It's time to . . .

hunker down for the "Storm of the Century" (insert dramatic local news music here).  Yeah, so I made the same joke on facebook. So what?

Anywho, I just picked Audrey up from school.  It's starting to sleet and I doubt we'll go out again for a few days.  The way the news is making it sound, we're in for a big one.  I just hope we don't loose power.

Last night I went and did our weekly grocery shopping.  I came home ranting about how everyone and their idiot brother was there clearing the shelves and trying to run me over with their carts.  Will gave me much crap for going back this morning to get a few more essentials *red face*  Normally I don't get too worked up about storms.  I mean really, this is St. Louis.  I don't believe I've ever been snowed in for even a whole day before in my life.  People always rush the grocery stores when a storm is coming like we'll be trapped in our homes for weeks.  Really, it's ridiculous. 

But even I have to admit that this time may be different.  Last estimate I heard was a 1/2 inch of ice, followed by 18 inches of snow.  It's supposed to get bad a little later today and continue all the way to Wednesday.  If they're right, that's not your typical St. Louis snow.  The last time we had 18 inches, was in 1982, long before I was even born (okay fine, I was 3).  Will's even planning a day off tomorrow and that NEVER happens.  This could be an interesting few days. 

Mmm, Banana

Bath time

I think I got a few shots that shouldn't be too embarrassing for him.  What a little man <3

2011 Projects

I'm not big on New Year's resolutions.  Pretty sure this is the only time I've ever made one and we didn't really stick to it.  We did start cooking more and we have ever since, but the chore lists were done by February.  So this year instead of making resolutions, we are thinking about projects for the year.  Or setting goals if you will.  Just not resolutions ;)  I don't want to make a big post about everything so I'll just mention things as we work on them.

I've been sick and tired of how messy and disorganized our house has been lately.  I was feeling like I just couldn't get things done at all.  I would try and try but it never seemed to work.  Chore lists certainly aren't for me.  So I was thinking back to times when I felt more organized.  Times when I used to be able to get things done. Those times have always been the times when I had the most on my plate.  The more things I have to juggle, the more I get done.

Keeping this in mind, I figured my solution was to give my day more structure.  The kids give me a bit of structure.  I have to work around preschool and naps and mealtimes.  But I have way too much discretionary time as well.  Instead of having chore lists for the whole day, I made a schedule with time for different categories of chores getting done at different times of the day.  I started last Monday and it has been going so well.  Not only is the house much more organized but I also seem to have more time with the kids AND more free time for myself.  And let's not forget, more time to blog.  It's truly amazing.  And hopefully life changing.

I love Sundays

What a great day.  It started off a little rough when the kids woke us up at 6am.  But after a little bit of cuddling, I got Gus to go back to sleep buying me an extra 1/2 hour.  And when we got up, the coffee was all ready.  Heaven!  Plus Audrey and Will got their hair cut yesterday and they were both looking so cute. 

Then it started snowing.  I know I just posted about how Gus hated the snow, but Will and I couldn't help ourselves.  We bundled everybody up and headed out.  And guess what?  Gus loved it!  Maybe he was just cranky the other day. 

 See how happy he is

 Catching snow flakes

 He was even happy to sit and play in it.  I bet we were out for almost 30 minutes.

 And here are Audrey and dad having a close range snowball fight.  Thank goodness it was all powder.

After we played outside, we enjoyed hot cocoa and a nice nap.  Will got some work done and went grocery shopping.  I made beef stroganoff for dinner and it was delicious.  I was going to take a pic of it, but we were pretty eager to eat it.  Plus it wouldn't make for a very interesting pic anyway.  Gussie ate broccoli and cauliflower for the first time.  He also fed himself sweet potatoes.  He is really starting to love dinner time.  I should have gotten a picture of that.  It was adorable.  Oh well, next time.  Well I must go.  It's bath time.  I'll definitely get the camera for that ;)

Snow Days

It snowed yesterday.  It snowed a lot.  Okay it snowed a lot for St. Louis.  I think we got 9 inches or something like that.  So we've been around doing snow stuff (whatever that means).

I decided first thing yesterday that it would be great to take the kids out in the snow.

 

See Audrey making a snow angel in the background?

 

There it is

 Can't forget to eat some

 Turns out Gus isn't a big fan of snow.  Unfortunately for Audrey and I he started crying after 5 minutes.  So back inside we went.

Tell us what you really think of the snow Gussie

 Time for some hot cocoa (or hot coconut as Audrey calls it)

 Yum!

 We decided to make some tissue paper snow flakes.  This is a great project to do after Christmas to use up all that tissue paper.  You just cut it into strips (or rip it), put it on a plate and paint liquid laundry starch over it.  When it dries, it gets hard and sticks together.  Then you have snowflakes, or sun catchers depending on the season.

 These were pretty colorful snowflakes

 And Gussie recovered from his harrowing trip out into the arctic.  Here's my happy boy.

And here he is all gussied up for dinner with Grandma and Grandpa O.  Gussie, all gussied up.  Oh goodness that's a bad one. 

 Note his snow day appropriate footwear

Today, I couldn't talk them into going back outside.  Fine with me, it is much colder today.  Sadly I couldn't talk Audrey into any arts and crafts either.  But we did play a rousing game of Frog Prince.

Here's poor prince charming who has been turned into a frog.

 "Hey, I don't want to be a frog!"

 Oh thank goodness.  Here comes a princess

 *SMOOCH*

Poof!  Here's the handsome prince

 And the beautiful princess.

My musical prodigy

^^^ Click on the corner to watch the video

Christmas!

Okay, it's finally time for some Christmas cuteness!

Here's Gussie as a cutie elf

Little man had so much fun at the S8A Christmas party that he fell asleep right on Gram-Mary's lap.  How sweet.

Let the present opening commence!

My brother Andy and I are so thrilled that Will is photographing us instead of the kids

Audrey modeling her new Christmas jammies (Christmas Eve)

Can't resist one more with the bow on his head

Christmas morning

Daddy's so thrilled to be up

The kids with their loot

I made this for Audrey to hang above her bed

These are the elf hats that Nana made for them (the stripey one at the top is the one I made)

Mommy enjoying a Mimosa amid the Christmas chaos

And a few more cute ones of Gus