New Favorite Past-time

I think Johnny has found something he really likes to do......shovel our driveway. I guess he really likes it, because he's been out there doing it a lot lately.

By the way, have you noticed how LONG our driveway is? We were bragging about it in the summer because it's great for playing basketball. I guess even the best of things have their down-sides! Ask Johnny how much he likes the long driveway now, and his answer just might be different!

Snow much Fun

I know at least 3 children that have played outside more hours in the last week than they did in the entire month of November!

Suspect #1: Looks like someone is enjoying herself!

Suspects #1 & 3: Snow wrestling IS allowed!

Suspects 1, 3 and 2:

For the first time EVER, we made our house festive for Christmas and put up some lights. Maybe it's the snow.

Suspect #1 and Elly with their perfectly round snow balls. How did they do it?

Suspect #2, his friend Andrew, and the START of their snow fort. You should see it now!

Come on over and ENJOY the FUN!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Let CHRISTMAS be CHRISTMAS!

Have you heard this? The video has NOTHING to do with the song, so turn away and just listen! I hope you laugh with me about how stupid this whole thing really is! Enjoy.





If it weren't for CHRIST, there would be no CHRISTMAS! It makes me laugh (and cry) to see what the world has been reduced to....

How Strange

Ok, so I was sitting at the bank drive-through today when I noticed the first snowflake. Just one. And then another and another. I thought to myself, IT'S SNOWING! My heart actually skipped a beat. To think I could be so joyous over snow.....but I am (at least for now.) This thing that I have been the most concerned about actually made me happy. How strange.

I have concluded that more than anything I am enjoying CHANGE. I guess I was a little bored with the heat....and this is something new.....and festive for the CHRISTMAS season. I've decided, too, that attitude is everything. As long as I'm happy with it it won't make me grumpy. I"ll have to test this theory over the next few months. I'll let you know.

Now I have to decide how early I need to get up in the morning to shovel the driveway so I can get the van out to take the kids to school. By the looks of it, I may need to start soon. This snowfall would have caused school closings in Dallas, but I fear that is not the case here.

I'm sort of laughing at myself, because truly, I have no idea what I'm in for. I am very inexperienced, and it is going to take some time to acquire the right tools. Lucky for me, the people are nice here. I may have to ask for help!

First BIG Snow

Here it is ladies and gentlemen! Our backyard covered with our first big snow! We got between 6 and 8 inches!

It's cold, but it sure is BEAUTIFUL!

Trim the Tree

Every year it's the same thing. Mom upwraps the ornaments, and whomever it belongs to gets the privilege of hanging it on the tree. The kids take turns hanging up Mom's ornaments for her.

Looks like they are eagerly anticipating the next ornament!





Good thing Granddaddy was here....we didn't even need the step-stool for the angel!

The kids enjoyed showing all of their ornaments to Nana.

Winter Has Arrived

Evidence of the first "real" snow of the season.

It snowed some big, beautiful flakes on the night before Thanksgiving. I really thought we'd wake up to a world of white, but there was no accumulation. Looks like it stuck this time!

****UPDATE****

The temp jumped to 41 degrees the next day. Very little snow was left. Heavily shaded areas and places where snow had been shoved into piles still remained, but streets and yards...CLEAR.