The sun is out!

This is what 22 inches of snow looks like in the morning sun.
Isn't it pretty? I'm sure they'll be millions of footprints and sled tracks in this before the day's end.

Snow Snow Snow... and No Power

Well, we lost power about 3:10PM this afternoon. Trevor and McKenzie were still over at the neighbors. Soon after, our neighbor was snow blowing our driveway. So, Nick went out to help him and move his snow covered truck out of the driveway. But with about 20 inches of snow, he had to use his push broom to uncover it.
So we watched from the window, Addison and me.

Then we watched the push broom break. The handle snapped right off. So then we watched Nick brush off the truck with just the broom head. Poor Nick.
And then he barreled through the snow drift at the end of the driveway.

Look how deep the snow is!
Tyler was happy to just SIT and play inside next to the {gas} fireplace.
Addison loved sitting in the window watching the snow shoot out the snow blowers, and keeping an eye on her Daddy.
But it wasn't long before I bundled her up to go exploring with the other kids.

Addison, McKenzie, Maliah

I did actually go outside for pictures... but I had the zoom lens on so I wouldn't have to go too far. Addison picked out her hat. Look familiar Jim? {Longfellow Drilling}

"I'm COLD!"

This is what my mantle looked like when it got dark, loaded with candles, when we had no electricity. Nick and Poncho (our neighbor) took the truck out to see if Lowe's or Home Depot were open, which they weren't, and stopped to pick up Chinese food for supper. As soon as we got the candles situated and flashlights set just right so that we could eat at the table....

the power came back on! So we were only without for about 4.5 hours. Let's just hope it stays on all night. The snow has stopped as of 8pm tonight and I think that is all we are supposed to get for this round.

Should I have tied a rope?

They left to go next door...
Through the unscooped snow...

Down the unscooped sidewalk...
Let's go slowpoke.
And finally she just carries him.
Should I have tied a rope for them to make it back home?

Blizzard 2010 - Virginia

In case you havent' heard. Virginia is in a state of EMERGENCY!!!!! It's completely ridiculous if you ask me. It's snowing. That's it. But people are F-REAK-ING out! The grocery stores were bombarded the day before the storm came. Milk, bread, produce, batteries... etc. ALL GONE. It's the end of the Earth as we know it. At least for this area.

It started snowing Friday morning around 1oam. And it hasn't stopped.

Here is a view out the kitchen doors looking out onto the deck.
Here is the snow on our deck. Nick guesstimates we have about 16-18 inches so far.

Here is Nick's truck in the front driveway. Both neighbors across the street have had their snowblowers out twice now. Once at 10PM last night... and again this morning around 11am. How many times has Nick been out to scoop snow? 0. But we aren't going anywhere, so what's the point. It's just going to build up again anyways.
Out the front door.
Our front porch.
Back yard. Sorry, but I took these out the window. I'm not going outside to take better pictures. It's cold.
My boys. Well, 2 outta 3.
Trevor and McKenzie are bundling up to tretch down the sidewalk to play with the neighbors... Addison wanted to go too.
We'll keep you posted. Some town in Maryland reported 34 inches so far. Not sure what the official report is for this area. But I'm pretty sure we'll all make it through this! Seriously.

Story Hour with Big Sis

First.... here is the toy storage cubby shelf thingy Nick made for me last weekend. We got it painted and into the house (Me & McKenzie) but we decided to wait until Nick got home and have him help me take it down to the basement.
We have colored baskets that fit in the little cubbies, but I have not had too much time to organize it completely... so the actual finished product will have to be shown at a later date. But I LOVE IT!

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Addison was reading books by the fireplace so I laid Tyler down near her. She immediately, without prompting, started showing Tyler the pages....
And then she laid next to him and they read the book together.
Crazy hair and all...
Pardon the boogs... we are still battling the sniffles here.

RIGHT NOW...

Well, this first picture was this morning. It was c-c-c-cold. And I got Addison some breakfast, and suddenly she disappeared. I soon found her hiding between the recliner and the window...sitting on the register.... where the heat was coming up. This is where she ate her breakfast this morning.
But right now... it's a fabulous 39 degrees. So instead of naps (or maybe more like before naps) I let the kids go outside to play in the snow.

I found a baby sled for Tyler (he's too sick to play outside today). So I let Addison break it in. Turns out, she's even a bit too big for it.
There are snowball fights going on with the neighbors over the fence...
Snow angels being made...
Wagons being filled with snow... for what, I don't know... does it matter?
Sisters sledding down the hill...

McKenzie a.k.a "Snow Diva"

uh huh. that's right.

Everybody helping fill the wagon

all full.

and once it was ready to move, (where I don't know), they couldn't make it budge.

Garage/Paint Station

This is what Nick and I did last night. We primed and painted the first coat on the cubby shelf.... and Nick sanded down an old bedroom set of his that we brought to VA with us from IA. McKenzie is going to be using it. I did most of the painting while Nick fed Tyler some supper, and a bottle, and put him to bed. {Love him!}
I finished the bedside table for McKenzie... just needs some new hardware!!! It's all turning out so much better than I pictured! It looks like a brand new bedroom set!!!
I still have to do a second coat on a few bedroom set pieces, and a second coat on the cubby shelf. It's so cold in the garage now, and I don't know how to crank up the heater in there, nor do I dare try!