Memories, memories...

There are many awesome things I remember about my childhood and a lot of them are from Dearborn Street in the winter time. Maybe it's because it's winter now and I have a snow-baby son to relive those moments with. I remember a winter where we got so much snow we had our own ski hill in the back yard!  My Dad (the snow-baby that he was and still is) built our back deck so that part of the railing could be removed. When we got enough snow, somehow he piled up enough snow so we had our ow little hill for skiing and sledding! I remember strapping on my tiny skis (I believe they were plastic), flailing down MY OWN mountain, and using the back yard fence as my break. I would stay out there all day. Another winter I remember specifically was one where we got so much snow we had our own little igloo village on our yard! My Dad worked at a paper mill where he was able to take the snow plow trucks. He would come home with one and plow as much snow as he could on the side of the driveway. That winter there was snow piled up as high as the garage roof! With all the snow we started digging, well maybe it was my Dad and Mom who started digging, (and I'm sure there was a valiant effort made by all us kids to help) and before we knew it we had our own igloo with roof access and a couple tunnels that sprouted off of it. Aside from eating and going to the bathroom we had no reason to go back in the house! I could have lived out there, I had my Barbie Dolls and friends and that's all a young girl needs! Then there were the days up at Pleasant Mountain (now Shawnee Peak). I could write blog after blog about all the memories I have from spending every winter weekend and school break up there. I will spare you and save that for another time. This blog is named "because of Peyton" so I better stick to that!

Where I was going with the trip down memory lane is now I am able to create all those same (but different) memories for Peyton. And let me tell you...it has been nothing but a total blast! Getting him on skis for the first time made me melt! It was probably my proudest "mommy moment" yet.  To see his excitement and deer in a headlight face while taking him down the mountain is amazing.

Sunday Brandon and I took Peyton outside after his nap. The kid needed to burn some energy and what better way than to bundle him up, get him out in the fresh air, and let him do his thing...well with the help of mommy and daddy we made it a little more exciting. What kid do you know has a Dad that will take him out on a dirt bike in the middle of winter? That's right...Peyton's Dad! The afternoon started with Brandon and Peyton going for a joyride on Brandon's dirt bike! Let me backtrack for a minute...I don't want everyone to think Brandon just throws our kid on a dirt bike for good giggle, it was all Peyton's idea! When we were in the garage getting bundled up Brandon asked Peyton if he wanted to ride his bike. Peyton's answer was, "ride daddy big bike!" As in Brandon's dirt bike.

After letting their faces thaw some Peyton decided he wanted to get the sleds out! YEA! We have about a foot and a half of snow in the area where we normally go sledding so mommy and daddy packed it all down and made a nice little track! Off we went...wwwhhheeeeeeeeeee! After a few runs on the sled mommy decided to show daddy who was boss of the winter outdoors. I grabbed a shovel and started carving out some steps in the huge pile of snow Brandon had plowed. That was fun for about eight seconds then Peyton started to destroy them. I then had an even better idea...the pile of snow was big enough to build a tunnel! So in Pepere Doucette fashion I started digging. I think for a second Brandon's mouth dropped then he looked at me and said in a confusing voice, "Peyton, what is mommy doing?" Digging a tunnel...duhh! After digging for a little while I finally got through the other side and with Brandon's help the hole got bigger, to the size where we could crawl through! I don't think Peyton knew what to do at first, but after seeing daddy crawl through he got the idea. He came through to the other side and sat right down on the little seat I made him! Even Lucy (our doggy) loved it and was running through! After a while the sun was going down and it started to get cold so I said to him, "Ok P, let's go in and get some dinner!" He looked at me like I  had a giant booger coming out my nose and said, "NO". I asked him if he wanted to eat dinner and sleep there and he responded with "YES!" After a few minutes of trying to convince my snow-baby that it was time to go inside I whipped out the bribe, "Let's go inside and we can get some hot chocolate!" Yup...that worked in a nanosecond. So we went inside and our night continued.

Watching Peyton sit on the couch, drinking his hot chocolate, I thought to myself...these are the moments we live for.