Adventures in Snow

It has been a snowy winter for our area. The past few days we have been without power but luckily have great family and friends who have been helping out in many ways. Thanks to Grandaddy for getting us situated in a hotel those first couple of cold nights. Thanks to our neighbor up the street for using his mini loader to clear the road so we could get to the hotel. Thanks to our next door neighbor for clearing out sidewalks and drive with his snow blower and bringing us bread from the store. Thanks to everyone else who offered warm houses and words of encouragement. We are safe, warm (almost too warm, since we fear we may loose power again with the predicted accumulation tonight) and doing quite well in terms of morale. Anyway, here are a few pictures from our adventures. More to come as I get organized and download the other camera.

The New Baby

So, I am about two months behind on posting this but here is the ultrasound picture of baby #3. A girl. We are very excited to have her here with us in the spring.

Quote of the Day

Eleanor: Pause the book Mom!

Christmas 2009

We had such a lovely Christmas with family and friends, but only barely made it to Michigan before a historic snowstorm hit the DC area and all of the airports were closed. I won't recount the whole flight switching/rushing to the airport in (also historic) traffic/barely making the flight saga but needless to say, I hope never to have to do it again.

We decorated cookies with Grandma:



We decorated a gingerbread house with Nana and Aunt Glee:





We opened...



and enjoyed lots of presents:



We managed to get a decent Christmas Eve shot with everyone in it using the timer:



We played in the snow -- a meager amount compared to what was at home, but very fun nonetheless:



We made snow angels:



And went sledding:



Finally, though I don't have a proper picture of it, one of the kids favorite things this holiday season has been to put on full length, full costume productions of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. Eleanor as Clara, Henry as the Nutcracker Prince and whatever adult is handy and willing as the "Mean Rat King". There certainly is some magic about this music and story, which has fully and completely infected the hearts of Eleanor and Henry. I took Eleanor this year to a community production of the Nutcracker and look forward to taking both of them next year.

Thank you everyone for a wonderful Christmas season. Regrettably, I haven't gotten Christmas cards out this year -- maybe I'll be able to get my act together by Valentine's day. Whether or not I end up getting cards out, please know that we love you all and miss those of you who we don't see often.

Eleanor's 4 Year Old Birthday List

Eleanor is 4 now. I can hardly believe it. I am sure I write that every time a birthday passes, but it is true. She is confident and chatty but still somewhat observant in new situations.



She is skipping and hopping on one foot and generally enjoying life. She doesn't nap very much anymore, but by bedtime seems to have greatly needed a bit of rest. Eleanor and Henry play little games of imagination together all the time and it just melts my heart to see. They are both excited about the arrival of their sister in the spring. My intention is not to let so much time pass before the next post, but we'll just see how things go. Without further adieu, here is Eleanor's 4 year old list. My questions, her words below.

1. What is your favorite color?
Uh...blue and pink.

2. What are your favorite toys?
Mmm...all my birthday gifts. [Birthday gifts included a princess dress, crown, high heel shoes, fairy wand, and many more.] My pink bike. Mom, I have a question for you, I want Henry to share Wall-e a little bit more with me because I haven't played with Wall-e much yet. So, Henry is going to go to sleep early tonight and I am going to play with Wall-e a little bit. I have another question for the computer, I like, also, also favorite colors are red and yellow.


[Playing Sleeping Beauty in her new dress.]

3. Where do you like to go when we go outside?
Mmm...play in the snow. Play in the car and the backyard.

4. What is your favorite book?
Mmm...Little [Brown] Bear and the Little Bundle of Joy [by Jane Dyer]. [Thanks to Lilly for this very appropriate birthday gift.] The Three Little Pigs.

5. What things do you like to do or play with?
I like to play with my princess balloon [thanks Nonna]. I really like to do, uh, I really like to, mmm, ah, play ball with my Daddy.

6. Who are your friends?
Vivian and Lilly and Riley and Talan and Kalie.

7. What is your favorite food?
Cinnamon bread [which we just had for lunch], applesauce, just regular bread.

8. Anything else you want to say?
Yes. Uh...to play soccer with my Daddy. And I like watching trains. And I like going to the Metro with Daddy. Well, I have another friend to tell you Mom, computer friend, I mean I am saying it to the computer, can I please say another friend? Someone who has long hair I am thinking about. It is Luke. [Me: He doesn't really have long hair.] I just said him because I like men and women. I've got another book to tell the computer. The one about the Nutcracker. I want to tell Ms. Paula to the computer. Ms. Paula is a little bit growly, her voice. I'm going to sing ABCD and you can write it. I want to say something else to it. I have another favorite color, I do, I do, I do! Green. And, red and orange. And, pink is my last favorite color. And all the colors in the world. I got so much stuff. I want to say something about...that I want Henry to play ball ball with me. I don't have any more stuff to say. No Mom, I don't.