Further Proof

Yesterday the schools were closed because of the prediction of snow, but when we woke up there was nothing! However, by about 2pm or 3pm it starting falling fast. It was COLD outside. But, we were bundled up and warm inside.

By this morning we measured 6 inches on our deck table.

The dogs were not excited at all!

After breakfast we all bundled up and headed out to play. The snow is very powdery so we had a hard time making it stick together. We made a really short snowman that looked more like a blob :) The kiddos had fun using all their beach toys in the snow. You can't play in the snow without making snow angels!

My snowy angels!

Although we had a lot of fun while we were outside playing, the kiddos both broke down and cried when we came inside because they were so cold! This is just further proof that we should head to the beach soon! We are all much happier in the sand than in the snow :)

I'm Not The Only One Missing The Warmer Weather

Last night the kiddos were pretending they were going to the beach. They packed their bags, donned their sunglasses, and were ready to go. Me, too, sweet babies! Me, too.

Killer Geese, Killer Fondue, and Goodbye to Another Tooth!

So yesterday the forecasted 60 temps didn't really feel that way. When we got to the park it was chilly and windy. We played for a little while with friends we ran into there, but then we decided to walk from the park to the library. I think these geese thought we were crossing into their territory and they started chasing the kiddos! See the one spreading his wings behind C, he was ready to attack!

Our dinner at the Melting Pot last night was DEEElicious. C was in his element, he is a dipper at heart. My favorite part, and the reason I anticipate not such a stellar week at WW, was the white chocolate apple cobbler with streusel topping fondue!

Tooth # 5 bit the dust today just before lunch! It had a little help loosening up by way of a lunch box to the face on Friday. According to my dental friend, he lost tooth D. There are almost just as many holes as there are teeth now :)

I haven't posted anything about the Haiti disaster here, but through our church we have many personal connections to people there. Our music minister returns tonight from spending the last week there helping with all the tremendous medical needs. Knowing someone there has really had an impact on C. He prays about Haiti a lot. Earlier in the week, he asked me "Mama, when you lay down in your bed tonight will you pray for Haiti again, too?" Tonight he prayed that the people who aren't hurt will go and help the people who are hurt. He has such a tender heart. Even AP has heard lots about Haiti, although I'm sure she does not understand. Tonight her prayer was "Dear God, please help Haiti feel better."

Saturday Randomness

The weather is beautiful here today! We are about to head to the park to soak up the 60 degree temps, but I wanted to get some of the random pictures from the last few days off of my camera first.

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C's books in his room have been in desperate need of finding a new home. We had been holding on to this little bookshelf because it belonged to Hubs' grandparents. But, despite the sentimentality, it was not cutting it. This is the before shot.

And after a new shelf and taking some of his mementos off his bulletin board it looks much better!
We added a second bulletin board to another wall.

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The kiddos are growing up too fast. AP has just started to sit still long enough to color pictures. She has a new interest in trying her best and making her pictures pretty. They will now sit together and do "homework" for close to an hour!

They are also big enough now to clean up their messes and not need me to come behind and clean it again :) Yesterday we had a fish food incident and together they cleaned up every tiny piece! (and yes, we have a UT dustbuster)

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Last night we finally got around to making our from-scratch cookies from a good friend. I have tried to make cookie dough from scratch several times with no success. I had decided that it was much easier to break and bake, and it tasted better! But these turned out pretty good and inspired me to try my hand at from scratch again.

C approved of the dough, at least!

After the cookies we had a family movie night and watched G-Force. I fell asleep!

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C brought this artwork home from school yesterday. I guess they were supposed to write what they wanted to be like when they were 100. C said like his dad!

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C came up with a new way to get the paper in the mornings. He loves going to get the paper, we never really asked him to do it, he asks us if he can do it every day! This is how he delivered the paper to daddy this morning :) If you can't tell, it is on the back of his remote controlled Hummer.

Now we're off to the park! Then tonight to one of my very favorite places to eat, The Melting Pot!

1,2,3,4,...99,100

Tomorrow is the 100th day of kindergarten! C has had several projects leading up to the 100th day. His class is trying to collect 100 food items to donate. They also had to each bring in their own "collection" of 100 things. Leave it up to C to come up with the idea of 100 pieces of blue macaroni! So we worked last night to get the pasta dyed and after it was dry C started counting.

We made it to 100!

And I have to share what I think is my most favorite thrift store find ever. Yesterday we took three big bags of clothes to our local thrift store. While we were there I saw the cutest little hand-carved high chairs for baby dolls. Aren't they adorable?

They were only eight dollars! They have little stickers on the back from a woodworking shop in Wilmington, NC. AP loves feeding her babies in them!

Riding, Jumping, and Painting..Oh My!

What a great long weekend we had! The weather finally warmed up from the sub-zero windchills we had last week so we headed outside. Saturday morning we went to our town's greenway to get a little exercise. Daddy ran and C rode his bike while AP and I walked. We went about 1/4 of a mile too far for AP. She found a spot on my hip for the last part of our trek :)

AP trying her hand at photography Here comes daddy!

Saturday afternoon we had plans to meet with friends at Chuck E Cheese, but when we got there they weren't letting anyone in unless you were there for a party. So now we had 5 wired kiddos ready to play and nowhere to go! Luckily, a few blocks away is an indoor jump place so that's where we headed.

Another exciting thing that happened last Friday was that C got to check out a book from his school's library for the first time. The kindergartners spend a lot of time learning about the library before they actually get checking out privileges. C chose a book entitled "Snow" because of "all the beautiful pictures".

Yesterday we decided to check out Art Quest at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts for the first time. The kiddos LOVED it! There are about 15 hands-on art projects that they can jump in and do all by themselves. There were digital projects, blocks, still life drawings, painting, writing on a Plexiglas wall, animation, printmaking, tissue art, paper rolling, and probably more that I didn't get pictures of. I actually think I wasn't supposed to be taking pictures at all...oops.

We took a break after a few projects to eat our lunch outside. It was a beautiful day. We were sort of on the roof and had great views of downtown around us.

After our lunch break, it was back in to channel a little more creativity. Here they are working hard to draw a wooden statue. C really got into it :)

Striking a pose with their tissue paper art

This was my art. It reminded me of pomping our Homecoming floats in high school!

C was working the printing press! It was really cool and I plan to frame the little prints they made.

They wore themselves out! They actually both fell asleep before 7:15 last night, which made daddy's night easier. I was at my 2nd WW weigh in, down 2.8! It's not that much, but I'm heading in the right direction :)

Friends and Free Stuff

First, for the free stuff. I haven't posted in a while about my couponing adventures, but I'm still at it! The items in the picture below are things that were absolutely free at Kroger yesterday using coupons. There were a lot more things that were under a dollar. The website that I use to help me get organized is southern savers dot com, if anyone is interested.

Monday we managed to get a third snow day from the flurries that we had last Thursday. We love snow days! We met a few friends to play at an indoor playground and then go to lunch.

Today we got to play with another little friend for a while. His mommy was at the doctor checking on his soon-to-be little sister!


AP loves playing with S because she thinks she is taking care of him :)

We are getting him used to all the pink, and baby dolls, and girlie stuff!

I loved the light coming in through the kitchen window. He was reading a book to the dog :)

After we picked brother up from school we made cupcakes together to take to church tonight.

Everybody helped out. Even though S would rather have kept playing with trucks. The boy loves him some trucks!

Even the dogs helped out! (don't worry they were licking AFTER all mixing was done)

Back to the trucks :)