Ice-Pocalypse 2014

I feel like I understand the trials of all of the brave souls who built this great nation. The ones who survived blizzards without shelter. The ones who were so hungry in the winter they ate shoe leather. And broke up furniture to burn for heat. We have survived Ice-Pocalypse 2014 in Houston. We are still alive. It's been rough, but we are still here. Now that my fingers have warmed up a little and I am sure there is no risk of losing them to frostbite (it was BELOW freezing when I went outside this morning, people!), I feel like I should make a record of our experiences, things we have learned as we survived this great storm.

First of all, there was ICE on the car when we got up this morning. ICE. It was FROZEN. Can you believe it? And some of the plants had little baby icicles on their leaves. And the whole city shut down completely. Travis's office closed. Megan and Jared's school closed. I had to wear long sleeves AND a jacket when I went outside. And closed toe shoes. It was that bad! I don't know how we survived, but human nature is resilient in the face of such trials.

We didn't dare venture out to the stores. They are probably picked clean, anyways so there is really no point. We did manage to go to lunch at Denny's. Bundled up in jackets and hoodies. It was difficult, but we made it.

It is 32 degrees right now, and the weather app on my phone shoes little snow flakes, so obviously life has not yet returned to normal, but it should be in the 60s tomorrow, so I am confident that we will triumph in the end.

The End of an Era

Today is the day that Kate gave up her pacifiers. We've been talking about it for a while, and this morning we just decided to go for it. She carried them outside and put them in the big garbage can, and in a little while the garbage men will come and take them away for ever.

She was rather nonchalant about the whole thing. No tears (At least on her part. I might have gotten a little teary-eyed. She's growing up so fast! This is one of the last links to her babyhood. Or maybe it's allergies. Yeah, it's allergies. Yup), She just tossed them in, and said, "I have a treat now, okay? I eat some meh-nem-in-ehms? (M&Ms) And watch Paw Patrol?"

Megan and Jared were also paci kids, but William hasn't ever been interested. He has been a thumb sucker from the start. Now that Kate is done with them, we are 100% paci free.

(Ask me how I feel about all this at nap time when she freaks and has a complete meltdown...)

Playing Pretend

So, my friend Jen is pretending to sell her house. Why? Because she imagines that she is building a new house somewhere else. I am sure it's all pretend.

She's even got a pretend listing in HAR: http://search.har.com/engine/3015-Providence-Oak-St-Houston-TX-77084_HAR20709414.htm. Doesn't that look awesome? She really goes all out when she pretends.

No, I am NOT in denial.

Why do you ask?

I'm just going to sit here and eat the rest of the Girl Scout cookies that I've hidden in the back of the freezer and maybe this pint of ice cream and cover my ears with my hands and sing la la la la la I can't hear you la la la la la! Because I'm mature like that.

In case you are wondering, it is a really nice house in a really nice neighborhood. And I am happy for her as she plays make-believe.

Although, she keeps putting things in boxes, and it's getting harder and harder to know she's just pretending.

Sigh......

Kate's Quilt

Okay, I just have to brag a little. It's my blog, I'm allowed to do that, right?

Okay, here goes......

I finished Kate's quilt.

..... (crickets) ......

Did you hear me? I said I FINISHED Kate's quilt. 


Yes, that's right. It is DONE! I finished it! It's bound and it's wrapped and it's on top of the entertainment center with all the other gifts. (What? Isn't that where normal people store their Christmas presents?) I am amazing, y'all. Simply amazing.

Thanks to Charlotte for teaching me to sew (okay, she taught me to sew-ish. I can't actually claim to sew...) And thanks to Jen for helping me actually quilt it. (And for the excuses to ignore our kids parent from a distance and eat ice cream.) And to Holly and Alison for not laughing (too loudly) at me when I said I was making a quilt And for the advice on how to bind it. And thanks especially to the super talented Syndee Nuckles and Angie Briggs from ScrapGirls.com for their darling scrapbooking collections Hoot and Annie and Young At Heart which I based all of the owls and mushrooms and flowers on. Scrapbooking products aren't just for scrapbooks, people. :D

Early Indoctrination, Anyone?

Travis graduated from the University of Utah. I can't remember if he bought this outfit when Jared was a baby or if it was a gift, but either way, I remember Jared being dressed in it quite often whenever Travis got him dressed.

Now it fits William (well, sort of - it's been so warm until recently, William is almost too big for it now!). Do you think we are raising some UofU fans?

I tried to do some comparison shots - Jared vs. William, but the ages are too different too work well (Jared is 4 months in these pictures, and William is 9 months). I will say that I've become a much better photographer in the past 7 years.

William - 9 months

Jared - 4 months (I LOVE his surprised expression in these pictures. They crack me up!)

Oh, and just for full disclosure, I routinely wake Jared up by singing the Cougar Fight Song, so I guess Travis isn't the only one guilty of indoctrination.

Happy Fiftieth Day of School

To celebrate the fiftieth day of school, the PTA put on a Sock Hop for the kids and their families. We had a lot of fun dressing up and getting ready, and then dancing and playing games. Megan and Jared thought it was fun to see their teachers and friends dressed up too.

It's Halloween!

Kate has been saying "It's Hallo-WEEEEN!!!!!" to everyone she meets for the past month. She was so excited when we told her that it finally actually was Halloween.

We went to two Trunk-r-Treats this year, one at the kids' school, and one at the church. They had a blast dressing up and hanging out with their friends.

Kate and William went as Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. They were so cute!

 I think this may be my favorite Halloween picture this year. Tinkerbell is always a little pouty,

 and that is exactly how Katelyn was being when I was trying to take pictures of her. 

William was pretty excited to get his first taste of Halloween candy. Sticky, but happy.

Megan was a Southern Belle this year. I don't have a picture of her whole dress, but it was floor length, complete with hoops.

Jared went as Harry Potter last year, and this year he wanted to be Hagrid. We had a fun time hunting at Goodwill to find pieces for his costume, and he helped me make the wig/beard.

The kids elementary school has a pumpkin decorating contest every year. The rules say that it has to be a book character. This year Megan chose The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We cut pieces out of tissue paper and modge-podged them to the pumpkin. It was a lot of fun.