OK. Sometimes I Like Snow

We are wrapping up two days of no school due to a Fall snow storm that started on Tuesday evening, and is continuing even now as I type on Thursday evening. I would say it's safe to guess that we have had about 18 inches of the white stuff fall. Who knows exactly, but it's a lot. Not the most that I have ever seen, but still enough.

The first day that we had school called off was also, coincidentally, the first day The Girl has ever had a snow day. She had no clue what it meant. True to herself, she cried because she was going to miss school, and tried to argue a way back into getting to go. I literally had to explain that no one was going to be there and the building would be locked. I guess she thought I was just being lazy and didn't want to go out into the snow. Thankfully, after a day of baking, watching movies, and playing in our jammies all day, today went much more smoothly when I told her there was still no school today. There was actually a little smile on her face when I told her she got to stay home another day.

Today proved to be just as fun as yesterday. There is just something about having all of us under one roof, together, and with nowhere to go. It's just so fun and relaxing. I was surprised that the day didn't just fly right by like they usually do. I mean, I wouldn't say that time felt like it was standing still, but I don't feel like I am left wondering where the day went. We had a great time baking, playing indoors, watching movies, playing outdoors, and just being.

Together.

With nowhere else to go.

It was happy.

Even though it was cold.

Sibling happiness:


Don't forget the snow dog:


It doesn't look like much snow until you see some of the drifting on the roof on the left.

(Yes, I realize that our home is two different colors in this picture. That is a blog for another time.)

(OK, I'll just tell you. The painters started painting the house the day before the storm. Now we must wait until the snow melts and we are dry enough to finish. In the meantime, we are green and pink. It's cool though. I might go with those colors for Christmas decorating this year.)

My two favorite men. I think this might be my favorite picture of them:


The Girl all bundled up:


Yes, I know there is no picture of me. While I am happy we have had snow days, I still do not care for snow...which is why I snapped these pictures from the garage...still in my jammies.

We don't need a picture of that.

A Change of Face

I've just returned from a Mommy's Weekend Away. As much as it was so needed, I did actually miss everyone. It is still so surprising to me that I can find so much joy in being able to wake, eat, and in general, just do stuff WHEN EVER I WANT. It's weird because I don't really feel all that trapped in my everyday life, but when I have this small freedom, oh the freedom! It feels so good.

Oh ya, the good friends and food added to all the happiness.

Upon returning, it was back to the same song and dance. Back to school, sibling tiffs...uh, I mean love, and CHORES. Oh, the chores.

Although it shouldn't be funny when your kids are naughty, sometimes, it just is. Last night, The Little Man came out of the play room looking like this:





me: Buddy! What is all over your face?
p: Markers.
me: Why did you mark all over your face with markers?
p: Because I hit my sister with a toy.
me: What?
p: I hit sister with a toy so I wrote all over my face.
me: Huh? I heard you say that you hit your sister with a toy, but I don't know why you would write all over your face.
p: Because! I threw a toy at sister and it hit her right here (pointing to her his mouth)!

I really couldn't deliver a consequence for these shenanigans. Seriously, I can't figure out what was really going on, and also, I can't stop laughing at him for ratting himself out about something completely different than what I was originally inquiring about.

He did look a bit sorry and disappointed in himself if that helps.

He may have been trying to copy this look:

Hubs let him get his face painted this weekend during a Fall Festival in our neighborhood.

I was thankful that this morning, he felt like it was a better choice to do this instead:


No scrubbing required.

(I still can't get over him just sitting around watching TV like this.)

Short Answers Get the Point Across

While we battle the sickies this week (which, if you are interested, is Fall Break), this little comment made me laugh:

(The Little Man is laying on his sick couch watching his second movie of the day)
Hubby: Hey Dude! How many movies are you going to watch today?
P: (In a deep, grumpy, with a touch of frustration voice) A lot.

So our day is booked.

A Quick Note

Dear Blog,

I miss you.

I long to write in you again.

Please know there is no other blog.

Love,
Me

Impulsive Purchasing Leads to Hours of Entertainment

Since we are about mid-way through October (mercy), I thought it would be a good idea to start working on costume ideas for Halloween this year. My intent was to take a look around and see what was out there. My kids would show interest in about two or fifteen different costumes, and then we would talk about which ones they liked the best for a day or two so we would have the most favorite costume picked out by the time Halloween got here.

Then I got to Super T.

After walking up and down the aisles a few times looking at the options, listening to both kids ooo and awe over every single costume on the shelf, looking through, no fighting through each rack trying to find the right size only to find that most of the costumes are missing some of their parts and pieces. Then finding something that was the right size, had all it's parts, WAS APPROPRIATE for a child (HELLO costume makers! CHILDREN are wearing these) only to see it's price tag, and nearly choke, I decided this would be it. We were picking out our costumes right then and there and not returning.

I think the kids really appreciated this impulsiveness as well.

So, this year I will be accompanied by Black Spider-Man (not the same as regular Spider-Man) and Cleopatra as I walk up and down our neighborhood streets in search of treats. Here's some funny things about these costumes:

1. Cleopatra? Enough said. Seriously, she had so many choices to pick from. Why Cleopatra? The Girl has been known to pick some pretty odd costumes in the past, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. I'm just thankful she didn't choose that weird dead cheerleader costume I saw.

2. The one requirement for The Little Man this year was that the mask he had actually covered his whole head. He didn't want it to just be a mask on the front being held on by a piece of elastic around the back. So whenever I asked him what he wanted to be, he would say his favorite character for the day, but the mask "would have the back on it". For example, "I want to be Darth Vader with the back on it." It took me a while to figure out what in the world he was even talking about, but then we went to Super T looking for a birthday present one day. There was this helmet for a Storm Trooper there, and he kept going on and on about how the Storm Trooper mask had the back on it. Thus, I finally figured out what he was talking about.

SO all that to say, if you ask him what he is going to be for Halloween, he will tell you, "A Black Spider-Man with the back on it", and THAT is what he is talking about.

Also, if he tries on his mask for you, PLEASE notice that it covers the back of his head. It will make him so happy.

He can hardly wait to, and these are his words not mine, "Totally FREAK everyone out by having the back on my head with my costume".

I have no idea.

3. The Girl is thrilled to no end that her Cleopatra costume is a little bit big for her which means that the dress is very flow-y. I have watched her walk down the stairs a few times now so that she can have me see how it just "Floats down the stairs".

Also, she wanted me to know that if she lived during the times of Felicity (An American Girl character which she is TOTALLY into right now), her costume would be, "Totally appropriate because it is longer than three inches above my ankles."

Sweet.

So, for the next few weeks I will be quite busy watching my Cleopatra float all over our home in her "Appropriate dress" while listening to Black Spider-Man with the back on FREAK everyone out while he jumps, spins, and runs all over the house asking people "Do you need help? I'm here to help!"

Good times. Good times.

Yes, I will get a photo shoot done with kids in costumes like years past...I'm still working on the details.

More Cold Fun

Since it is dreary, cold, wet, and slightly snowing, guess what we did today? Yup, it was a field trip to the pumpkin patch. Apparently, the teachers tried to cancel it and try for another day, but while I was out of the room, they had a vote and the other parents decided we should just go for it anyways.

Ahem.

So, we all bundled up and headed out in the snow to have a hayride, jump in bounce houses, go through a hay maze, and pick out a pumpkin. Thankfully, there was also a stop for some hot cider. My Little Man had a great time, and I worked very hard not to ruin it with a grumpy disposition. I think I did pretty good. It did only last for about an hour and a half. When I started to feel my real feelings trying to bubble up to the surface, I thought it would be a good time to go home. With that, I found his teachers and let them know we would be heading out, going home for the day, and thank you very much for a grand time.

It was just so grand.

At 34 degrees.

Upon getting home, I was back into my jammies in about 2 or so seconds. Thankfully, The Little Man didn't even question our early departure. He thought that it was totally normal that we were leaving the school day at ten in the morning.

I love that little boy.

I did get some fun pics:

A scary vampire thing:


Now a monster:


Jump house madness:

(wasn't it nice of them to allow the little kids to keep their shoes on in the jump houses?)

Corn maze rowdiness:


Hay ride heaven:


Hot cocoa and tea for the rest of the day.

Something Has Happened to Me

I am sitting here on this record setting cold morning enjoying a bowl of oatmeal.

Oatmeal.

I don't like oatmeal.

It's a texture thing.

I have tried several times to like oatmeal because of, you know, the health benefits, but I could not stomach it. I do love me some Cream of Wheat. Oh, you just put some milk, sugar, and cinnamon in it and then dip in a piece of buttered sour dough toast, and it's pure cold morning heaven. I even will eat Cream of Wheat for dinner on a cold night. It's one of those foods that works both ways. However, on the oatmeal front, there was no love whatsoever.

A few weeks ago, I noticed this weird craving I had for it. I was a little taken back by it, and ignored it for a while, thinking I was going nuts. Then I remembered, HELLO! I am nuts. So, with that, I bought some of that instant oatmeal that comes in single serving packs. It was called "Healthy" or "Active" (or something appealing like that) "Lifestyle". However, I learned quickly that it was full of fake sugar. For those that know me, I could get up on a soap box all day about fake sugars. For the sake of this blog, I will just say fake sugars and "healthy" don't go together. I should have done a better job at label reading. Drats. I did however notice that I was only upset with the flavor NOT the texture. It was a breakthrough moment, indeed.

So, in an attempt to correct the situation, I went ahead and bought straight up oatmeal. No packets, no special flavorings, nothing. Just oatmeal. I figured if my craving for oatmeal goes away, and I again decide that it is just not for me, then I can make a bunch of cookies with it and all will be right with the world again.

So now I sit with my bowl of oatmeal, not at all annoyed by the texture, but wondering what I could add to it to help the flavor out just a bit? Today I added walnuts and dried cranberries. Oh, and a bit of sugar...the real kind. I am not opposed to sweet, just make it real.

Suggestions in this matter would be wonderful.

P.S. I don't like raisins.

P.P.S. To add to this new found weirdness, I have also been appreciating the briskness of the weather during my runs in the morning. Do you think I am totally losing it?