Snow Tour 2010, round # 1

Have you heard? More snow is on it's way to DC!

Our near-prophetic local meteorologist, Doug Hill, is predicting another 10-20 inches before tomorrow's end, although the weather service says less for our side of town. Either way, more?

Really?

Do we need it?

We could share!

Global warming...you're kidding, right!

After being holed up in the sick ward all weekend, the whole family finally made it outside yesterday. Want to see the pileup?

Here's the tour!

I thought you might not be able to comprehend the enormity of the snow without a little perspective, so on the left is an inch or two we got in 2005. The azalea bush in our front yard is about chest high on me (I'm 5'6" - inquiring minds want to know). The bush now? Obliterated.

My boys, although ill, kept getting out while the storm was raging and clearing as it fell. We have one of the few empty-ish sidewalks around. Everywhere else looks like wilderness trails.

Rhett was workin hard, thus the expression on his face that says,
"Really, Mom, another picture!"

I dare not stop the "car man" in mid-stride.

But, Katie obliged and caught my bright & sunny smile!

The snow has brought about new phenomena - like tree-bending...

snow sliding...

fort building...

mountain-climbing...

and drink chillin!

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Stayed tuned.

I've Got Sunshine On A Cloudy Day!

I received my first blog award!

Thank you, Nel at Fastenau Facts, for sending a little sunshine my way!

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspire others in the blog world.

How nice that someone thought that of me! Since I'm snowed in under two feet of snow, this is the perfect time to pass along some sunshine to some of my favorite bloggers.

Below are the rules for accepting these awards:

• Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
• Pass the award on to 12 fellow bloggers.
• Link the nominees within your post.
• Let the nominees know they have received the award by commenting on their blog.
• Share the love and link to the person whom you received this award from.

Please, check out the blogs that bring a little sunshine to my day:

Sara from ...make music from your heart is my link to Project 365. She takes interesting pictures and you will enjoy the many talents of her kids. I love her prayer link where you can share your requests and she will pray for you. What a great idea for ministering to other women! Her blog is one of my newest found "comfy" places to visit.

Traci from Beneath My Heart is so sweet. Her inspiration for blogging came from her mother who passed away last fall. She shares special memories of her mom entitled "Wednesdays with Wanda." Traci has lots of gorgeous home improvement projects. She makes me want to get off my computer and go create something.

Sarah from In The Midst of It is just that...in the midst of it. She has a fun-filled life shared with her husband-pastor, cute kids and lots of animals. When I started reading blogs for the first time last winter, Sarah's was my favorite blogger and first to follow. She sews lots of beautiful quilts & clothes, but you'll enjoy her mishaps just as much as the beauty she shares.

You will never read a funnier and more well-written blog than Robynn's at Robynn's Ravings. Any length of time spent with her would leave your face sore from smiling and laughing; she takes even the greatest challenges and makes them entertaining. She brings sunshine to any gloomy day!

One of my dear real-life friends has a wonderful photography blog. Sofia at Still.Sofia has the natural ability to see the good in everyone and it shows in her photography. If you live near the San Francisco area you should give her a try; I think you'll make a friend for life in the process.

I've recently met H-Mama from Family Team through Project 365. She takes wonderful pictures that seem to truly capture the moment! She has two adorable daughters and I think you'll enjoy H-Mama's take on home life and motherhood.

Kim from Just a Southern Girl knows how to live the life in Argentina! I love her Project 365 pics each week that share the native culture and foods. In the barren snow-drift of DC, her Argentina pictures are a welcome respite. I'm looking forward to seeing her winter during our summer in a few months.

Rebecca Jo from Knit By God's Hands makes the most delicious-looking food! I tried her Russian Chicken and can't stop thinking about it! I found her blog via Project 365 and love her dry sense of humor. Her wreath survival photo cracked me up. Have you met my mother, Rebecca? She keeps her poinsettias year-round. I, on the other hand, do not have a green thumb (and it doesn't bother me.)

I enjoy Catherine from The Giesbrechts: Time and Tide. She has a dry sense of humor. Check out her post on Jan 12 about the core/corp. I met Catherine through the Random Dozen and have enjoyed her insightful and humorous blog ever since.

I haven't gotten to know Rita from Meemaw Moments very well, but she's one of those people I just enjoy. What a talented bunch of people they've got in their family - an ice sculptor, a potter, and a memoir writer. I enjoy visiting Rita and seeing what's new in their neck of the woods.

Amy at All Things A Ro and I share a love of teaching and music! She shares on both Project 365 and the Random Dozen so I've gotten to know her pretty quickly. She's passionate about what she does and the people she loves; that's what makes her refreshing. With a dash of self-deprecating humor she's a good read.

I haven't gotten to know Barbie from My Freshly Brewed Life very well yet, but she epitomizes the positivity of the Sunshine Award. You will be encouraged as you read her devotional thoughts. Plus, we've both been married about 21 years and have 4 kids - what could be better than that!

Project 365: Week 5

Join Sara and friends this week for Project 365.

Sunday

Snow play = hot chocolate = soaking stains out of clothes

Monday

More snow play at the sledding hill -

watch out winter olympics, we're getting ready!

Tuesday

new candy bar to try...delicious!

Wednesday

a few fluffy inches of the white stuff

Thursday

major snowstorm coming - shelves clearing quickly!

Friday

Had the flu (# 2 in the line of 5) - spent the day resting

Saturday

We started with an inch and added almost 2 feet more by the end!

Allergy Testing

Last week in my Project 365: Week 4 post I mentioned that Tara had a severe allergic reaction while sitting at the dinner table one night. She had small red hives around her mouth and after touching the allergen to her left eye it had completely swollen shut.

For dinner that night we were eating sub sandwiches and chips. I believe it might have been the coconut oil on the Bugles that caused the reaction. We haven't had them in our house during her lifetime. She's hoping it was the sesame seeds on the bread because she doesn't like them. I think she's eaten sesame seeds before, but not coconut.

We ended up giving her two antihistamines and watching her throughout the night (per Dr.'s orders). She went into his office the next morning and was given a clean bill of health, but we still needed to find out what triggered the allergy.

This past Wednesday she went in for testing. She had no apparent food allergy so now we have to keep Benadryl with us at all times and keep a diary of any reactions.

Although she had no food allergies, you can see by the picture that something is causing a strong reaction on the test...

CATS! :(

I love cats; I'm sad. We don't have any pets right now, but if we moved a cat would be high on the list to add to our family. Tara loves ALL pets so we'll have to see what her future holds.

For now, I'm glad my child is safe and we know to be on the alert for potential problems.

Make New Friends with the Random Dozen

Want a great place to meet a lot of new friends? Want to share with the world random information about yourself? Join us for the Random Dozen with Linda from 2nd Cup of Coffee. The more the merrier!

1. Do you use the labels various charities send you as “free gifts?”

Yes! They make bills sent by mail easy to get out the door.

2. What is your favorite time of day (or night) for skywatching?

Both - just depends on what catches my eye. I love a good cloud formation or snow falling from a darkened sky.

3. What is the most adventurous you've ever been with trying a new food? (Keep it G-rated please)

I am not the adventurous one around my house, but I did have frog legs at the beach last summer. I have family members who have eaten guinea pig in Peru.

4. Have you ever heard a rock sing? (Trust me, there's a reason for this one!)

Old Faithful?? Yes. It may be too early for me to "get" this question?

5. If you could learn a language you don't presently speak, what would it be?

Spanish. I know enough to make a fool of myself.

6. Al Capone's tombstone read, “My Jesus, Mercy.” If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?

In the hundred and seventh year of her life she had fresh teeth! (just kidding)

But I did love this one:

If you'd lived here you'd be home by now (double meaning?!)

In all honesty, my family can write anything they want for my epitaph. I just hope they remember me as loving and faithful.

7. If you were a famous musician who was known by one name, like “Cher,” “Sting,” or “Jewel,” what would it be? It doesn’t have to be your first name, but it can be, if you’d like.

Aria (get it...musical!)

8. Have you ever been inordinately “into” a television show?

Waltons - had the dollhouse and dolls, Gilmore Girls with my oldest daughter - I really MISS them, Fringe with my son - I cry with the thought of Walter losing Peter. Yes, I throw myself into most everything I do!

9. When you sneeze, do you go big, or do you do that weird “heenh!” sound that makes people think you’re going to blow your brains out? Any other variation we should know about?

I go BIG! (See answer # 8)

10. Do you still read an actual newspaper that you hold in your hands, or do you get your news elsewhere?

online, my friend, online...

11. Are you a good speller?

yep!

12. At what time each day do you start thinking about Lost lunch?

Breakfast holds me off until maybe 1:30-2pm. After that I think about eating for the rest of the day. :(

Project 365: Week 4 (For Me)

Share your week with us!

Day 23 (Saturday) - We went out to eat as a family to Macaroni Grill.

Day 24 - I won this candy at a baby shower. We were supposed to shout out what candy bar came to mind when a phrase/word was said re: pregnancy/motherhood. The word given was CONTRACTION, so of course, the candy was NOW and LATER! I haven't seen one of these since the 80's.

Day 25 - First workout of the new year and it only took me 25 days to get to it! Go Leslie Sansone! (You do see that it's still dark outside, right?!)

Day 25 - (pic # 2) My girls winning awards & earning badges at the American Heritage Girls Awards Ceremony. (Left - Katie, Right - Tara)

Day 26 - My lunch was gorgeous and it came from our church's cafeteria. Yes, we have a cafeteria. The special on Tuesday: Asian Chicken Salad with roll. It was as good as it looks. Yum!

Day 27 - Tara came and asked me to help her put on these Barbie shoes. I said, "These are pretty shoes!" She answered, "Yes they are! I wish they were mine cause then I'd be higher."

Day 28 - Tara had an eventful week. Wednesday night she ate/touched something that incurred a severe allergic reaction. Her left eye was completely swollen shut within 5 minutes of touching the unknown allergen. She has to undergo allergy testing next week. My boys suggested I take a picture of the eye, but I didn't. Instead her first top tooth came out on Thursday and we thought we'd celebrate with a photo memory!

Day 29 - Field trip downtown. We went to see the Terra Cotta Warriors, but couldn't take pictures. Then we went to the Library of Congress to get our library cards! Fun day! The LOC is such a breath-taking building.

Day 30 - We had a snowstorm! (Didn't everyone have bad weather this week?) Tara went out to play in the snow and ended up shoveling off the steps for her Daddy. So precious!!