Snow Much Fun!!!

We had snow early last year, but we're calling this Connor's first snow because he was able to enjoy it.  He called it "ice," which was actually pretty accurate.  My office was closed on Friday, which is good because so was daycare.  So we holed up at home and had some quality time together.

The McHusband got the mower out, and I'm not really sure who was having more fun.

They took off down the driveway and up the street then did some donuts in the cul-de-sac.

  

If you can see in the picture above, there are tree limbs down in each driveway.  Fortunately neither driveway is ours.  We got lucky that we just lost small branches and none fell in bad spots.

Monte enjoyed the snow/ice only if we were outside with him or if he could find some to eat.  See, he had an infection last week and he's been on an antibiotic as well as Prednisone, which is making him incredibly thirsty. 

We walked around the house and as Connor followed the McHusband, he got sidetracked by this ice-laden holly branch.

A few random snow pics...

 

And I'll wrap up with a picture of Connor.  This is him at his monkey see-monkey do finest.  The McHusband was scraping some snow from the bench and deck and of course his apprentice had to do it next.  We're lucky to have such an awesome helper by our sides these days. :)

 

I owe you guys - and Connor - an update on how he's doing these days.  He is such a little person now and he picks things up left and right and he surprises us at least once a week with something he's learned.  His new favorite thing this weekend, besides playing in the snow and eat icicles, was having me sing "Happy Birthday" do him.  He just kept requesting "hoppy."  He is a happy guy the majority of the time and when he isn't, it doesn't last long.  He still has a very good appetite with oatmeal being a recent favorite.  And "dock," a.k.a. chocolate (in the form of frozen mini York Peppermint Patties), which he sometimes gets one of after he's eaten a good lunch or dinner.   

We had a lot of fun being stuck together for this cold long weekend and I was grateful for the quality family time.  Having the extra day meant we could still get stuff done (hello clean bathrooms and new shocks!) without feeling like we weren't spending enough time with Connor.  So, basically, I need an ice storm every Friday.  I know, I know, careful what I wish for...

What a nice weekend

Connor isn’t in full-blown terrible-twos tantrum-throwing mode, but since we moved he has seemed a little…hormonal.  Just running hot one minute, cold the next with seemingly no explanation for the switch.  I can’t blame him, I know my moods have been up and down since we moved, too.  But just like I’m finally feeling a little more normal, I think he is, too.

The McHusband actually took Connor to the doctor Friday afternoon.  Daycare called to say that he had a slight fever, wasn’t quite himself,  and maybe had a rash on his chest.  They’d had an outbreak of Hand, Foot, and Mouth so they were justifiably paranoid.  Luckily there wasn’t anything wrong with Connor and he and the McHusband had a little extra time together while I had my hair appointment.

We started Saturday with sleeping in then we walked with Monte up to the Dog Day in the Park in town.  It’s so nice that our new house is right next to a local park that has greenways connected it to two other parks.

All of us had a great time.  By the time we wandered through and socialized, Monte was hot and tired but we still had to walk home.  He couldn’t wait to find some tall grass in the shade to plop down in but we had to forge ahead so no rest for the weary.

I felt bad for Monte as we walked by the lake that was taunting him as the big water bowl he wasn’t allowed to drink from so I decided to let him quench his thirst.  Well, before I knew it, he was shoulder-deep in the water, walking around with his mouth open like that whale filtering out the water to eat the krill.  So guess who got to give Monte a bath when we got home? #itwasme

Saturday night was a normal pre-move night with dinner with friends and a bonfire afterparty.  It was so nice to just hang out with everyone, I just can’t even tell you how refreshing it was.

Sunday was mostly stuff around the house.  The McHusband worked on the invisible fence and got the little cat door installed in the door from the sunporch to outside so Tori can get in and out without us leaving the door propped open for other creatures like birds (yes, I saw one in the sunporch) or anything bigger to get in.

I did my cleaning and laundry and got the crockpot cooking our dinner, all while chasing after my little toddler-nado.  Seriously, he never stops.

Connor was just in a great mood all weekend.  He has his new lawnmower toy from Grammie and Papaw (Thank you!) that he just loved to push all over the place.  We heard lots of animal sounds (Connor’s version of “meow” and “woof”) and we practiced our body parts, we ran circles around the downstairs, and Connor helped me vacuum (minus the vacuum being plugged in and actually sucking up any dirty).

These are the kinds of weekend where I can see how people decide to add to their families.  Not me, but those other people.   It’s going to take more than two nice days to make me want to start over again. 

Like a lot of tequila.

Happy Monday to you guys!

Long time no blog

I needed this long weekend.  And the entire month of August plus a week of September.  The move to the new house took its toll.  There was just so much to do that I didn’t have the energy, mentally, to live the life I did before we moved.  But I started feeling more like myself last week and the long weekend helped tremendously.  I was able to be productive around the house, but I tempered it with enough downtime to feel rested.  Connor had his moments, both challenging and rewarding, but thankfully he ended it on the latter note.

We didn’t have any social plans this weekend unless you count touring Terry, Vickie, and Zachary through the house.  In the spirit of the Labor Day cookout, the McHusband and I grilled turkey burgers on Sunday and enjoyed our new porch furniture and lights.

Monday was more of the same: long walk, house stuff, and hanging with Connor.  The added bonus was baking cookies (see, I told you I’m feeling more like myself), visiting Heather who is recovering from some surgery, and the McHusband bathing Monte, who was waaaaay past stinky.

I have Connor’s 18-month post written and hope to get it published this week with some pictures.  Don’t come here every day looking for something new and interesting (or even just one of those), but check in once a week or so.  I hope to resume a semi-regular blogging schedule.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Good help is(n’t) hard to find

The McHusband and I each had our helpers yesterday.

The McHusband was in the yard digging out the dirt so that some edgers would fit in around areas that will be mulched.  Monte, of course, took it upon himself to supervise.

Monte made sure to check out each section as the McHusband finished.

He was very thorough, inspecting from all sides.

“Good work!”  This part gets Monte’s stamp of approval.  And watch out, it’s a really wet stamp.

All that supervising is hard work, donchaknow.  Monte alternated taking his breaks in shade

and in the sun.

The McHusband enclosed three areas with the edgers and my favorite is this one right off the patio.  See the heart?

The McHusband worked really hard out there both days this weekend and unfortunately he’s not done since mulch will still need to be spread.  I’m sure Monte will be a big help with that, too.

While the big boys were outside playing in the dirt, Connor and I were inside cleaning the dirty house.  I’m lucky that Connor doesn’t have to be entertained 24/7, and he can find fun in the ordinary.

Now if I can just teach him to clean windows instead of putting his hands all over them…

We were so happy to get lots of time in the sunshine this weekend.  Fingers crossed that spring lasts a while and doesn’t turn straight into summer as it likes to do here in NC.

Hope you guys also enjoyed some fun in the sun!

Lately

Sorry for the radio silence yesterday.  I didn’t sit down from the time we got home from the park at 5:15 til…well, never.  We went to bed around 10:30 and that was my first moment to relax what with Connor and some chores and dinner and preparing a couple of lunches for Connor.

I had some bagels from my office and I wanted to make an official outing of feeding them to the geese at the park. Unfortunately, the geese must’ve been feeling crowded by the gazillion people at the park and sought quieter ground (water?) for the day.  So we just walked around and swung a little when a swing freed up. 

Flashback photo to last weekend in the swing in the backyard.

Know who else enjoyed the sunshine this weekend?  All the animals.  I think vitamin D should be called the peacekeeping vitamin.

You have to look closely to find Emma.  She’s in the shadow of the grill behind the litterbox top.

Please overlook the litterboxes; I was airing them out.  The boxes moved outside with the cats when they transitioned to backyard kitties but now the boxes are little houses with heated beds in them.  And don’t worry, we bring the cats in when it’s gets really cold or stays cold for days at a time.

I went for a run last night IN A TANK TOP!  It was so nice to be running when it was light and not dressed for temps close to the freezing mark.

My run was a pretty good one, but I’m a little worried about my right hip and IT band, which has been a problem before.  As I’m writing this Monday night, I don’t know how it’s feeling today but keep your fingers crossed that I’m mostly limp free.

My shirt says “I like to run because I really really really really really like food.”  Hey, if the shirt fits…

Oh!  Guess what we aren’t doing any more?  Bottles!  Connor was down to 2 a day (before his morning nap and before bed) at his first birthday so I started giving him smaller bottles (from 6 oz to 4 to 2 and finally to 1).  On Sunday, I put him down for his morning nap without a bottle and he had no problems.  I figured I’d try it again at bedtime and he was fine.  We read a book a few times through instead and he went into his crib without any problems.  Can I tell you how happy I am to be able to clear those bottles out of the cabinet?

Finally, I bought some supplies for general baking as well as for our upcoming St. Patrick’s Day party (that’s right, it’s back!).  If the McHusband doesn’t eat them all first, I will be incorporating Lucky Charms marshmallows into a treat.  Did you guys know you can buy JUST the marshmallows?  A five-year-old’s (and, let’s be honest, this thirty-five-year-old’s) dream come true for just $4!

Are you wearing your green today?  If not, watch out!  You don’t want to get pinched.  (Or maybe you do!)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!