Snow Fort

Ok- I am not sure who was having more fun during this excavation: Jason or Patrick. When our neighbor plowed the driveway the other day he used his bucket to make a large pile. It got nice and hard so Jason and Patrick got out the shovels and started digging. Well- J dug and Patrick climbed on it, ate some of the snow and rooted Jason on with the occasional snowball.



Jason dug and dug all the while reminiscing about when he and his friend Scott made these when they were kids and how his parents thought they were a death trap. I confessed that the thought had crossed my mind too. So- despite the potential for catastrophe the digging continued and eventually a pretty nice cave had been dug out. Patrick climbed in and had plenty of room to sit and wiggle around.




















So with Patrick snug in the igloo Jason thought he should get in there too. Patrick informed him that he was just too big and it was getting crowded in there. So- Patrick climbed out and Jason backed in. He just couldn't resist!
I think the two of them were outside today for about an hour. Between their little snowshoe trip around the house, a ride on the tire swing and then the fort they really had a good time. I had hot chocolate ready for them when they came in. Yum.

Snow Day!

Patrick and I bundled up this morning to head out into the snow. This was the first time Patrick has worn his snow shoes this year and he did great! While we were out Jason came home so he and Patrick did some shoveling. Well- Jason shoveled and Patrick shoveled snow onto Jason. They were having a good time. Zummi was running all over the place but Sidney was showing her age and just wanted to go back in where it was warm. She was good for about 10 minutes and then decided she had seen enough. Patrick stayed out long enough for his cheeks to get nice and rosy.









This is wishful thinking on Patrick's part! A mower in the snow. Hmmm.









Ready, Aim...Fire! Jason was getting a lot of snow to the backs of his legs. I love snow!

Thanks a lot!

OK, I know my belly is getting big and round. I have even been told it is getting humongous. The last place I expected to hear it though is from the Self Check-out scanner at Kroger. I know you are probably thinking "How did the scanner tell you your belly was getting big and round?" Well, I will tell you how. Patrick and I stopped at Kroger to pick up some groceries and we went through the self check out. Every time I leaned over to put my item in a bag I would hear that oh-so-friendly computer voice blare out "Please remove all items from the scanner!" Ummm, thanks. That would be my belly on the scanner. I will kindly remove it from the scanner as soon as I wrestle a new bag open and drop my item in. Thank you, kind scanner, for reminding me how big and round my belly is getting. Only 60 some days to go before the baby arrives and that scanner can finally get off my back.
OK, maybe it is just me but in this picture my belly doesn't look as big as it feels. Just ask the scanner! It will tell you how big my belly is!

Jason Rocks!

The window in Patrick's room is now cased and has a curtain! The register covers are being repainted and are drying but otherwise they are ready to go in too. He got that window done Saturday and I love it! The doors are on order for this bedroom, closet and bathroom. Saturday J and P also inspected the attic space. J was up there checking on insulation. J is upstairs now painting in the loft area. As the title indicates- Jason rocks!

In other pics...

Patrick, Meredith and Audrey at our weekly lunch at great gramma Mc's. This week we had to have some discussions on why it is not a good idea to jump from the couch into the ball pit. Sure, I would have been doing that if I was under the age of 6 but I guess I have to be the mom and say "Don't do that!"

Speaking of "Don't do that"...wrestling. Such a touchy game. All good fun until someone gets laid on. I know the point of the game is to wrestle but sometimes one participant is just not as willing as the other. Patrick- the little bother(cousin) Meredith never wanted. He knows it too!

Soccer Ball

Patrick got a soccer ball for Christmas. Since the weather has been too snowy outside to play with it he has to improvise inside. Thank you Melissa and Dave! We are looking forward to playing outside!


Also, Patrick has resigned himself to saying he does have a cold. That little red nose just doesn't lie!

The last performance of Cotton Patch Gospel was last night. J said it went really well- everyone was right on and the music sounded great. I wish we had gotten to see it!

Runny noses

A cold bug has descended on our house. Patrick assures me (sniff, sniff) that he does not have a cold. Really? Then why all the whining? Why the runny nose? Again, he tells he does not (cough, cough) have a cold and his friend should be allowed to come over. Oh, and he wants soup for lunch and he didn't want any cookie dough. Quick! Call the doctor!

Where did this cold come from Patrick asks me. I wish I knew, I wish I knew... I would have stopped it at the door, thanked it for thinking of us and sent it on its way. Instead it came in through the back door, very sneakily, and set up shop. How long will this "guest" stay?

Random Thoughts

Last Friday I had to go to the grocery because we were almost out of milk. Patrick drinks milk like crazy and it would be a big problem to run out. I only like milk with cereal so he must get that from Jason. Anyway- according to the TV weather guys a big storm was coming. So we get to the grocery Friday morning and it is packed. Packed like we are about to be buried for the next 6 months and people must stock up. We need milk though so we take our chances and go in the store. The parking lot did not lie- the store was full of people filling their carts. By the time I was ready to get in line I had to start half way down the baby food aisle with the cashier a small little dot in the distance. Really people? The woman in front of me had a cart that was over flowing. When she got up to the cashier she said she was stocking up for the storm. I was totally being nosy and saw that she spent a ton of money. She bought 4 packs of toilet paper, 3 gallons of milk plus a gallon of chocolate milk, several loaves of bread, plus enough other food to feed an army. Maybe she has 10 people that live in her house but I doubt it. She was laughing that her husband was going to be appalled at how much she was spending. Of course, the big storm came and went without much fanfare...bringing more rain than snow. People were not buried, stores were still open and life went on in a seemingly normal manner. Now the stores should be empty for the next 6 months since everyone stocked up, right?









This morning Patrick and I pulled some icicles from the eaves. Some of them were getting rather long! Anyway- He enjoyed sucking on them and breaking them up in a cup. When he was done holding one I told him to put his hand on his tummy to warm it up. He thought that was hilarious!



Today we worked on Thank You cards for the holidays. We broke out the paint for our big project. Patrick did really well dipping the brush and staying on the paper. He did get a little excited about pounding the brush into the paper...so much so that when he used the lighter colors I could see strands of the paintbrush coming out and getting smeared around with the paint. Those little bristles could only take so much pounding before crying Uncle!

According to Patrick my belly is getting big and round. He isn't lying. The baby is moving around like crazy and taking up all the room it can. It is weird and cool to look down and see my tummy moving. Yesterday in church I could hardly concentrate during prayer time because the baby was moving so much. I am surprised J didn't see it! So- as the baby continues its take over I am having more trouble rolling over in bed and getting down to put Patrick's shoes on. Patrick and I did share in a pregnancy splurge though today. We had some ice cream right out of the container! Only a few bites of guilty pleasure before I regained control and put the ice cream away. It has been months since we have had ice cream in the house and it was so yummy!

This weekend J will be performing in Cotton Patch Gospel. He seems nervous and excited all at the same time. They have a larger cast this time around and professional musicians. I think Patrick and I are going to try and hit the dress rehearsal. That way if we need to make an exit we won't be disturbing people.

I wish I had more time to read. I have started a book that I am really enjoying. I just need more time in the day. Anybody got any they can spare?

I have started knitting another shawl. This one will be blue and hopefully it won't take me a year to complete. I have a scarf almost complete too. I know- starting another project before one is done is a bad idea. I need to find the crochet needle though so I can finish the last row of the scarf. Again, any spare time people want to give me?

Patrick got a pirate ship for Christmas. It came with 4 pirates which he has named Gecko, Salamander, Generator and Somebody Said Nothing Ever Happened Down Home 'Round Here. That is a line from one of the songs from Cotton Patch Gospel. Not sure why he though that would make a good pirate name but it cracks me up every time he says it.

One last thing to say. I am happy to report that a restaurant here in Mount Vernon has finally changed its sign out front from "Ain't ya Hungary?" to the correct spelling of hungry. I feel so much better now every time I drive by. I am not so concerned about that tiny restaurant being overtaken by a bunch of hungry Hungarians.