Snow (and Snowmageddon)

We don't do a lot of snow in the Deep South. This week has been quite an adventure! Thankful I learned to drive on ice when we lived in Ohio. The kids and I were at BSF when the surprise snow began falling. We left early and headed for home. Took us a little over three hours to make it to Target, just about two miles away. We stopped there for lunch and to shop a bit. I bought the kids new swimsuits because...why not? Then we headed for home again. Only took another hour and a half, which was not as bad as I was expecting. I got stuck in one spot and was very grateful for the college kids out with kitty litter, shovels, and muscles! The Gent drove part way home from work and walked the rest. In between all that my phone was going crazy! Friends and acquaintances and strangers were stranded all over the city. We ended up with four sweet snow refugees staying with us. We drank lots of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate and they kept my kids entertained for the almost 48 hours we were snowed in. :) Annie and JJ were very excited when we finally made it home and they could play in the snow, though they didn't last long, it was too cold!

Link for Thursday

Do the next thing. Love this article by Andree Seu Peterson. You can read it here.

And we survived Snowmageddon. Pictures tomorrow!

Tiny Dancer

Annie loves her little dance class. I'm glad it is fun for her and I get the biggest kick out of watching them. You just never know how a two year old will react!

Sweet link for Friday

Have you seen this Coca Cola commercial ? So precious!

This Old House: the updated list

The Gent and I recently updated our house to-do/wish list. The list is definitely a lot shorter now than it used to be! We (with the help of family, friends, and various paid professionals--some of whom were more professional than others) have been slowly but surely working some magic around this old house.

I'm currently getting quotes from a handyman to do these things:

Fix outside HVAC opening

Trim hedge

Rebuild basement stairs

Repair gate

And the plumber is coming by to look at installing a tankless water heater. That's the last thing in our basement. We'd like to move it so when the basement floods, it just floods, and we don't care anymore.

The current list:

Clean out basement

Organize garage and attic

Replace basement door, repaint garage door and window

Seal and paint window boards in basement

Continue work on landscaping

Modify outside playspace and add fence

Build vegetable garden

Scrape loose paint on trim work and repaint

Rewire outside electric

Rewire downstairs electric

Pull out old wiring and remove old breakers

Brace basement beam (when electric finished)

Install crown molding in master bedroom

Install crown molding in entry way

Install crown molding in office

Remove popcorn ceilings and install crown molding in upstairs bedrooms

Paint ceilings

Take down tree behind garage

Renovate kitchen and add upstairs bathroom

Install new windows

Install gas lamps

Are they twins?

Because Annie and JJ are close in age and both blonde with blue eyes, I get asked this question all the time. I usually smile and say, "no, they're just close!" But I'm thinking about trying this answer out instead:

Christmas in Memphis

I think I'm caught up on Christmas after this post. We were in Memphis over Christmas proper and continued to have a wonderful time!

Annie in awe of the tree


She's got opening presents down


Bebe, this bow is delicious!


Happiest baby around


Daddy's girl


Reading Twas the Night Before Christmas with Mama


Writing a note to Santa Claus


Cookies, milk, and their note for Santa


Santa wrote back!
 

Her first stocking. And my girls always get a doll for Christmas.


Sophie got the hang of this fast.


Annie got some of Mama's old dance costumes from Santa


What all can she find in here?


Christmas morning smiles


Jesus was born!


JJ checking out the tree at Granny's house


Cousin Micah


Love these crossed ankles


Say cheese!


Mama's girl, too


Bebe with all her siblings


Cookies with Papa Rick


Christmas is delicious!

Cookie Decorating at Honey and Poppa's

Annie and JJ had a blast decorating Christmas cookies. They licked a lot of icing and ate a lot of sprinkles. Sophie was very interested and will enjoy joining in next year!

Christmas at Home

We had our family Christmas a few days early. The kids had so many Christmases this year, and they enjoyed each and every one!





















Here's what we got for the kids this year:

Annie
Want: doll high chair
Need: swim lessons
Spiritual Growth: And It Was So book by Tasha Tudor (illustrated Bible verses)
Educational Growth: Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young, Little Mommy, and Tasha Tudor's Mother Goose

JJ
Want: Tonka dump truck
Need: swim lessons
Spiritual Growth: The Lord is My Shepherd book by Tasha Tudor (illustrated 23rd Psalm)
Educational Growth: The Angus Books, by Marjorie Flack

Sophie
Want: doll cradle
Need: orbit name labels for sippy cups
Spiritual Growth: Poems and Prayers for the Very Young book, by Martha Alexander
Educational Growth: Colors, Shapes, and Numbers by Eric Carle