Stuck Inside

When we had snowstorm after snowstorm, it felt a little like cabin fever for me. But not for Micah and Caelan, they had a great time playing inside! They went camping....

And who needs a park playground
when you have an amazing slide?

Kick back, read a good novel...

Or get cozy and snuggle.

And here Caelan is proving just how warm it is to be inside!
Definitely his father's child...

And here he is posing in the nude,
however his favorite froggy is saving him
from embarrassment and harbored resentment,
which will occur in fifteen years
when he sees what his mother has done. :)

Hey, I can sew!

Who knew? I took a sewing class in Home Economics once, and I sewed a heart pillow and got an A. Since then, I've probably sewn several buttons. I also attempted straight lines on curtains in my living room. But I don't own a machine, nor have I had any desire to really learn sewing. Because until now, I've always thought that this hobby requires time and money. Why spend all that time making something that you can buy a whole lot cheaper and you can spend the time doing something else? For all you sewers out there who I'm making angry - just wait, I have been enlightened!

My small group recently did a sewing project together and to my surprise, it was so much fun! I'm actually pretty good at sewing. I started late, and finished first! Also, the project we made took very little time, and it was made from scrap fabrics. A lot of friends have sewing machines I can borrow, so I am inspired to start sewing!

So, I made the little thing below. Looks rather simple, but it's somewhat complicated. I'm sure you have no idea what it is. It's supposed to be a little snack bag for the kids. The top velcros together and the inside is even lined! I love the pattern. TADA!!

Just a funny thing to add: When I said to my friend Jen, Sewer Extraordinaire, that this project seemed easier if we used fabric glue, she looked horror-stricken, and said, "Saying fabric glue is like cussing to me. " You had to be there. It was classic. Here are some of the gals in my moms group, sewing the same thing as Jen teaches us how.

I'm going to start on something simple like pillows. And maybe one day, I'll have a sewing & crafts blog like my friend Adrianna. Yeah, right. She's amazing. For now, I'll just be happy that I don't reach for the fabric glue.

I kinda hate Valentines Day

Our eighth Valentines Day together came and went, and I'm just not sure whether I love it or love to hate it. I am your hopeless romantic, but lately I think I'm just becoming too practical. I mean what girl doesn't like chocolate, or flowers, or gifts? But geez, the pressure to always do something fun as a couple is burdensome. And how practical is it to overpay for a cutesy themed pre-fixed meal and $15 per hour childcare to consume it? And who said that Hallmark and Russell Stover has to tell us how to show love every year?

Poor Patrick scours the websites looking for the perfect overpriced red roses to send me because it's mandated that all husbands get their wives flowers and they can't just come home with it, they have to have it delivered publicly so everyone knows how much they are loved---and when they finally are delivered, IF they are delivered--they wind up being a much less red, smaller version, bouquet of what he imagined!

So, this year - no chocolate, no roses, no pre-fixed menus, no dressing up. We decided that there's no pressure. After we got free childcare (thank you mom & dad), we went to see the all-star cast movie, Valentines Day (you can't get away without doing something cheesy) and met our friends, the Lauers, for a double date dinner at a fabulous Thai restaurant within 10 yards of the theatre. I was in jeans and sneakers. It was perfect. Patrick actually shed a tear in the movie, and we had a few cocktails, spicy thai food, and great conversation. So, instead of commiserate, I celebrate Valentines Day! Until 2011 comes and I will need to go through this exercise all over again....

Snowpocalyse of 2010

No, no, not this much snow! This snowstorm has been called "historic" as the area's fourth largest snowstorm--ever. Some parts of the greater Washington area reported 40 inches of snowfall. This is our front yard, and you can't see it---but there was a bench in the middle that has completely been buried in snow!

It's been insane around here. Even before the first snowflake hit the ground, Virginia had declared a state of emergency. Schools were closed. Flights were canceled. Grocery stores emptied. Poor Patrick was never more frustrated in his life at Wegmans. It was like everyone had gone insane, and purchased enough toilet paper and bread for weeks. I was a bit of skeptic myself with the forecasts, refusing to believe the hype about the "Snowpocalypse", but I have to admit -- there is a lot of snow out there.

About 30 inches in our backyard. Although our streets are plowed, the rest of the area is suspended. There were major power outages last night. Churches were closed today. Metro was suspended for all above ground trains. Schools have closed again until Tuesday. Government offices closed.

I've never seen a city so paralyzed!
Well, The Rings refused to be paralyzed. We were moving!

Ruth, our wonderful neighbor below, loaned us a sled!

...and Caelan cried for half a block when we took him off it....yikes...

He was comforted though.
It was a treat to have grandma
snowed in with us for the long weekend.


And then Micah and Daddy were
climbing up snow covered mountains.


...And reached the summit!

They are calling for more snow on Tuesday - six more inches.
When will this end? Just days ago, it had
snowed 2-3 inches, and our next door neighbor,
Nancy, made the boys a wonderful snowman.
Thank you Nancy!

Looks like more fun for the boys for the next week or so.
Until then, Daddy and Caelan are headed in
for the fireplace and some warm milk!

Because I Want Him

This evening Micah answered of one my questions that I had been wrestling with:

"Mommy, is daddy home yet?"
"No baby, 45 more minutes."
"Is he still making money?"
"Yep, he's working for us."
"I don't want him to work. I want him to be home with us."

That of course had me drop everything I was doing and head over to ask him, "Why, Micah, do you want Daddy to be home?"
He simply said, "Because I want him."

It occurred to me there will be a time when the children will not want us so much, and maybe perhaps that's the time I can give myself to other things. Still praying through much of this, but I am glad for the wisdom each day I gain from my children. For now, for a short time, they are undeservedly mine and I will cherish these moments.