It's Snowing!

What a day!

It started snowing around 7 a.m. this morning. Steve left for work around 6 and missed the snow going in, but will probably have a hard time getting home tonight. It was a teacher work day, so schools were not closed, teachers were told to report to school. We all got up and got dressed and headed out the door for day school for Ryan and After school care for Caroline, and a teacher work day for me. After dropping off Ryan and picking up breakfast for Caroline and me we headed to school. We parked and walked up to the building and were told the school was closing too much snow to stay at school today. So Caroline and I went back to the car and picked up Ryan and came home. I realized after walking in the door that I had left my camera at school. A snow day and no camera! But realized I had a camera on my phone (never used) and took a few photos of the kids on the deck. The phone camera did a pretty good job! I text myself the photos ( 1st time for that) and presto chango I have photos for the blog! ( Steve will probably flip when he sees our phone bill and how much sending pics cost. But a picture is worth a 1000 bucks right, or is it a 1000 words? hee hee)

The snow is beautiful! We have about 4 inches right now and it is still coming down!

I can do it all by myself!

Ryan wanted to get dressed all by himself this morning!

He went to his room and picked out his snowman sweater, brown pants, and Thomas underwear. He came downstairs and got dressed. I tried to help him and he refused to have any help! He put on his sweater first, then his underwear and finally his pants. He did a great job! He was so proud of himself when he was finished!

In a new light!

We finally got a new light placed over our kitchen table tonight! Steve and I took down the ugly light we had over the table last June and kept going back and forth on what we thought would look best. We bought one light fixture in August and Steve and his Dad worked for several hours and it just would not work. The base was too small for the size hole in the ceiling. Today I found this light fixture and after some time we had light! I really like it! It gives the room a nice warm and cozy feel. One home project done a million more to do! hee hee

Making brownies!

Caroline and Ryan have been very busy this weekend! They have played so nicely together all weekend long. They have played school, trains, ponies, and even painted some this afternoon. The artwork is outside drying. After dinner tonight we wanted to make a sweet treat before Daddy came home from work, so the kids ate dinner and then made brownies. Ryan was looking at the back of the box. He is just like his Daddy making sure we have not missed a step and Caroline was busy stirring!

Too busy eating!

Love the aprons! They both got these as presents from Aunt Liz for Christmas!

They are so cute!

Yummy!

I think they are pleased with how the batter turned out!

Too yummy!

It is going to be hard to get that spoon away from his mouth!

We were so sick update

I have not been on our blog in over a week. I know, I already broke one of my resolutions for the year!

Ryan last weekend came down with a stomach bug, then Caroline got it, and then I finally got it. It was horrible, it hit all of us like a semi truck! I have never been so sick. We are all feeling much better now. I woke up this morning actually wanting to eat and have a cup of coffee! Yeah! Steve was our nurse last week and he did a great job taking care of all of us. He was off from work so he was able to stay home with us and nurse us back to health. He washed towels, clothes, linens and made us butter toast and brought us glasses of ginger ale! He kept movies going for the kids and let me stay in bed for 2 days and sleep! I have an awesome husband and the kids have a great Dad! We are truly blessed!

I hope to post some pictures on the blog later this weekend, so come back soon y'all!

A quick shave

Santa brought Ryan a Thomas the Train shaving kit!
He loves to shave with his blue shaving cream and his Thomas shaver!
Ryan will say, "Me and Daddy shave our faces not Caroline and Mommy!"

So cute!

New Year's Resolution

Here are our New Year Resolutions for 2009!

Jackie
Stay organized at home and at school
To blog twice a week
Count to ten before reacting to situations
To live in the present

Steve
To lose twenty pounds
To run 200 miles this year
Make dinner once a week

Caroline
To learn to read a long book by myself
Feed the dog everyday
Get dressed by myself everyday

Ryan
Play with my trains everyday
Clean up my dishes after I eat
Clean up my trains after I play

O Christmas Tree

This is Caroline's Christmas tree.

She has this tree in her bedroom. Her GeeGee really wanted to see this tree, so I took a picture of it tonight before it is boxed up for next year. Caroline picked the garland, lights, and ornaments. Most of the tree is decorated in hot pink. She also used a Christmas dress, for a stuffed animal from Build a Bear for the "tree skirt." She is so cleaver! She loves this tree. The tree is a great night light during the month of December. Caroline found a crystal cat ornament after Christmas on sale and had to have it for her tree, a perfect addition to the tacky tree!

Christmas 2008

We had a wonderful Christmas this year!

We were able to travel home for the holidays! We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family. Then headed down to spend almost a week with Steve's family. We enjoyed seeing cousins, aunts, and uncles, and our parents that we have not seen in a long time. Santa made it to Mom's house and left a note for Caroline and Ryan! It is the greatest feeling to sit and watch your children on Christmas morning opening their gifts with so much joy and excitement. The best gift for me is to watch their faces when they open a gift! That evening we had a wonderful dinner with Prime Rib and Crab Cakes and the company was so nice. Caroline and Ryan played all evening with their cousins and the adults had a chance to talk and soak in all that we have to be thankful for!


Caroline with her cat that she asked Santa for.

Her name is snowball and she sounds like a real cat!

Ryan is with his trains. He asked for Diesel 10, Arry and Bert, and a bridge. Santa came through and got all three!

Ryan and Catherine singing together!

Rachel on her new toy while Caroline and Ryan entertain her!

Ryan loves to say Rachel is so cute!

Fairy House

Grammy and Caroline made a fairy house over Christmas! It had to made of natural materials, even though some buttons were used to make a walkway. The two of them worked on this over several days.

Caroline really had a good time creating her fairy's house!

Down the hill we go!

While at Papa's house the kids learned how to go down the hill on a cardboard box! They loved it! There bottoms were so dirty, but their faces had smiles for hours! They would get on their cardboard at the top of the hill and push with their feet or by Steve and down the hill they would go! They had a blast outside all afternoon, I am so glad the weather was beautiful!

Digging

Caroline, Ryan, and Sammy loved being outside over Christmas! They played outside in the dirt, filling the new dump truck Ryan got for Christmas! Papa had little hills of dirt all over his side lawn. Their hands were so muddy! They would all take turns with the shovel digging and dumping the dirt! The three cousins also enjoyed an hour at the local park with Gee Gee. They would run and swing and then repeat. We were so warm after being at the park that we all headed to Starbucks for a cool drink. Vanilla Bean Frapps were a big hit with Caroline and Sammy. Ryan refused to drink his and only wanted some juice. He missed out on a sweet treat!