Tis that time of year...for ice storms and snow

We got hit by an ice storm this week. With below freezing temperatures nothing was melting. Nothing like 3 inches of ice to shut down the metroplex. School has been cancelled for the last four days. Unheard of in Texas. Then last night we got an additional 6 inches of snow. Finally, something the kids could play in. So after 4 days of cabin fever and no school they were finally able to go out and play.





They got to go slide down the driveway and cul de sac for a while. This helped Hubs in clearing most of the snow off so he could scrape the ice off afterwards.




Then of course they just had fun being able to play outside.


Even Gigi went out to play a bit.

I went out to take a few pictures but decided to come back in with A. after I slipped and slided my way around the driveway. Then afterwards, A. came inside and put on her summer clothes to hurry the arrival of summer weather.


Here's a bit of what our neighborhood looked like this morning.




We have to take winter weather when we can get it. But I am definitely done with all the cold weather and ready for spring.

We got SNOW!

The kids were very excited to get snow last week. Enough for them to play in, have snow ball fights in and build a snowman in.









Then to top it off the temperature stayed so low for the entire week that the snow didn't melt for about 3 days (although it was more ice like after that)and the snowman, well he lasted a very long 6 days before he succumbed to our typical Texas January weather.

But the kids loved it and Hubs and I tried to make it a bit more fun for them. Even though it meant getting out of the warm house, getting wet and having way more laundry than usual.




But as Hubs said...they are only little once.


He's good like that, reminding me that the small stuff isn't so important. That's it's more important to enjoy ourselves and make memories. That's why I love him so much. Well at least until he took this picture of me without any makeup on. He just doesn't see things the same way as I do.

Amazing Texas Sky

I was driving home the other day about 4:30 and couldn't get over the sky. So naturally I pulled out my phone as I was driving down the curvy two lane FM Road and started taking pictures. I know, I know, not safe of me at all. I'm sorry.

But I couldn't help it. It just took my breath away. And I wanted to capture it so I could show it to my husband.




It's really to bad I didn't have my real camera, and wasn't actually driving you know. But I will take these small glimpses of heaven from God anytime I can. Even while driving.

New Years Eve 2010

We had lots of fun with all our old neighbors on New Years Eve. We decided to do it old school for all of us and go back to our glory days of hanging out by the fire pit. It's what we all used to do when the kids were smaller. We would put them to bed and reemerge with beer and baby monitors and get in our adult time. How the hell we did it, I do not know. I guess I am just getting to old to fully appreciate sitting by the fire pit freezing as much as we used to. The kids were all inside the game room at the house across the street without requiring baby monitors. So I guess we are just getting old. But we still had a lot of fun.







We had way to much food of course, some fireworks and lots of joking around and good conversation. What more could you ask? We brought the kids out at midnight (Texas time- We didn't even have to pretend and use NYC time this year).


I can still talk Dave into posing for just about any kind of goofy picture. That's what happens when you know someone from high school and college.

And since poor Janne had literally got off the plane from Finland only hours before and was jet lagged and to tired to run from the camera. He was unable to hide and run off from actually being in a picture. He still managed a way of not being serious in a picture though.


Then because I am old, and because my youngest is still technically only 4 we packed up soon after and came home to bed. Well all except Hubs and Dave, they stayed up all night long. That came back to bite him on the bottom when we had to be at K.'s soccer game on New Years Day. (Seriously, who plans these things)

But it's a new year and time to embrace all that it brings with it. But no worries about leaving behind any of our dear friends. You just can't beat a good Redneck Drive Fire pit reunion.

Cheers!!

Christmas 2010

We had a very quiet Christmas Eve at our house this year. Since my parents were at my brothers family this year it was just us. So the kids and Hubs did some last minute shopping. When they got home it was time to start making some Christmas cookies. I had made some sugar cookies for them to decorate. I pretty much just put the stuff in front of them and let them do it how they want. I used to try and get them to make them pretty and Christmasy but since that never worked I gave up. I figure some day when they are older and I may get cute cookies again. Until then, I just let them enjoy themselves

So I set them up with 4 dozen cookies and left the room.


I came back 30 minutes later to see what they had come up with and to get a few pictures of them smiling nicely for the camera. Instead I got this and only 33 decorated cookies.









But what can you say, they are kids and yes I have to claim them as my own. But that's really about all I can say right now.

After the Christmas cookie decorations we went to Mass. And for the first time in forever, all the kids sat quietly and paid attention. It was so enjoyable, a true Christmas miracle of sorts. Either that, or it was just so crowded that they just didn't have enough room to misbehave that much. I'll choose to believe in the Christmas miracle aspect of it.

After dinner and a movie at home, it was time to put the kids to bed and wait for Santa to come. Which he shortly did.

Gigi, our boxer couldn't have been more excited about Christmas than she already was. And I must admit that by this time I was just as tired as her, so off to bed we went.

Random holiday pictures

I mentioned the Christmas tree falling on me while I tried to put it up. But I am just now getting around to posting a picture of the very huggable monstrostity.


I then decided that I might as well post a few other random pictures that have been taken over the last few days. I could actually make an idividual post about each one but I don't really have the time or energy to do it. So thought that I would at least get the pictures up for those friends and family that actually look at this and just want to see pictures.

Both K. and Hoss had school Christmas parties that I was able to go to. They were very excited about this and I was able to get a few pictures of them. In between the paint, glue, glitter and sugar they were ingesting.

ICE the Charlie Brown Way

I had the opportunity to go see Ice: A Charlie Brown Christmas at the Gaylord Texan last week. It was with some of my co-workers and it meant we got to take a long lunch. So naturally I wanted to go. I'd been to it once before and enjoyed it. It was very cool. It's just amazing what they can carve out of ice. And it's unbelievable how much time it must take to create one.

I had my jacket but still had to use the parka they provided. I tried to convince myself that these jackets must surely be cleaned and wouldn't have lice or anything like that in them. But really I doubt they do any sanitizing of them. Not even the little spray you get for bowling shoes or rollers skates. At least I didn't see an aerosol can in sight. So I put on one very heavy (and smelly) parka and went inside. Seriously, how can that jacket have smelt like a sweaty jacket...it is being worn in below freezing conditions. Unless every other poor soul who wears them gets sweaty with nerves or something. Anyway, I'll get past the jacket now. For some reason this picture seems appropriate now. Whether it's for me or my co workers, well I'm not saying.


I forgot my camera so had to rely on my phone for pictures. The only problem there was that in order for my iPhone to work, I had to take off my gloves. And after about 10 minutes in that room kept at a balmy 9 degrees (I think) I didn't get to many pictures after all. But I thought I share a few anyways.


I didn't get any of me and my co workers on my phone. We did get a group shot but I'm not posting that here.

It was pretty cool with lots of ice sculptures. I must admit that my favorite is still the nativity scene but of course my phone did not capture the beauty of it.

I thought about taking the kids back to see it so they can go down the big ice slides so if the timing works out I may try and go back with them.