George

Cam's class has a new class pet, George the Monkey.  George got to spend the night with us this week.  He was such a nice guest!

George was, by far, the quietest one in the house.  He changed his clothes several times and made no messes at all.  They played baseketball and got his 100th Day hat ready.  George, you are welcome to our house anytime! 

Snippity, Snip

For a little girl who was born with a head full of golden hair, this first hair trim had been a longtime coming.  While it wasn't very noticeable, Nonna finally nipped the ends of it to give it a little shape.  Just as we were thinking, it gave more bounce to the untameable curls! 

Nonna was very patient with this little one who just had a very hard time staying still. 

There was a little girl who had a little curl....

Icecapades 2011

I cannot ever recall having five days off of school because of snow and ice.  (Maybe we did in the blizzard of 93, but I don't even think we had that many for it).  The news warned us all week that a big storm was brewing and heading straight for us.  We heeded the warning and prepared for the days ahead, fearing that we would have no electricity. 

Posing with their snowman



Maeve was convinced her wa real!



Well, the storm definitely hit us by the late hours of Sunday night.  Snow fell heavily at first, blanketing the ground with a thick layer of white.  Then as the daylight came, the temperture rose just enough to turn precipation into rain.  After that, we did not see any temperatures above freezing for the next 5 days.  Which meant our snow was encased in ice, never to melt (so it seemed)! 

There are so many uses for a clothes basket! 

A little sledding action

Our 4-Wheel Drive Friends

Snow day one turned in to snow day two, then three, four, and five!  It was just too treacherous to venture out on the ice.  Our steep driveway was a sheet of ice until the next Sunday. So, we had an impromptu winter break.  We enjoyed lots of family time and ate lots of comfort food.  We made lots of cold memories in the snow and ice.  And, best of all, the electricity stayed on through it all!

Snow Ice Cream!

I could really get used to being at home indefinitely.  There's "snow" place like it! 

Disney Days

Our trip to Disney World was long awaited.  Poor Cam had a countdown a month before Thanksgiving.  The rescheduled dates were kept a surprise until Christmas morning.  They opened a present that had a Mickey and Minnie inside with a note that said we were finally heading down to Disney on Monday!  We didn't quite get the same excitment that you see on the TV commercials when the kids learned they are going to WDW, but we were excited nonetheless!

Sunny Florida would not be the token description of our trip.  We evidently brought the cold with us as we rode Dumbo on our first morning at the Magic Kingdom with a layer of frost on him!  But the cold did not diminish the magic in the air.  No matter what time of year, it truly is a magical place.  Seeing it through the eyes of my children for the first time, I can see why families bring their children time and time again.  It's just that magical...seeing the things you've only read about or seen in the movies come to life.  Cam kept asking, "Is that the real Mickey Mouse?" whenever we would spot the famous black earred character. 

As we were there, we found out that we had picked the busiest week of the year.  Plus side of that is that the next time we go back, it won't be as crowded.  We took advantage of the Magic Hours and were generally a very patient family of four.  I think what Cam and Maeve enjoyed the most were the parades that we saw, especially the one at night.  They were cold, but awed!  Cam was also really in to seeing any of the characters.  He was ecstatic to stand beside Buzz!  When asked what his favorite ride was, he replied the bus from the resort to the park!  I guess we might need to get him out a little more!  Maeve also appreciated the simplier side of Disney.  She got excited over the play areas and the extra large popsicles!  She now completely understands what it is to be a princess and can be caught practicing her wave at random times.  

We will definitely try to do this trip on a regular basis, but will never forget the first time we journeyed with our children to the greatest place on earth. 

White Christmas

Christmas was fun and exctiting around here, just as we expected.  Our little ones make this time of year just incredible!  Their excitment over everything makes all of the little tiny details worth it.  Cam asked more than once this year if Santa was going to give Jesus a present.  That sent me into a conversation about how Jesus was the very first gift of Christmas, and He is the reason we celebrate on Christmas Day and everyday.  I cherish their innocence and hope they can always look back on Christmas as a time of great joy for our family. 

We always get a little giddy at the thought of it snowing on Christmas day around here.  Somehow, it always just misses us or the weather man is way off.  Not this time!  Just as Christmas Day festivities were coming to an end and we thought the predictions were wrong once again, God saw fit to send a finishing touch on the special day. 

The lyrics to "Winter Snow Song" are just perfect for a White Christmas Day:

You could've come like a mighty storm

With all the strength of a hurricane

You could've come like a forest fire

With the power of Heaven in your flame

But you came like a winter snow

Quiet and soft and slow

Falling from the sky in the night

To the earth below