Reno or BUST.....or BUST.

Today, we were supposed to be on the road to Reno for Christmas. We are so sad to have to have canceled that drive due to weather. It's just awful. Portland is having snow like we haven't had since 1968. I think we have over 12 inches right now and more is to come tomorrow (Christmas Eve). We would have had to go over 3 mountain passes, and all 3 are dangerous right now. We must have changed our minds 100 times. We even packed the car last night with plans to leave at first light today. In the end, we followed our guts and decided we needed to be cautious. So, it is Christmas in Portland again this year. Of course, that isn't all bad - we have SNOW, SNOW and more SNOW and it is so awesome to wake up in your home on Christmas morning when you have a 3 year old. Nike closed the campus for the rest of the week, so I have started my holiday vacation early! We have had a great time playing in the snow with the kids. Ok, Charlie doesn't exactly love the snow. In fact, I had him outside for 10 minutes earlier this week and was panicked when I saw his little red hands. The were apparently numb, because he couldn't even crawl on them. I felt awful, but warmed him up slowly and there doesn't appear to be any permanent damage. 

"Mom!! I can't put my arms down! And my snow pants are 6 inches too long for my yams!"

Higgy doesn't mind the snow - he likes making yellow snow. everywhere.

This was before the real snow hit - though at the time, we thought it was real snow! Higgy loves taking pics with Henry. Right?

Henry thought the snow was a little long, so he was mowing it.

My snow angel.

Daddy chained us up right nice!

This was when the real weather hit. We must have 9-10 inches of snow and a layer of ice on top of that. This is a leaf frozen in the ice. I also found frozen poop - but thought that it wasn't blog worthy.

Frozen suburban:

Daddy working hard getting chains on. I carefully framed the photo to spare everyone having to see Nate's plumber-butt.

Jetta? What Jetta?

Um Henry?! Stop shaking your juice on the poor dog! I can still see you even when I am outside!

Snow-bunny:

Henry moving the earth. He thought throwing ice chunks and watching them  break was about the coolest thing. 

"Mom, where do you want this one?"

Since we were planning on spending Christmas in Reno, we celebrated Christmas with my parents on Sunday. Another beautiful tree!

Henry modeling his new scarf Grandma knit. He is so dapper!

Aunt Sissy gave Henry a new suitcase with his NAME on it. He wheels that thing EVERYWHERE!

The best part was the scraping sound that it made on Grandma's beautiful wood floor. Sorry Grandma!

Henry checking out Charlie's new airport:

Airplanes! Yots of Airplanes and helibocters! (as Henry says)

A guitar for Charlie that plays music. He pushes the music buttons and DANCES!! It is the cutest thing I have ever seen!!!

I'm pretty sure this bush will never be the same! Notice the landscape light on the left. It is about 12 inches tall, and covered!

What yard?

We are bracing for another day of several inches of snow tomorrow. We are actually getting used to it, except I refuse to drive in it. Nate is our family driver. We finally got out of the house today for real. We spent a good 1.5 weeks inside and it really takes a toll! We tried to find a snow saucer, or sled, but apparently they are hot items in the Portland area. Poor kids might just be stuck kickin it old school with cardboard or a rubbermaid storage bin. Love, B

Snow, Rain, Snow, Rain

Last weekend, our winter weather started and so the news stations FINALLY have something to talk about - 24 hours every day. It is now known as Artic Blast! Artic, yes. Blast, not so much. It started snowing on Sunday. The boys didn't have daycare on Monday or Wednesday and they are also home today because as we were loading the kids in the car today, the snow dumping started again. We are a little stir-crazy and if the weather doesn't improve soon, I will cook/bake us out our minds. I bake, and bake and bake - which naturally means eat, eat, eat. 

Example...Saturday, Henry helped me decorate the sugar cookies. 

This one was my favorite. Good job Henry!

This was taken after a few sugar cookies had been eaten. That is Henry with a "collar" on. Who knows! Pushing Charlie in the laundry basket. Charlie LOVES this and Henry must also because he'll do it for hours. I never thought I'd say things like "Henry, go push your brother around in the laundry basket so mommy can start dinner.". 

Sunday morning. Come on snow!!!

And then it started snowing:

Hey! No snowballs at the camera!

"Come here Boya! Come take a picture with your pappy!"

I am one lucky lady....

Daddy thought it would be fun to make a snow angel. Henry didn't think so. I think he was saying something "Nooooaaa Dad. I don't want to!"

He'd rather throw snowballs at mom. What a little stinker!

Party-time on Daddy - this seems to be a daily game.

So cute! And that is puff in Charlie's face.

Where's Charlie? There he is!!!

This is what Henry made us for Christmas at daycare this year. So cute and such an improvement over some of the gifts he brings home...see below.

Like this one. Yes, it is a painted rock that says #1 Dad - I assume this was for Father's Day..but you can never really be sure. Of course, this is still proudly displayed in the kitchen. Its a nice resting rock for the spiders.

Another snow day today. I converted the living room into a play zone. 

Henry also spent some time watching Buzz Lightyear on the computer while Charlie was napping of course! 

We are supposed to get more snow today/tonight which is supposed to freeze tonight and make tomorrow rather difficult driving-wise. Any bets on school closing? I throw up in my mouth a little when I think that we paid $1600 this month for 3 days of daycare in December.  Thankfully, Grandma and Grandpa are rescuing Charlie and will be watching him full time for a few months. Phew. They are good like that and we are forever grateful. 

I cannot close this out without documenting on how Charlie has changed in the past couple of weeks. He is the ULTIMATE daddy's boy. He cries when daddy walks out of the room and will literally sit on Nathan's lap for hours on end happy as a clam, or Chillaxing, as Nate calls it. I have no idea how Nate does it...but I am so happy that Charlie has such a wonderfully loving dad who is just as happy snuggling and loving on Charlie as Charlie is on daddy. 

We are starting to prep for our long drive through the snow to Reno for Christmas. We are so excited to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa in Reno! Love, B

AH! I'm "Back-Blogged"!

Times must be good if I am actually "back-blogged"!! It was a busy week - good and not-so-good. But lots to updated on. First, and most importantly, IT'S SNOWING!!! Is there really anything better than being snowed in on a Sunday? Besides being snowed in on a Monday and work and schools are closed, of course. We took lots of snow pics of the kids today, which will need to be in another entry because we had so much going on this week that I don't want to skip over. 

Monday, daycare called us to come pick Henry up because he threw up at school right after naptime. I don't remember Henry ever "throwing up" for flu reasons. He was pretty excited to talk about how sick he was. He kept telling us "I'm not feeling good" and "I threw up. It came out my nose". So, I set him up on the couch with a big blanket, a big pillow, a puke bowl and movie. He was sick on Tuesday too and really didn't start eating normal again until Friday. I always worry that he is getting to skinny. He is s-k-i-n-n-y - seriously, he is only 10lbs heavier than Charlie at this point. Henry is feeling much better and is eating much better. Charlie, oh Charlie, seems to always be sick. He is usually pretty happy even if he isn't looking/feeling so good. He just has a cold now..but last Saturday, he threw up in Costco in a way that made me actually panic. It was crazy - like a fountain and it kept coming and coming! Strangers were offering help. Here is a picture of my sickies on Tuesday morning. 

Charlie battled diahrea all week. Here is super dad in the war zone. I couldn't stop laughing - so dramatic! Charlie took many, many baths and had clean sheets almost everyday this week because he just couldn't keep in all in his pants.

Yesterday, Henry told me that he needed to pee. Though it may seem silly and insignificant, it ISN'T! Henry has had no interest in potty-training and it is starting to get embarrassing...for me, not him. So when he told me he wanted to go on the potty and wear spiderman "underwears"...we partied! Here is Henry checking out his new skivvies. He was obsessed with them!!

He held his shirt up like this for the longest time so that he could see his "underwears". 

"oh, and fancy that...look what is on the backside!"

I think he has covered all angles now. 

And then he found the mirror...look at those fancy pants!

Well, we tried. We didn't do so good. This morning, after his 3rd accident in less than 2 hours, we went back to pull ups, for now. Just way too much laundry for me! We are taking baby steps and I plan to go all out while I am off over Christmas Break. I'll keep you posted on our progress...please, please let their be progress. Luckily, he has such a small butt, he is wearing 3T pull ups...I just don't want to get to the point where he is a big boy and we have to move up to adult diapers because that is down right wrong and creepy. Love, B