Stir crazy...

We were going stir crazy on day 6 of snowstorm 2008.....so I decided to see how the van would handle on the roads but not before calling my friends who have experience in this. They thought I would be okay ....and we were. We even slid around a little and I handled it just fine. I am telling you I could do this....I could live like this. It's the sideways rain that I hate.....and that is coming later this weekend. I am preparing by getting all the essentials: airbed blown up, flashlights, firewood, and food that is easily prepared by stove. I told someone today I feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder at times living here :)
We have been having fun playing in the snow. Not a snow shovel or snow sled to be found anywhere but LM seems content throwing snowballs at the dogs, shoveling snow and playing w/ Mater in the snow. I have been taking so many pictures my camera may explode but having fun doing it.
Tonight LM said as I kissed him goodnight: "mommy, did you smell me when you kissed me nite nite?" Yes, baby I did because I love that sweet baby smell. He still smells likea little one and I love it because I know one day he will just be a stinky boy--but my stinky boy :)

More snow....

We STILL have snow everywhere. The sun has been out and it's been beautiful. I have never seen weather like this. This is unusual for Whidbey I hear.....but man it's beautiful. I could live in this. It snows, it sticks, the sun comes out but doesn't melt it all. I could do it!! Now, mind you I am a total idiot when it comes to walking on ice and would end up breaking my neck but I love this weather right now. I have fallen in love with this little island in the past few days (no worries people--this too shall pass) ....but it's honestly been the most beautiful thing I have seen in a long time. And watching my little man play and have fun in it makes my heart melt each day. I just love to watch him so happy with that little grin. He doesn't want to take his rain boots off (aka snow boots to us now)......thanks Aunt A for those :) And thanks to L for my "snow boots". I don't think these pictures will do it justice but here's what it has been like the last few days.

And BTW: Is it really an "estate sale" if it's in a mobile home park? Just a random question--not being mean but maybe I don't know what an estate sale is.....

More pictures

Sledding w/ his buddy......family picture.....BT in the field behind the house (before he took off after another dog with me screaming running in boots behind him--please

note it's not easy to run in the snow in mud/rain boots :)

Squirrelllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just kidding--there is no squirrel. I just felt like saying that after seeing Christmas Vacation... ha ha. So today we had an absolute blast in the snow. I am no snow expert but would venture to say we had at least 3 inches today and maybe even more. LM had a blast in it....Mommy had a blast and the dogs were absolutely nuts!! They love the snow and went crazy and were pooped out the rest of the day. Although BT took off like a crazy man after another dog he did well and came right back. G liked it and tried to pick some up off the ground from her Bumbo. We threw snowballs at the dogs , each other and attempted snow angels. LM kept eating snow but I reminded him not to eat the yellow snow ;)

One of our sweet friends came over and her husband took LM for MANY rides on their sled with his friend. They went up and down hills and it was so much fun to watch.

We also went to the kids Christmas party at the Wing yesterday and they did a fantastic job. LM was able to get daddy's airplane and sit in the pilot seat, nav seat and Santa even flew in on an airplane....it was awesome for him and he was able to tell daddy all about it today by phone. He also was very excited to share with daddy that he saw the kitchen in the airplane. ....trust me , it's not that exciting but he thought so :) Miss G just started scooting backward on her belly tonight. Not sure what that means but she is trying to move a little, just the wrong way ;)

What has happened?

A few months ago I was complaining my son didn't want to be near me, say I love you, kiss me, hug me...nada! Now, he is loving all over me. He comes up and says I love you very much and throws his arms around me (sometimes this turns into a strangling hold but that's okay). What happened ? I am not complaining because it's the sweetest most wonderful thing when he hugs me...oh I hope he keeps it up although I know there will be times he won't--like when he is a teenager. Ughh don't even want to think of it yet.
Miss G is sitting up a little on her own but mainly propping herself up and is a lazy roller. Only rolls when she wants something. She is just fine chilling out or then fusses for me to roll her back over unless she spies something she wants, something shiny , musical or new....so I put those things just out of her reach and make her work for them. So mean , I know. She just keeps getting cuter and smiles most of the time and has finally taken to a napping schedule.
We are just staying busy with friends, parties and Christmas activities....it's not the same without Daddy but we are trying to make it as fun as possible since this will likely be the first Christmas LM remembers. We also got some news recently that we are headed to VA this summer sometime. I am looking forward to it but nto looking forward to returning to bugs and humidity....yuck. We are however looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. I have loved the lack of bugs here in the northwest.....but am ready for a change. It will be so nice to be closer to home, get LM settled into a preschool and find a routine. I love that part of moving...learning about all my new surroundings, getting it all figured out--it's like a big puzzle each time we move and I love fitting all the pieces together and making that happen. This will be the first time Daddy has been here to pack out and get it all ready with us. Boy is he in for a treat...ha!!

Santa ......third round

If you recall and have read this blog for a while last year's Santa visit didn't go so well. There was complete "waling" as we call it and a frantic splotchy faced kid who was hysterical. The kid wants a Mac truck to haul Lightning around in so badly that he faced his fears and sat on Santa's lap this year. He asked me to hold his hand on the way up there and shyly climbed up on his lap and said I would like a Mac truck please....a red one. Then he sat with sister to get his picture taken and did such a great job. Miss G on the other hand was not scared at all and pulled his beard and was so interested and curious. All in all it was a good day and am so proud of him for facing his fears and doing it even though the poor little guy was so apprehensive.....what a big boy.

AND........when I got Miss G from the nursery today at my church tea she turned around , saw me and reached out to me with open arms...first time she has done that. I almost cried right there b/c that was the first time......ah.....so exciting.

Christmas Tree

I told you it was too tall....

Oh, where do I start? We went to get a tree at the tree farm.....we took one of our sitters with us to help wrangle LM. There was hot cider, rows and rows of trees, a sled, a fake reindeer, a talking Christmas tree and more. We were all decked out in our rain boots (thanks L and Nanna) for the mud and G in her bunting suit.

Having flashbacks of last year and daddy heaving a huge tree into the house that touched the top of our cathedral ceilings ran through my head(refer to Dec 07 entries)... I vowed not to get a huge tree this year. I looked at many, many trees. I asked LM which one he wanted.....he picked one about his height....a Charlie Brown if you will. I SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH HIS TREE!! I picked one of the "small" trees comparatively speaking. Up against the others it looked short , skinny and just right. Well, it's still almost 7' tall and a pain to get lights up on.....not enough ornaments to decorate it so the back is bare up against the wall. I had to get the sweet young man at the tree farm to tie it on top. We got home ....it was dark since it gets dark here at 4pm and I cut the rope and watched it roll off of the top of the Tahoe onto the ground with a big thud.....but not before it nailed me in the pelvis. That is one nasty bruise on my leg/ hip area. So I drag the thing in to the door and realize that is as far as I am going without help.

Thanks to my neighbor (and you know how much I hate to ask for help) we got it in and up in the stand in no time....cut thenetting off and unveiled the Griswold tree once again this year. But when I saw LM beam when the lights were on and say "Mommy, I like that big tree we got" it was all worth it. Now hopefully paw paw can help me get the thing out--ha!

We put ornaments on tonight and I thought LM was putting them on the tree--hanging them, right? Not really ....on his side he was just placing them on branches and they kept falling out and he got frustrated. So after about 10 minutes he gave up and went back to pulling his loads on his trains. All told it's a nice tree and am proud it's up and decorated.......but wish Daddy was here to enjoy it with us...I think he would find this one just right this year :)

On a different note --last night while I put on the lights I heard Miss G laughing and saying "uhnnn".....when I turne dto see what for I noticed her brother pegging her in the head with a bouncy ball. He then turned to her and said quite sarcastically and in this high pitch "sorry" without meaning it one bit. Oh, the days that lie ahead are sure to keep me on my toes.

Jesus picture

LM: Mommy, I can use these stickers to make a picture.....right? (after already using several)
Mommy: (looks up stunned to find he has used our Christmas stamps to make a nice picture on a piece of paper--)
Now we have a Jesus and Mary picture of just "stickers"......next time I will put the "stickers" a little higher on the counter :)