Snowy Adventures

We took the kids outside to for their first experience in real snow. They had such fun.
Mark got right down to business. He had been eyeing that shovel all day and couldn't wait to get out there and use it. Just wait kid, in a year or too we will be sending you out there to shovel. I bet you don't beg to use it then.

I love how both the kids looked like stuffed sausages out there. It took us not less than 20 minutes to get everyone dressed for our outdoor adventure.

This is the snowblower that could not would not blow snow. Jason worked on it for most of the morning to no avail. We started it eariler in the season to make sure it ran. It does. But there is only one way to test if it blows snow. It doesn't. It came free with the house so we can't complain too much. I think we are in the market for a snow blower. It looks like we will need it.

I love this little picture of Anna. She is standing. Jason unknowingly built her a little play pen while working on the snowblower. He is a good husband.

Is this not the saddest little fall display ever.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! Trick or Treat safely.

Northern NY Initiation

Remember yesterday's picture. This was the scene this morning.

We were forecast for 4 to 8 inches. We got over a foot.

We are starting winter off with a bang this year.

To say we were under prepared would be an under statement. The snow blower is still in storage. The snow shovel is still in the shed. This is the grill.

Welcome to winter in NY van. I bet you wish we were still in Virgina. They didn't get any snow last night. In fact this is more snow than we saw in all four of our years in Virginia combined.

We might as well welcome winter with open arms. It is here to stay. Time to go play.

Rain Rain Go Away

I have a feeling there will be a lot of this over the next couple of days.

The Little People

I know it has been a few days. Weekends are not blog friendly for me.
These are for the grandmas who are missing seeing the babies. Enjoy!




I took some artistic liberties with this one. The original wasn't very special but I loved the pose. What do you think? Too much?

Mark Cooks

Back by very popular demand, another interview with Mark. Jeesh Gina, climb off my back(kidding...Gina is the coolest aunt ever.) Anyway, Mark has decided to do a cooking demo for us today. Enjoy.

Siblings

Some girls play with dolls.

Some girls get to wear pink and purple.

My girl has a brother. She has been watching her brother since the day she was born.

This brother of hers taught to play with trucks and cars. He showed her that it is was OK for little girls to play with boy things. He showed her if she plays with trucks and cars he would play with her too. So she plays with little boy things. And loves it.

He doesn't know it but he is a wonderful teacher.

The Hat

See this hat.

My how she has grown.
It is hard to believe that tiny little hat ever fit her.

Front/Back Door Meme

My mom over at Dlyn hosts this meme. Go on over and check it out. Give it a try if you want to. It's fun to see the changes from month to month.
Oh do we ever have changes this month. It has been huge. Our leaves are about done. It was a really spectacular show this year though. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Front.

Back.
As you can see I have a pretty good start on the leaves but still have miles to go until I am done. Hopefully this afternoon will see me out on the tractor putting a big dent in our leaf population.
Did I mention we have snow in the forecast for Wednesday? Our landscape may see even bigger changes by the end of the week. Welcome to the north country, baby.

Land of Snow and Ice

It's no secret that this is Jason and my first winter back after a rather long hiatus down south. We spent about the last 10 years (has it really been that long?) in our country's southern states. So this year will either be really fun or we will be soooo sorry we made this move. A lot of the the guys Jason works with are telling us things like we will need a bigger truck and a plow. I am hoping they are blowing smoke. We will see.
We aren't complete winter virgins. Jason grew up in Wisconsin and I grew up about two hours south of here. We have both shoveled snow. We have been around this block before. I hope this winter won't come as any surprise to us. I hope we haven't forgotten what it is like to live in the land of snow and ice.

I got this in an email a few days ago. I really hope it doesn't apply to us.

I am told that this has already been seen by half the Internet. Guess I am out of touch. This in the first time I have seen it. I will post if for the half who haven't seen it yet. Enjoy!

December 8: 6:00 PM. It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9: We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the Whole World? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had. Shoveled for the first time in years, felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life.

December 12: The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment. My neighbor tells me not to worry, we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14: Snow, lovely snow! 8" last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15: 20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and two extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16: Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17: Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for five hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20: Electricity's back on, but had another 14" of the damn stuff last night. More shoveling. Took all day. Goddamn snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower, and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22: Bob was right about a white Christmas, because 13 more inches of the white shit fell today, and it's so cold it probably won't melt 'til August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel, and then I had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel! Tried to hire Bob, who has a plow on his truck, for the rest of the winter; but he says he's too busy. I think the asshole is lying.

December 23: Only 2" of snow today, and it warmed up to "0". The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What, is she nuts!!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did, but I think she's lying.

December 24: 6". Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son-of-a-bitch who drives that snowplow, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls and beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over everywhere I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy watching for the Goddamn snowplow.

December 25: Merry F!=3D@x@!x!x1 Christmas. 20 more inches of the !=3D@x@!x!x1 slop tonight. Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's a fricking idiot. If I have to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to stuff her into the microwave.

December 26: Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27: Temperature dropped to -30, and the pipes froze. Plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him; he only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.

December 28: Warmed up to above -50. Still snowed in. The BITCH is driving me crazy!!!!!

December 29: 10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30: Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plow driver. He is now suing me for a million dollars; not for only the beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the broken snow shovel up his ass. The wife went home to her mother. 9" predicted.

December 31: I set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8: Feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed?

Leaf Removal Day

We chose a beautiful day to clean the yard.

We made it a family affair

Everyone had a job.
Some of us were more thorough than others.

Mark and I spent most of the morning on the tractor.

Dear Town of Diaperville, Please come and take these leaves away before they blow all over the place again. Thanks.

We even put some in the back for next year's compost needs. I feel so green.

It looks like we have miles and miles to go before we are done. Pretty though aren't they.

For now, the yard looks pretty good. I would show you the rest but as soon as we were done a big wind gust came and blew a bunch more down. It looks like we were never out there are at all. We had fun even though it was a little futile.

Some of us had more fun than others. Any leaves we didn't pick up Anna ate. She got a little extra fiber in her diet that day.

Great fun was had by all.

Daisy

Side Note: Yesterday went pretty well. It is always easier with Jason here. But Mark did really well comparatively. I know you were up all night wondering.


While lying in bed the other night waiting for sleep to find me I realized I have done not one not two but three posts about a fish. And I haven't done one post about my dear dog. Isn't that sad. Well here we go. This is Daisy. She is the best dog ever.

She really doesn't like having her picture taken.

She would really like me to stop now but I told her to stay put so she will. But she doesn't have to like it. She is a good dog.
Now this is a little more like it.

This is the face she makes when I rub her tummy. She doesn't care anymore that I am taking her picture so long as I don't stop moving my hand. Sometimes when she really likes it, she sticks her tongue out a little. She has two little black dots on her tongue that you can only see when she yawns. It looks like you put a little dot of black ink on one side of her tongue and squished it together. I didn't though. That is just what it looks like. Thought you might like to know that little factoid about my dog.

Jeesh! More picture taking. We have had this little jem for about four years. I went to Pet Smart for cat food and came home with a dog. Tux (the cat) was so happy. She is wonderful with the kids. Patience is her number one attribute. She does have a teeny tiny little bitty smidgen of a problem with other dogs. She is really sorry later though. Really really really sorry.

This is the best though. A walk with mom. And no pesky children around. Life doesn't get better. I wish we were all as easy to please as this dog.

An End to the Dictatorship

The last few weeks have been pretty rough here. Our little tyrant dictator ruled with an iron fist. No laughing or playing. Anna could hardly breath without her brother telling her she was doing it wrong. We had hours of timeouts, days spent in the baby bed (my last resort punishment. He goes up to the crib with the door shut lights off and curtain shut. He is cut off from everything. It works.) and more yelling than ever. I hate yelling. And I felt like mommy the yell bag. Mark yelled back. It was bad.
And then we had a wonderful day on Monday. No yelling, minimal time outs and no time in the baby bed. Then yesterday was the same. He was compliant. He did what he was told. He was nice to his sister. He played with her and gave her toys. He didn't snatch things away just to make her cry. It was a dream. After they went to bed I actually missed them and wished they were still up to play with. Shocking, I know. We all had such fun together.
I think we are finally getting through. Late last week we decided we were going to crack down on his nasty behavior. No more yelling from anyone. Just consequences. A couple of missed mornings at the park (huge treat) and much time spent in time out and we are seeing results. I think I see light at the end of the tunnel. He is getting it. Be nice get rewarded; be mean get nothing.
Let me tell you, yesterday was so fun. We spent the whole days doing things together. I have missed that.
Today will be the true test. Jason is on his way to work. So it is just Mom and the kids. I will let you know how it goes.

Fun in the Leaves

We have new fun here. Boy do we ever have fun. It is called leaves and they are everywhere.

We rake them.

We crunch them.

We tromp around in them.

Sometimes we do this.

We have dedicated today to leaf removal. Expect more pictures later in the week.
I leave you with what has become my favorite tree. The leaves on it just about glow in the late afternoon sun.

Fall

Fall finally came to our backyard this week. I was starting to wonder. Up and down our street the trees were on fire but here in our yard we were still green. Not any more. I have to admit I have been looking forward to our trees turning all summer. I couldn't wait to see what sort of hues we have. As it turns out, they are spectacular.
Here are just a few I took.





I love Fall!!


Now I must go and rake.