Snow Day

I measured our snow on the table on the deck at lunch time today.  The ruler said 9.5 inches.  John shoveled the driveway this morning and made it to work no problem.  The kids and I went to a play date this morning so as to not go insane at the house, and we made it through the drifted snow banks no problem (hooray, Outback!)  And John came home early from work to play outside with Dex for a while.  Dex very much wanted to make a snow man, but, alas, 11 degrees and fluffy snow does not a snow man make.  So he settled for sledding.  No captions needed here.  There was snow.  There was a sled.  Nuff said.

Daddy had to make a new sled track that did not head toward Mr. Mike's bushes.  OK.  I lied.  Some captions needed.

Daddy is far too nice and pulled Dex back up the hill.

Mr. Mike's nicely cleared driveway stopped the sled quite well before it ran in to the garage.

Mid-wipeout

The dog is mildly entertained by running in the snow.  He is NOT at all entertained by pooping in the snow.

Best.  Dad.  Ever.

OK.  So that took up 15 minutes (plus 15 minutes of prep.  Plus 30 minutes of hot chocolate making and consumption).  What are we gonna do all day tomorrow?  Cross your fingers and hope there's school!

Still Snowing

It started snowing at 10-ish this morning.  John came home from work at 12:30.  The roads were already pretty terrible.  Everyone shoveled the driveway at 4:00 this afternoon.  Except Erin.  That slacker.  I don't know her problem is...

At 4:30 when we were having hot chocolate, John measured our snow.  6.5 inches.

It has been snowing steadily since then.  When you look out in the driveway you cannot tell at all that it has been shoveled.  John shoveled the deck again just a couple hours ago (because Buddy is a huge sissy).  It is already covered with snow.  And it is still snowing.

School was closed today.  School is closed tomorrow.  There was no school on Monday because it was a holiday.  I am running low on ideas of things to do with children, although Dex was sick yesterday so he mostly lay on the couch watching Dinosaur Train all afternoon.  Erin thought it was pretty great.  Trains!  And she calls dinosaurs "woof."  Eh.  Close enough.

Picking Paint

John is in the midst of dining room painting right now.  Well, not RIGHT NOW right now.  Right now he really is at the YMCA watching Dexter bounce on two different moon bounces.  If only we had something like that to bounce on here at home...

Anyway, yesterday the boys put two different sample colors of paint on the wall.  And...  I didn't like either one.  So we went back to the drawing board, and John went out last night to get four more samples.  We currently have SIX different colors of paint on the dining room wall.  I am waiting for darkness to make my final decision on color, but I think I have a favorite.

Behold:

Dex was an excellent helper both yesterday and today.

Here's Dex in front of Blue #1

And in front of Blue #2

Here's Green #1

And Green #2

Here's the blue-grey from yesterday, that John thought for sure was going to be the top choice.

And here's the other blue-grey that turned out to really be grey, and not so much blue.

Here's the colors the boys put on today (both the blue-greys from yesterday are definitely NO's)

I don't like either green, so it's going to be a choice between the blues.  Have to wait til the sun changes direction and then sets before I decide for sure.

Here's a cute baby that has nothing whatsoever to do with painting the dining room.

Jeanne-etics

Erin, baby girl, I need to tell something.  It may be difficult for you to hear.  Are you ready?

You are related to Aunt Jeanne.  You share some genes with her.

Know how I know?

Aunt Jeanne, from who knows when.  My computer says November 2003.

Erin, from today.  Ten plus years later.

I swear Aunt Jeanne never showed her how to do this.

So it must be genetic.  Jeanne-etic

A Lot More Longwood

The boys went to Longwood this evening to see the trains and the lights one last time.  Today was the last day for Longwood Christmas, so the trains are done til next fall.

Since they went to Longwood today I thought it'd be a good time to post a few billion more pictures from our visits there in the past few weeks.  This edition features people.  If I ever get around to it, I'll do one more post with lights and fountains.

Aunt Jeanne and Dex in front of the HUGE tree by the visitors center

Watching trains.  And Dexter videotaping

Everyone was very excited by the Oscar Meyer Wiener train

Waaaay up in that top right corner you see Aunt Jeanne.  She was on the other side...

Taking pictures of the kids.

She actually got pictures of Erin's face, while I mostly got the back of her head.

Daddy's Girl

Baby on a mission.  She can only look at trains for just so long before she needs to wander.

Aunt Jeanne is TOTALLY going the wrong way on the train track.

Erin giggles when she gets to ride the train

This train engine is WAY too fast

John always tries to pass Dex.  That kid is, really, faster than us.  John can pass him if he cheats.

Queen Bee

Queen Bee and Worker Bee

Dexter taking flight

Erin strolling with Aunt Jeanne, just seconds before she fell flat on her face.  Erin.  Not Aunt Jeanne.  Although that's fairly likely, as well.

Dex paints the fire-breathing dragon

I never showed Erin these fountains the last time we were here.

She liked them

Aunt Jeanne took a couple nice family photos in front of a Christmas tree.

Maybe we can just PhotoShop some eyes on to Dex

Maybe we can PhotoShop a hair cut on to Erin...

Aunt Jeanne totally tricked Erin in to 1) actually touching her and 2) smiling.  It's a Christmas miracle!

Erin thought this rope was cool stuff.  The other people trying to get a picture in this same spot were not as impressed.

Erin watching the fountain show.  And eating a graham cracker.

Me!  After we ditched the kids and wandered around looking at lights.

Fellow scarf-wearer

Jeanne with arches and icicles

GRRRRRR

OWWWWWW

Sisters.  I'm still cuter.

A couple nights later.  Dexter showing Grandpa the trains.

That's Grandpa smiling.  No, really.  It is.

Racing Thomas.  Dex was totally faster.

Showing Grandma the Christmas stuff inside.

Dex in front of his favorite fountain

Grandpa smiling.  Again!

At this point in the night the only way to find a cooperative child was to ask him to jump.

Bundled up in the too small stroller, with the too small stroller blanket.  But he stayed warm.

We'll go to Longwood again when it's warmer.  Or maybe I'll take Erin some time in the afternoon when Dex is at school.  We visited the pet store the other day when Dex was at school.  Fish and guinea pigs, man.  They were a HUGE hit.