It's SNOW much fun.

Or not.

I felt bad that we got so much snow here in Wisconsin while Zane was in Arkansas. I knew he would want to play in it. The first couple of days after we got back from our Christmas visit were just too cold. One day he said, "Mommy, pleeeease can we play in the snow?" I think it was in the 20s, but that was a relatively warm day.

Let me just tell you. If you've never had to bundle two kids and yourself in layers upon layers of clothes, snow suits/pants, coats, gloves, hats, boots, etc then you haven't lived. Not for the faint of heart. Defeating dragons would be easier.

Zane loved it. With snow up to his waist, he couldn't exactly run through it. But he had fun throwing it, eating it, sledding down the hill in our backyard, and smashing it on his head.

This baby said, "Uh uh. I like it just fine inside where it's warm."

Zane thought it would be a good idea to go down the slide on top of a foot of snow. He's so funny. What wasn't funny was when he lost his glove on the way down and his hand "froze".

Then I got to do the bundle thing in reverse. With two screaming, crying kids. And snow all over us. Hollin was crying because she was cold. Zane was crying because his "hand was froze". I was dripping in sweat and really wanted to cry from pure exhaustion.

Z decided that a "cup of warm cocoa" would make him feel better. Doesn't chocolate make everything better?!

The ground has remained white since December 20th. While I hate the bitter temperatures, I really will miss the snow. It's so pretty. I find myself wishing for snow most days, just because it's so cold and I want an excuse to stay in pjs not leave the house. And I love how Zane asks if the snow has MILL-ted (melted) yet.

 

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There's SNOW place like home...

Blizzard Draco

Since when do winter storms have names? Since now. Since it started snowing Wednesday night and didn't stop until around 2am on Friday. Since we had "thundersnow", which is when there's thunder and lightning and three inches of snow suddenly falls from the sky is less than an hour.

The plan was for Matt, Sandy, the kids, and the dogs to drive to Arkansas Thursday night after Matt's clinic. Unbelievably, his clinic was cancelled. Now I know in Arkansas we cancel school, church, work....at the mention of the word 'snow'....but I thought things were different here in Wisconsin. Well, apparently this wasn't your typical snow!

So, I suggested to Matt that they leave Wednesday night to beat the storm. What was I thinking? Oh yeah. That I'd rather my family get out of here before the storm and be safe.

The good news is they had a safe and uneventful trip to Arkansas. That I had a few days of sleeping in and relaxing in front of our 'pretend fire'. That I was able to clean house without Hurricane Zane following behind me. I was able to vacuum without Hollin on my hip.

The bad news? I've never felt that lonely in my entire life. The realization that I was in our house alone, no kids, no dogs, in Wisconsin, in the middle of a blizzard....it was eerie. I can't tell you how many times since they've been gone that I've tiptoed around as to not wake the babies. How many times I've thought, "Oh, gosh! I need to let the dogs out!" And then realize I'm alone!

Small Happys that have kept me from feeling so lonely...warm blanket, coffee, General Hospital, and our 'pretend fire'.

Pictures really don't do justice to the crazy amounts of snow we got! Almost TWENTY inches!

Looking out the back door

A neighbor brought by part of our house that blew off.

I tried to walk around in the backyard to take more pictures. There were places where the snow was pretty packed and I could walk without too much difficulty. But I quickly realized that if i stepped in an area where the wind had blown snowdrifts that I would fall in all the way past my knees!

This picture was taken Thursday night. That's my mailbox in the center of the picture.

Wish Zaney was here to build Frosty with me. Once the wind stopped and the sun came out, it really was beautiful! But I'm SO ready to hop on a plane, get to Arkansas, hug my babies, and let the Christmas festivities begin! And there's even a chance for snow on Christmas Day in Arkansas!

 

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Christmas in Madison

A few Christmas festivities we've enjoyed this year....

The kids are so lucky to have Ms. Jeri take such good care of them and treat them to a Christmas party. They enjoyed treats, movies, and presents! Hollin was wearing her cute outfit from Aunt Lindsey, so Zane wanted to wear a Christmas shirt, too. Reindeer pjs it is!

We took the Christmas tree cookies....but there's no pics of us baking or decorating. My new favorite phrase: I might not have made them, but I did make them possible. The Sentry grocery store did a much better job than I could ever do. Worth the time and sanity saved. Notice the girl in purple that Zane is next to in every picture? In his words, "I wuv her."

We enjoyed lunch with friends at Daisy Cafe and Cupcakery, which wore this little elf out.

What kid doesn't like Christmas lights? Madison has a free drive-through animated lights display called Festival in Lights. One night, after dinner and baths, we bundled the kids up and headed to Olin Park to see the lights. My favorite was the capital display with the actual capital across the lake in the background. We loved hearing Zane's excitement from the backseat. "Look at that kid sliding!" "There's Bucky Badger!" And Matt and I enjoyed the mini-vacation from chasing kids. If only they had fallen asleep on the way home....

Matt and I had a fun night out for his work Christmas party. While we were away, the kids had fun making cookies for Santa with Miss Marisa (or Miss Arisa, as Zane calls her).

That Santa....he found us in Wisconsin early again this year! The cookies must've lured him in.

Things I want to remember Z saying:

"My favorite Christmas song is "Dominick the Donkey".

"I thought it was so COOL that Santa brought me toys."

"A manger is what cows and horses eat."

"Don't worry, mommy. My toys will protect you."

And we got a little snow....but, more on that later.

 

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park

Two weeks ago the temps were in the upper 30s/lower 40s (heat wave, right?) so we bundled up and headed to the park. I must admit, this is the first time I’ve been to play at a park with snow on the ground!Zane L.O.V.E.S. to talk to his baby sister. He’ll look at me and say, “What my baby seester say?” and then I have to make up something and say it in a little baby voice. Here he’s saying, “Aww, you so cuuuute. I wike you hat.” I didn’t realize that the wind was blowing so hard, so we actually didn’t stay long. It was nice to get out of the house for a little while, though.Baby Hollin was snug as a bug in her stroller. But the wind was hurting my face!On the (sloooow) walk home, I pointed to a fire hydrant and asked Z if he knew what it was. “A fire sing.” (fire thing). So then we talked about fire trucks and fire hydrants all the way home.Almost all of the snow has melted, but it just started snowing again. I think we’re supposed to get a couple of inches today and more later this week. I hear Arkansas is getting some winter weather today, too. Which, for some reason, makes me miss our old house even more today. Zane had some fun snow days there last year. You can read those posts by clicking here and here.

Snowbabies

 Daddy was home Saturday and he and Zane got out to play in the snow a little. I put this little cutie in her snowsuit, but we didn’t stay out long. The wind started blowing pretty hard. Every time a big gust of wind would come, Hollin would act really surprised. She would suck in a big breath and get really wide-eyed. But how cute is this snowsuit??? This little guy had a great time playing with his new digger that Mama Doot got him for Christmas. He made a few snow angels and threw around some snow.Then I snapped a few pics of him inside with his crazy hair, rosy cheeks, big brown eyes, and Polar Express shirt. Every morning he’s been getting himself dressed before he comes downstairs—including picking out his own clothes. It may be 12 degrees outside and the middle of winter, but most days he comes downstairs with shorts and a t-shirt on. When I try to get him to put on pants he says, “These are my pants. They my fav-rit.” Everything is his ‘fav-rit’ right now.And he likes to wear Matt’s boots. Today that resulted in him falling in the kitchen and busting his top lip. It looked bad (why do mouth injuries have to bleed so much??) but I think the final result is just a busted, bruised, puffy upper lip. Poor guy.In other news, it was 45 degrees today in Madison! Everyone keeps telling us that this is the warmest winter ever….I’ll take it! Just hope we don’t pay for it later….