Snow!

It snowed 10" around here. That is rare. We are usually happy with 3". The boys, Martin especially, are loving the snow. They've been out three different times for over an hour.  Jared took two of those trips while I was feeding the baby. But I did make it out and I spent most of the time running around to keep warm. :) 

In my spare time I've been working on slides for an ESL presentation, made waffles, bacon, and eggs for second breakfast (after the first round of snow playing) and made a new kind of soup (I'll probably blog about it because it was delicious).  

I also fixed three of our window blinds that the boys had broken. I'd take photos and tell you how to replace a broken slat, but there are several really good YouTube videos. It is pretty easy and it looks so much better then have a broken (or taped) slat. If you have a broken slat, look up a video and fix it!! You can do it. Really. You can do it. It takes about five minutes. 

The chickens aren't big fans of snow. 

More Snow, Chicken Pot Pie, Groceries, and Bagels

This didn't upload yesterday. So I added a two pictures this morning of after the snow of my front and back yards. 

My backyard. 

It is snowing again today.  Why is it snowing?  I hope my daffodils are okay.  They haven't flowered yet.  Some of the creeping phlox have bloomed. This is one of my favorites because the whole thing turns purple for a week or two.  So pretty. The snow just started sticking. Poor little flower. It will soon be covered. 

Martin and I ran to the grocery store early this morning to avoid the crowds of milk and bread buying crazy people.  Beef was on sale. I bought a bunch to chop up and freeze for future beef stews.  We should have gone to Bible study this morning, but I was concerned Martin might have what Jared and I had and kept him home.  He is acting perfectly happy and normal, but his diapers have been smelling really strange. 

After we came home, I made chicken pot pie for dinner tomorrow while Martin fed himself. He has started using his fork and spoon pretty well (well enough to get food in his mouth).  It is wonderful. He makes a mess, but he is 75% self fed. From the pie dough scraps I made pigs-in-a-blanket for lunch (I have never made them before.  They are so easy). 

I also made a batch of whole wheat bagels.  I made half of it plain and half cinnamon raisin.  If I really like them I will post a link to the recipe later.  I was thinking of making bagel pizzas out of some of the plain ones.  We will see. 

Tonight we are going to celebrate my baby sister's birthday with my favorite Ruby Tuesday's smokehouse burger (bacon, cheddar cheese, onion rings, and barbque sauce) and cake batter ice cream cake. She has good taste. Happy Birthday, Hope.  Martin is especially thankful for you. You make him laugh and it is so much fun to watch. 

The burger is a running joke in my house because I ate it while I was going into labor with Martin. I ate the whole thing plus green beans and fries.  I had wanted a burger so badly all day and Jared had to work late that night and we didn't get to the restaurant until 7:30. I thought something weird was going on, but I had just seen the doctor that afternoon and she said I was definitely not in labor.  Ha ha ha. They admitted me to labor and delivery at 8:59 pm and Martin was born at 7:30am.  Jared laughs because I had to keep pausing from eating during the contractions.  He started looking at me and asking, "Are you alright? Is this a contraction? Can you talk?" They started off 8-10 minutes apart (and pretty minor), but by the time my burger was gone they were closer to five minutes and coming like clockwork and I could definitely not talk during them. I am so glad Martin is here and no longer a little alien inside me.  I know my mother and many other women love the feeling of a baby moving inside them, but I found the whole thing really really creepy.  

Here is to Hope and good food and babies, who as one of my friends puts it, "are better out than in." Happy birthday, little sister.  Have a great 18th year.  I love you. My baby is awake and I have to feed him and bathe him before your party.  :) 

Front yard.  Too bad the Christmas lights still aren't up. Our house looks like a little gingerbread house when it snows.  I love it.  Random fact: the light post out front has never worked. We have tried all the light switches in the house.