You just can't make this stuff up

Today was a school holiday, and we had plans to visit the dentist this morning for Michael and Emily's 6 month checkup. I was also hopeful that Emily could get her teeth "fixed" as she fell in early January and now both of her front teeth are gray. Vain, I know, but they will not fall out for at least another 2 years, and I just can't bear seeing those gray teeth instead of her pearly whites. Even the dentist agreed that her front teeth are unusually large and that bonding them would be a good idea.

So Sophie tells me she is sick, doesn't feel good, can't go with us. I take her temp and it's normal. She does look tired, but has no other symptoms. I tell her she can go, read in the waiting room while I go back with them. The tears and whining ensue, there are no neighbors available to watch her, so I break down and call Terry to see if he can come home to stay with her. He can, and is home in 30 minutes. Right after he arrives home Sophie asks if we will still have our friends over when I get home for our planned playdate. "Um, no, you are sick." "Weeeellllll," she says, "I'm really not that sick. I mean, I'm sick b/c I am grumpy and tired, but I know I will feel better later and Elizabeth should still come over." At this I give her a look that says she had better come up with something better than what I just heard. To which she replies, "OK, OK, maybe I am not that sick, but I don't want to have to wait in the dentist's office for you, but I do still want E to come over...."

This did not sit well with me, as you can imagine. So, no TV, Wii or other screen time for the rest of the day, which trust me, was more painful for me than for her. And a lecture about telling the truth, taking responsibility, etc.

Meanwhile, at the dentist, Michael, who has been worrying the entire morning about the visit, does fabulously, while Emily clams up and has to be bribed every which way to open her mouth. I end up having to sit in the chair, with her on my lap, while the overly sweet hygenist does her best to get her to cooperate. This lady has an alligator puppet with a freakishly large set of adult teeth that she is using to demonstrate to Emily how the "tickle machine" will not hurt" "See, Mr Alligator is fine, you don't hear him crying, do you, it doesn't hurt at all!" To which Emily opens up her mouth enough to respond, "It didn't hurt him because he's not REAL!" I had to keep myself from laughing out loud, and in my head I am thinking, "Well, she's got a point..."

Saturday Snow

We woke up to very bright rooms this morning from all the snow outside. I remembered all the times as a kid when I would go to the window hoping and praying it had snowed the night before. How many times will my children actually have any hope of that?? So it was really neat watching their reactions when they looked outside this morning, and saw that it was all still there.

Terry was out by 9 taking pictures of the house and yard:






Here's a view looking down our street, it was very icy this morning, but is now almost all melted.


The kids were thrilled that the snowman survived, it was the first thing they asked about.

I need to measure that before it melts, but I would say 3 inches most likely.

Sophie had been out for an hour by the time I got myself together and went out to join her. By then she was cold and wanted to come in, but I convinced her to go for walk in the woods behind our house. This is her "ok mom, enough pictures!" look. Michael and Emily had no interest this morning in going outside, and frankly I was glad not to have to dress them only to have them in tears after 30 minutes.


We have a bit of woods behind us that cuts through to another street in our neighborhood. I showed Sophie how to pull down the branches to get all the snow off, we had fun getting each other covered with snow.




Sophie was done after I took this shot, so for now we are all inside again. I'm hoping to get out once more for a walk before it all melts.

Southern Snowman

I have lived in the South for almost 25 years now, and only one other time do I remember enough snow to make a decent snowman. That was, of course, the "blizzard of '93", where some areas of Metro Atlanta got more than 10 inches of snow. But today was the day! School got out an hour early, and just when the bus pulled up, it started coming down in earnest.


Here's Sophie on the deck at about 2pm. We still weren't sure it would really amount to anything.

We decided to give the twins a nap, they have both been sick this week, Emily with strep and Michael with a bad cough. He's doing breathing treatments 3 times a day, right after this one he conked out.

Emily upon waking up. What a fussbudget! She did not want to get dressed to go outside, and as usual, wasn't shy about telling me so.

Finally about 5pm we head outside. There's now about 2 inches on the ground and it is still coming down. And no, our kids don't have snow boots, we are poor and have to make do with rain boots. That's life in the South...lol!

Emily perked up a bit once outside, and enjoyed making snow angels and snowballs. Then the work on the snowman began in earnest. Of course, with parents from Ohio and NJ, our kids will learn the right method: make a snowball and roll it to increase it in size. Of course, along with the snow come the pine straw and sweetgum nutballs.

And you get bare patches in your lawn as well. Although as I am writing this, it's after 10pm and they have all filled back in. It just now stopped snowing.

Snowman bottom completed. Helpers take a minute to pose for me.

Michael was very snow hardy today. Last time it snowed, it was much colder, and that was not fun for anyone. The temp today was just at freezing, so much better for a little guy with pj pants on under his sweats. Again, no snowpants down here.

Poor Emily, she is truly my Southern Belle, after about 30 minutes she was quite unhappy. I found her in the garage just crying to go back inside. She was cold, she was wet, and she was done with the snow for the day.

She was much happier watching the action from inside the warm house.

Terry had fun trying to hit the few cars that were out. We had a great snowball fight as well, the snow was perfect for packing.

Here's Sophie with our as yet un-named snowman. Mare, recognize the scarf? And Sophie's hat?

Soon Michael decided to join Emily inside, so Terry got them both in the tub, while Sophie and I took a walk around the neighborhood. I love the stillness and quiet of the snow, and it was neat to walk with her and just enjoy it. Here's one reason why it shuts things down: this is the hill on the main road in our subdivision. To get out you have to go down this, and up another. If the roads freeze tonight, we won't be going anywhere for a few days.

Apres snow and bath and they are much happier being warm and dry. Plus I made breakfast for dinner, which is always a hit.

On her way to bed, Sophie had to check on her giant snowball, which she named Charlotte. Charlotte is spending the night on the front porch.

Snow covered Japanese maple by our front porch.

After the kids were asleep, Terry and I had to go out and do some damage control on the snowman, he was leaning very precariously, so we shored him up and are hopeful he will make it through the night. I love being outside at night in the snow, just so peaceful, quiet and pretty. Very thankful for today!