamin got bored early with his and told me I could work on it with him.  Once I started, then everyone had ideas and his house became the family project.  His house got a swimming pool for the gummy bears, a frosting tree, a gum drop modern art statue and a whole field of pine trees, not to mention all that got added to the house itself.  Everyone was quite proud of how it turned out.  Then immediately they decided that it had been so fun to destroy their snow wall, why not their gingerbread house?  I was shocked they didn't want to leave it for even an hour!  Bella saved hers but was more than happy to join in the destruction of the others.  Sprinkles went flying, everyone was laughing, and in no time at all, they were reduced to crumbs.  They are psychos.  There can be no other explanation. :)