retraction

I would like to retract my former implication that we didn't get much snow. From up on our balcony I couldn't tell how deep it was... And yea, we got more than 3 inches... less than 9, but WAY more than our balcony would imply. I guess the wind did a good job of keeping it from building up on the rooftops and balconies. It ended up being well above the tops of my boots. Needless to say, Caden didn't last long out there.

It's 21 degrees out there. The wind is blowing. I didn't want my toddler to get COLD. Knowing he would have snow everywhere if I didn't watch it, I covered him up pretty well. Taking notes from "A Christmas Story"... you know the kid... so layered up that he couldn't move his arms and legs. Yea, that was Caden. He had on 3 layers for his legs, 4 layers for his torso, 2 pairs of mittens, his hat... not to mention wearing hard soled shoes (which make it really hard for him to walk... throws his balance off since he's used to being able to actually feel the ground with his leather soled shoes.)

The pictures speak for themselves. We spent more time getting dressed than we spent outside playing in the snow. Now the clothes are in the dryer, the shoes are outside the door, and we are warming up inside. :)

sure enough

Ok, so they said we were going to get almost a foot of snow originally... then they revised it to 3-6 inches... with a likelihood of up to 9inches. Here we are this morning... just a few small showers expected today... so our accumulation looks something like this:

SNOW!

it finally came! I know this doesn't really look like much on the video... it's hard to focus on the snow coming down when the wind is gusting... but it really was coming down pretty heavily... at least for our neck of the woods. I know it's nothing compared to the Great Lakes region or really anywhere north of here.
I will be sure to catch a photo of the fresh morning snow cover when Caden and I get up tomorrow... it's been coming down at a good clip all afternoon. Last time I peeked out the window, everything was white. :) And as far I have could tell, there was no ice mixed in... so tomorrow is going to be FUN! Caden and I are going out to PLAY! Again, pictures to follow...

reading is fun!

a series

before i get to the snow, here are a few shots of the monkey discovering how to ZOOM across wood floors on his new trike... thanks meme!

a look back at a past life

Bethany, this is as much for you as anyone... This blog was posted by my old boss at A Southern Season's wine shop. He is now owning/running a new shop in merry ol' Chapel Hill, NC called 3Cups.

http://www.3cups.net/postcards-from-france

I have always enjoyed the way he writes. I wish you could all meet him, especially those of you that are oenophiles. Jay is one of those guys who at a very young age caught the wine loving bug. He is a wealth of knowledge that surpasses anyone I have ever met when it comes to wine and the world that surrounds it. Of course, this post has more to do with cheese than anything. I got a good chuckle out of it.

Needless to say, I have a great respect for Jay. He was an amazing boss and a good friend. of course, our shared love of wine and cheese helps... :)

Enjoy...
em

that's it for now.

Alright, I think that is enough to hold you all over for a while. I think that was like 10 new posts or something in that range.

The kiddo is taking a much needed nap right now. We just got back from the Oreck store. Had to take the vacuum in last Friday for some maintenance. A story worth sharing...

So I had stepped out of the room for a few minutes. Caden had been sick the whole night before, so I needed a minute to myself... and he was contented watching Elmo for the moment. I heard a crashing noise come from the living room. No crying, so I wasn't too concerned. Then, a moment later, I heard the vacuum turn on and what sounded like it being pushed across the room. As I was otherwise tied up, I couldn't run out there. Wasn't really concerned until I heard the thunks that come when you suck something up into the vacuum that you normally wouldn't want to suck up. I came running out into the living room to see my toddler holding a running vacuum that was smoking up a storm. The whole living room was filled with this hideous smelling smoke. Behind Caden, there was one of my plants... toppled over with dirt all over the ground (thus the source of the crashing noise from earlier).

As it turned out... He had knocked over my plant spilling soil all over the carpet. He knew that the best way to clean up such a mess was to vacuum. So that's what he was planning on doing. But somewhere between point A and B, he sucked up one of Michael's charger cords which got jammed in the roller brush. This in turn burned out the belt in the vacuum... thus the smoke and nasty smell. So, the Oreck man has cleaned and serviced my vacuum making it like new again. Even put a new roller bar in there for me. :) I love these vacuums!

While this may seem silly to some, when you vacuum on a daily basis, you want it to work really well and not make the job harder than it needs to be. They would be hard pressed to ever sell me a different type of vacuum. Besides, this one is light enough that even my 2 year old can use it.

:)

that's a great face, uncle david!

aren't cousins great!

We are going to feed Gmommy all our goldfish! Yummy! Sharing is good!

Oddly enough, just a week or so before this picture, some wait staff at a sushi restaurant ask if the boys were twins. Ha! In all fairness, they are only a month apart in age, same height and basically the same weight.

thanks Auntie B and Uncle B

I'm gonna bang on your legs with my new hammer, okay mommy?! :)

Yeah! tools for Christmas!

dancing with Ms Kiko and Auntie B

Lisa Moore stopped by and brought Caden this fantastic Tonka. I need to get updated pics of Caden playing with it. He climbs into the dump body and just sits there. He pushes the dump body up, sits on the frame and scoots around the apartment. And, of course, he uses it to transport things and dump them around the living room. :)

a change of pace

Daddy actually dyed my hair this time. Mom or Lizzie usually do it. But daddy offered to help me out this time. And he did a great job! Thanks Daddy!