The sun DOES shine in South Dakota!

I have been getting emails from my "fans" lol that I don't update often enough. I try to, I really do! However, there are some days that are just "so so" and nothing really happens, and it could go on for a couple of days like this. However, I "promise, promise, promise" (as Bryce would say) to keep it updated more often!

After a gorgeous Saturday for Bryce's birthday, the weather, of course, turned super crappy again. I am learning that South Dakota winters consist of one really great and sunny day followed by weeks on end of never ending wind and subzero temperatures. Locals keep trying to give me hope that Spring will soon be here. But, I think they are lying to me to keep their population numbers up. Today, however, proved me wrong. It was absolutely scrumdiddleyumtious outside! Bright sunshine, warm weather (I actually saw the temp crawl up to 32 . . above zero! woohoo! heat wave!), and, best of all - NO WIND! Now, I am a Great Falls girl through and through and can handle a bit of wind. However, South Dakota winds are NOT Great Falls winds. Not even close.

Since it was such awesome weather, we, of course, had to take advantage of it. I took the boys into town this morning for some Target shopping (Travis got me a gift card for Valentine's Day and I wanted to scope out some stuff) and then lunch at Applebee's. Shopping was great, I got the boys some books for their Easter Baskets, Travis a movie that he has been wanting, and a new tripod. I still have my gift card, hehe. The boys were really well behaved at lunch, they scarfed their food down and then actually sat nicely and colored while I finished mine. It was fabulous, but I was starting to wonder who had taken my children and replaced them with these angels. Restaurants are usually playgrounds to them and Travis and I spend a good amount of time asking someone to sit on their booty and eat their meal. None of that today! On the way home, Bryce asked to go to the park. I knew Brady was getting tired, so I thought I should nap him first. However, I was barely out of the parking lot and he was a goner. The trip back to Brandon takes about 20 minutes, so I drove around for another 10 before stopping at the house to pick the boys' sleds up from the backyard. We then headed to McHardy Park for some sledding and playground fun. It was a blast. Because it was so warm, the snow has a nice crunch to it, which means the sleds go down super fast! The boys loved it. Well, until Brady decided to play surfer dude and face planted into the snow. Then, sledding was over. However, the playground is right across this adorable little bridge that covers a creek, so off we went for more fun in the sun. After about an hour of that, it was time to head home for dinner.

I am trying something new tonight with Brady. We always have such a hard time getting him to go to bed at night. Someone on http://www.babycenter.com/ (love that site!) mentioned trying to up his bedtime, as by 830 he may have gotten himself over tired and couldn't settle down enough for sleep. So, rather than trying to get him to go to bed at 830 or 9, baths were done at 630 and the boys were in bed by 7. Both were sound asleep by 715. Now, I am not sure if I just plumb wore them out today, or if the bedtime helped, but I am definitely trying this tomorrow!