Thinking Warm

I have to say seeing the amount of snow piling up outside I feel like it is going to be forever before it melts....okay that's an exaggeration how about until April. That being the case, I decided I needed a mental image of warmer times. This picture was from our trip to the shore this summer. Ahhh...the heat of the sun and the splash of the waves..... can you feel it. Warmer times are coming!

Emily's in Charge

This morning while Dave & I were out shoveling we told Emily she was in charge while we were outside. Of course, she immediately yelled to Matt "I'm in charge" to which Dave told her "don't abuse your brother". Well, while we were out she decided to help inside. She washed the morning dishes and did some mopping. I think I need to leave her in charge more often if it means some of my chores will be done by her. :) Thank you Emily for being such a great helper!

I Feel Like I'm a Kid Again

Since moving to New Jersey, I've been happy to say that the snow here has been less than back in New York. Well, this winter is proving that wrong. Since December 26th, we have had 6 snow storms. Only on the first storm did we experience minimal melting. The last five storms the temperatures between them have not gotten high enough to melt the snow. Yesterday we had two snow systems come through. The first storm dumped about 4 inches of snow which I shoveled in the early afternoon - thank goodness. Last night into this morning we were "blessed" with another 12 to 15 inches. At his request, Dave asked me to come and help him shovel on his second round out this morning. The piles are getting to where we don't know where to go with the snow any more. The other day when Emily & Matt were out playing in the snow, I saw glimpses of myself as a kid playing in the snow - that has never happened.

On a crazy note to this storm, the school system here called at 5:30 a.m. to declare a late opening this morning (9:45) only to call back an hour later to say school was canceled altogether. Why they couldn't have decided this last night I don't know. Of course, the first call kept me wide awake so at the very least I didn't get awakened twice.

So, tomorrow we are suppose to have another non-accumulating snowfall and as we were shoveling one of the DPW plowers told us that there are "rumors" of another storm on Tuesday which is suppose to rival this storm. I was so hoping snow would be just a December/January event. Well, Tuesday is a long way off - we will wait and see.

Oh, I will say that growing up in Buffalo definitely groomed me into being a well seasoned shoveler. No snowplow needed here.......but maybe next year. :)

Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday, Uncle John. Can you believe this picture was from 3+ years ago!

Hope you are enjoying your day......and that it is warmer there than here!

A Child's Remorse

I can honestly say that both Emily & Matt have a healthy amount of guilty remorse when it comes to doing something that is not "pleasing" to mom & dad.

Matt, as soon as you start to discuss/ reprimand him about the error of his ways, will bow his head, get pouty which is followed by glassy eyes and then covers his face with his hands. He is our extra sensitive boy. Usually by the time you finish the reprimand you find yourself having to give him a pep talk to come out of his state of remorse.

Emily, also gets emotional. The first clue being the glassy eyes and then the quivering lip which usually ends in a cry fest. Don't get me wrong, I don't delight in my children being upset but it is nice to know that doing wrong does not result in giving them pleasure.

What I do find sweet is that Emily after getting in trouble feels she needs to do something to get back into our "good graces". Tonight, after getting is a little trouble and being put in a time out, she called me over to show me her "gift" to make things right - a penny write out of "I Love You!" with a heart and some stuffed animals and bric-a-brac as decoration. Emily was so proud of her "peace offering". You have to love seeing how kids react to the circumstances that occur in their lives and how their reactions mature as they mature.