HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing you and your loved ones love, joy and big smiles in 2009!

Love, Us 3

New look for Mama in 2009

Bye-bye blonde!


Hello brown (with highlights, of course!)

Clean, clean, clean

We were so proud of him for cleaning his room...

all by himself!

Meeting Santa Claus = Priceless

I told you it was worth it.

As it turns out, my son is a traitor. He loves the snow. On Christmas Day, after opening presents and filling bellies with holiday treats, Alexander, Grandpa, Uncle RJ, cousin Lorelli and Daddy ventured out to play.

*please ignore the fact that my son does not have on snow boots or gloves and he is not wearing his winer coat.

I wasn't prepared for a white christmas snowball fight!*

Which way should I go? I'll go fast so Daddy can't catch me!



First you make a snowball... then you throw it!



Lorelli winds up! And then runs away.


Nice shot, Lorelli! Even Alexander has to agree!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

May your holiday season be filled with love, joy, and a snowplow!

Love, Us 3

Winter Wonderland

By now, I'm sure you're tired of hearing about our snow. I'm tired of writing about the snow, believe me. Before I sign off on this topic, I'll post a few pictures from around our house. The before pictures are from Thursday's storm and the after pictures were taken this morning. The way the snow is falling right now, there may be a third installment tomorrow as we've already 1/2 an inch in less than 30 minutes.

view from the kitchen deck
BEFORE

AFTER
view from the living room, looking out onto the yard
BEFORE

AFTER
BEFORE
the back of our house AFTER
AFTER
view of the front of our house . Notice how the snow is piled up to the front steps!

The Upside to Being Snowed In

Alexander takes marathon naps, ranging from 3-4 hours on any given day. Eric usually naps too but he's been able to sleep in so we (and by we, I mean I) have taken advantage of baby-free hours to tackle tasks.

1. cleaned out baby toys in anticipation of Christmas and birthday gifts
2. cleaned out all closets of clothes/shoes/coats/blankets and put them aside for goodwill
3. cleaned the basement and hid all baby toys so they can't get "rediscovered" by curious toddler
4. cleaned/organized the loft and put together the White Elephant gift for Christmas Eve
5. cleaned/organized cabinets in the island - and discovered liquor that I didn't know we had!
6. finished mounds of laundry and even put it all away
7. cleaned/organized the utility room
8. Eric cleaned his computer space
9. read the Twilight series again and another 2 books
10. cleaned both bathrooms (and we know how much I HATE cleaning toilets)
11. dust and vacuumed both floors of the house

Since another storm hit yesterday, I think I'll tackle the kitchen cabinets and the fridge today!

Mom, stop taking my picture!

Pillow Diving!

How could I NOT want to take this kid's picture?

Someone sure likes the snow!

SNOW DAY #2

5:20 - "O Holy Night" bursts out of the clock radio, waking me out of a sound sleep. I groan and hit the snooze. Why did I have to stay up so late watching the Britney Spears documentary? Nothing "holy" about that show, I tell ya.
5:24 - Guybrush starts whining and walking all over me. I groan again.
5:26 - Phone rings. It is my mom activating the phone tree. We're two hours late. More groaning.
5:32 - Phone rings again. Mom is calling to tell me to call for a sub so she doesn't have to worry about my driving to work. I appreciate the concern but couldn't we have discussed this in about an hour? Nonetheless, I climb out of bed to look at the inch of snow on the ground, and decide Eric will take me to work. Eric groans.
6:10 - Alexander starts rumbling around his room, playing with the loudest toys in there (I have got to remove those today). I get up, make my coffee, and greet my son for the day.
6:23 - In the middle of changing a super gross poopy diaper (I can hear you groaning), my mom calls AGAIN. No school.

And it isn't even 6:30...

SNOW DAY!

Hooray, it's a true snow day! Mom called me at 5:40 to announce we had no school today. Ironically, the same school districts around my house that were 2 hours late yesterday, are in session today (albeit, 2 hours late again). And our roads are much better so I could have gotten to school. I do not understand how they decide snow days but I'm not about to argue!

The prediction is 2 to 5 inches of snow, starting at noon. For some of you, that may mean nothing but with these hills, that means just about everything will shut down. I may just take a walk to the library to stock up on books for some winter reading time. Hopefully, the snow will come and we'll take Alexander out today in it. Of course, everytime he looks out the window at the snow, he says "brrr, mama". I second that, Alexander.

Winter update

Since we have family and friends enjoying warm sunshine in parts of the country, I thought I'd keep going with the winter updates. Everyone knows how much I love snow and being cold so my cynicism should be pure entertainment. It didn't snow last night but everything froze into ice slicks on the roads. The school districts that our home is surrounded by are 2 hours late due to ice. However, my school district is on time today. Needless to say, I can't get off my hill to get to work on time. Well, I probably COULD get to work but the truck doesn't have 4wd, I drive like a sissy in this weather, I'm convinced I'm going to slide into a ditch or hit a kid waiting for a bus, so why bother? Eric COULD take me in his 1968 Land Cruiser (death trap) but I'd have to sit in the back with no seat belt, worry about someone sliding into us and then the two of them on the drive home, and then spend my day freezing in a cold gym because the heating system broke over the weekend so only cold air blows. Again, why bother?

I've sent in my sub plans. I've started my coffee. I hear Alexander playing and giggling in his room. Eric is sound asleep and the sun is starting to come up over snow covered houses and trees. Do I really need to go into work when I have all this around me?

I'm contemplating making french toast for breakfast.

Snowed in!

It snowed late Saturday night and we woke to a winter wonderland. I wish I had had my camera when I woke up to snow on the ground, blue skies, a golden sunrise, and the lights on the development across the street. It was a pretty sight. Anyhow, we don't get snow often but when we do, it can reak havoc on the roads. This snow storm brought high winds and ice as well. So, we settled in for a nice day at home Sunday. We tried to convince Alexander it would be fun outside but I think he was picking up on my hatred of all things cold. He wouldn't budge a step outside the door. Which was just as well as the temps never got much higher than 30. Of course, I was sure we would have a snow day on Monday and I started looking forward to another day at home with my boys. No such luck. My district was 2 hours late, a co-worker had to pick me up on the main road, and this afternoon the roads weren't much better when she dropped me off and I walked home on a sheet of ice. Thank goodness I learned how to walk on snow/ice during my college days in Pullman! As of now, we are expected to be on time to work tomorrow. Our hill is a sheet of ice. Tell me how I'm supposed to get there by 7:30 tomorrow morning?

And they say more snow is in the forecast! Could winter break start a little early this year? Keep your fingers crossed!

Speaking of Santa...

Eric and I took Alexander to meet Santa today!

And it was a disaster. As I leaned down to put him on Santa's lap, Alexander latched on with a death grip. He only wants Mommy once I get home from work, so I suppose an afternoon visit wasn't the best time to get his picture taken with a fat, bearded man wearing a red, velour jumpsuit. Anyhow, I finally get him on Santa's lap and he starts SCREAMING! Mind you, this is in Nordstrom's so nice people around us had their holiday shopping interrupted by my wailing child. One man even asked if an audio tape came with the photo. I was laughing so hard at my tormented child that I couldn't see straight. Eric had a look of mortification on his face and couldn't wait to scoop his son out of Santa's arms. Pretty sure I'm not getting Mother of the Year for this event but man, it was worth it.

See, when I was about 2, my parents took me to meet Santa. They have a great photo of me, with the scary man in a red suit, screaming with outstretched arms towards my parents. And everytime I look at that photo, I can picture my mom laughing at my 2 year old self.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Just for you, Auntie Mika

I stuck a Santa hat on Alexander to take a few pictures in hopes, for the annual Christmas card. But they just didn't turn out as well as I liked so we had to scratch that idea. Still a pretty cute kid, though.

I'd rather watch TV than let Mom take my picture.

This side is my good side.

Well..maybe this side is my good side.

Nope, I was right the first time!

Drama King?

Getting Alexander to change his clothes is always a battle. Tonight's battle resulted in a fat lip and tears for Mom. During tonight's wardrobe change into pajama's, Alexander turned on the toddler hysterics. Arms were swinging. Legs were kicking. He's screaming and crying like we're putting a hot poker to his eye. And then he throws his head back, right into my upper lip. Hard. So, at this point, my patience is thin and I tell him if he is going to continue to cry, he can go stand in the corner of his playroom. He stops, stares at me, and then runs across the room to throw himself on his chair with more wailing and hands over his face (picture Lorelli if you've ever seen her do this very thing). He stands back up, comes over to where we are sitting, and Eric asked him if he was done crying. He says "nooooo" and proceeds to run back over into the corner and fling himself on to his chair, with more crying and carrying on. After four more drama productions, his tears are fake, Eric and I are shoving fists in our mouths to keep from laughing, and I have tears streaming down my face. It was a glimpse at the sense of humor hidden in our child. Uncle Patrick may not be the only actor in the family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Daddy,

Happy Birthday to you!

XOXO

Al-Al

Happy Birthday, my love. 37 isn't so bad, I promise.

XOXO

Chelle