Snowy Monday!......and yes, it's another post that ends in hot chocolate.

Every morning, I check the weather on the internet, as I sip my coffee.  On Monday, the weathermen called for some rain, but that was about it.  We went about our day....breakfast, prayers, school, lunch.

I checked the weather after lunch briefly too, when I checked my email (and facebook....yes, I'm on facebook), while the kids were on their freetime break.  At this point there was a chance of a few flurries....perhaps a dusting in some areas.

I was really hoping we'd get something.....something.  I knew it wouldn't be much, but just something that could pile up a little, and get the kids excited.

Within just a few minutes, some really nice, fat flakes came cascading down out of the sky.  I called Evan to the sliding glass doors to look out and man do I wish I was video taping that moment.  His face went from a "what, mom?" to a "OH.MY.GOSH.LOOK AT THAT!!!"  He started jumping up and down and exclaiming "It's snowing!  It's snowing!  It's snowing!"

I kept telling him it wasn't going to last or pile up at all, but we should still enjoy watching out the window it while it lasts.  But who was I kidding?  We couldn't just stay inside and watch from behind the glass.  We had to take this moment in and get as much out of it as we could!

 In Northern Virginia, snow is a hit or miss situation. 
An all or nothing.  And the weather forecasters were positive this was a nothing.

We have, in the past, been in the direct line of an awesome, snowpounding, whiteout, blizzard of a storm.  And we have also had winter's go by with only a flake or two dropping by for a very brief visit.
Every year it's anybody's guess how much snowfall we'll get around here. 

Those whopper storms are only every few years, when everything in the universe aligns just right.  They are very rare.

So I wasn't about to let this moment (and that's all this might be....a brief snow moment) go by without at least trying to catch a measly snowflake or two with our tongues, without feeling soft, cold snowflakes landing on our eyelashes.  We had to get out there...... fast, before it just stopped. 

So I went into hyperdrive to get ready (and procrastinated, yet again, with taking down the tree).......and we bundled up and headed out to the back yard.

We laughed, and ran around a bit.  The ground wasn't even covered, so the yard was kinda muddy.

I need to get a cute hat like Sky's.  I had to borrow John's since I don't have my own. 

A walk on the sidewalk (and out of the mud) amidst the snow flurries seemed like a good idea.  We went through the neighborhood, breathing in the cold, fresh air.  It's quite invigorating and makes you feel so alive, taking a walk like that.

We did start to feel a little too "invigorated" and the kids began complaining a bit of frozen toes, fingers, noses, etc.   I think they were just in "kahoots", trying to get sympathy so they could talk me into some hot chocolate. 

Little did they know I had planned on it, already.  I mean come on....if you've ever read this blog before or know me at all, you know that boatloads of my winter posts end with hot chocolate.  I love the stuff.  Don't judge me.  ;)

We peeled off the wet/slightly muddy clothes (one of the children....not mentioning any names.....ahem.... nine year old girl), thought it would be cool to try to make a snow angel in the whopping 1/18 inch of snow in the backyard. 

In case you are wondering, it doesn't work.  It just melts the snow in that one spot she landed, and smashes the grass and smears the mud in an almost recognizable angel formation.

 She does get an A for effort and bonus points for enthusiasm!  We love that girl! (who still shall remain nameless)

Everyone got dry and cozy and then we sipped our hot chocolate and ate the last of our gingerbread family.  We hate to see them go.  Actually we like to see them go, because they are yummy! 
But we hate to see them gone. :(

You're not really shocked by the vast array of Swiss Miss I keep on hand, are you?

Taylor was at school, so she didn't get the walk in the snow with us.  Well, actually she did get the walk in the snow, but just not with us. The snow kept falling and she had to walk from her bus stop, so I guess she did have her walk in the snow.  And I made her some of my fancy shmancy hot chocolate when she got in.  :)

And as an added bonus to my day....the tree is dooooowwwwwnnnnn!
YES!
I win.

TTFN
Happy Winter, Everyone!
~Tina

In The Blink of an Eye

Well, what d'ya know?  It's mid December!  How the blazes did that happen?!  I want to catch you up, but I really am lacking time lately, like everyone else, I assume.  It's always such a delicate balance....living life and posting about it.

I don't like short-changing either one, but if I have to, it's gonna be the "posting about it" part that will have to fall short.

I am however, going to try to catch you up....a little at a time.

Here we go.

Halloween....it was a lot of fun!  It always is.  It's a favorite holiday of the kids (and John) for sure.

That's our rag doll, Darth Vader and Alice in Wonderland.

Thanksgiving was awesome!  It's my fave holiday for the mere fact that it's so chilled out.  It's family oriented and relaxed and cozy.  Did you know the word "cozy"is one of my favorite words in the universe? 

My mom was here.  I love that lady!  The food was great!  They say too many cooks spoil the broth (or something like that), well not here, baby!  We all pitched in and made a wonderful dinner and dessert.  Yum, yum, yummety yum!

Sky and Grandma Jo

Desserts were fantastic!  I love a good meal, but dessert has always been my favorite.  I am probably a horrible example to my children, with the amount of sugar I can consume.  But, I try to keep it in check.  ;)  It's hard, though, with this selection.

Smiley Face cookies brought from PA!  Yummaaaay

Sunday night, after a relaxing Thanksgiving weekend, we began our Advent with a festive drive through light show.

Everyone all cozy in the van?....yep!

It was a good way to start the Advent season, (along with Mass that we went to that Sunday morning) and it was wonderful to Grandma here with us!

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On Tuesday evening, Skylar had a karate belt ceremony and Grandma was here for that, too!

You wouldn't want to run into her in a dark alley.  She'd kick your butt!

Great job, Skylar!

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Then Grandma had to go home.  :(

It's always great to have her here....

Always hard to say goodbye.

Our Advent has been very busy, fun, exciting, full, interesting....etc. etc.

I hope to post more on that in the next few days.

Hope you are having a pleasant, peaceful, blessed Advent.

Have a great day!  Make it special!

TTFN

~Tina

A Rare Occasion

When the kids were little, we would go out almost every weekend.  We'd go to the mall, to a restaurant, to a bookstore, something like that.  Just something as a family for a little time with all of us together.  The older they get, the harder that is.  Everyone going in different directions.  And we don't go out to eat very often anymore anyway, because of the expense and also the "unhealthiness"of it.  I can cook fresh, healthy meals at home for much cheaper than most restaurants.  And malls just tend to make us want to spend money we don't really have, for things we don't really need.  So our "family outings" have become fewer and farther between.

But today we decided to head to a mall we haven't been to in a while.  And since it was all 6 of us, we decided to make sort of a little day of it.  We kept it very low key.  Part of the fun is the drive there, singing and dancing in the van, everyone getting their groove on. 

When we got there, we let Evan play at the little play place (can you believe he's almost too tall for it?!  My baby?!).  Then we stopped in the little candy store and let each of the kids pick out their favorites (and me too....I love cinnamon bears!). 

Everyone got to have a little sample of their candy, just  a few pieces so as to not spoil their dinner.  We looked around a bit.  Taylor took Sky and Alexa to Hot Topic and John, Evan and I went to Hallmark.  They had some Halloween decorations that caught Evan's eye.  And once we got inside, we spent some time checking out all the Hallmark Christmas ornaments.

That was about it for the mall.  It was crowded and we were just window shopping anyway, so it was enough time spent there.  Then we headed to dinner.  We went to the Silver Diner.  What a fun place to eat.  I originally wanted to go for the nostalgia, but after checking out the new menu.....wow....the food was so good!  They have healthy menu options now too (always a plus).

The kids got a kick out of the cardboard cars that come with the kids meals and the jukebox at each table. 

It was a lot of fun.

 

Oh, but as a side note....to the people in the booth behind us.  It is not cool to choose "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor over and over and over again from your juke box for the rest of us to suffer through.  Really?!  There should be a limit on the number of times you can play a song.  At one point I was pretty sure the person choosing the song was NOT going to survive the meal, if  Taylor could figure out exactly who they were.  I am quite thankful the food was so good, because that song, repeatedly, was enough to make us lose our appetites.  And Taylor was about to go out of her mind.

But, we didn't let it ruin our time.  We had a blast, as a family out together. 

My kids are some really cool people.  And they are fun to hang out with.  Their dad isn't so bad either.

We should do this more often.

Hope your weekend is wonderful and that you are making the most of it, with those you love the most!
TTFN
~Tina