A Storm Like No Other

Transformed into frozen sculptures, every tree, plant, pinecone, bush, and basically all things outdoors were encased in a thick layer of ice. Tips of trees that once stood 40 feet tall were touching the ground as the weight of the ice bent them so severely.

Star Magnolia buds

Japanese Maple

I still can't believe that this very tall Paper Birch didn't snap under the pressure of all the ice

Barberry

 

The effect was stunning, really remarkable and like nothing I’ve seen before in the Pacific Northwest. While it was lovely to observe, it also proved to be extremely destructive. Our power was out for two days and thousands were out for longer. 

Lucky to have a gas hot water heater, gas stove top, gas fireplace, and plenty of candles, we did just fine during the blackout. Large quantities of hot chocolate and "winter warmers" (William's latest concoction of warmed milk + cinnamon + vanilla + sugar) were consumed. Even Mommy got her coffee fix after digging my little Italian stovetop espresso maker deep from a cupboard.

So happy for the chance to use his camping lantern

Cocoa by candlelight

William and his Winter Warmer drink

MANY games were played while we were bundled in blankets and warmed our toes by the fire. Cranium's Balloon Lagoon (out of print but available at lots of second hand stores) was our favorite.

Let It Snow... and Rain and Freeze

Local newscasters dubbed our recent storm “Winter Extreme” and “Slushmageddon.” Call it what you will, our days of snow and freezing rain was a brutal combination.

Like so many storms, it started as a gorgeous Winter Wonderland. A lovely dusting of snow fell on Sunday and we treasured the brightness and muffled quiet it draped over our yard and woods.

It wasn't much snow on that first day but certainly enough for sledding

Daddy gives Sara a boost

It didn't take long for our hill to turn to a slushy, muddy mess but that didn't stop our kids

The girl loves to lay in the snow

The boy loves to walk in the woods

They both love being goofy

More snow came on MLK Day (no school) and we spent almost the whole day outdoors. Bundled up in our coziest gear, we sledded down every vertical surface in the neighborhood.

Despite all of the fun we had on Monday, William cried when he heard that schools were closed on Tuesday due to road conditions; that boy loves Kindergarden. Later, it warmed up and rained, making the streets safe for us to get around. Considering the forecast, I figured we better get out while we could. Sara missed her morning preschool but made up for it by joining William all afternoon in his Kindergarten Enrichment program and I made a trip to the grocery store.

We woke to several inches (and more snow falling) on Wednesday. Naturally, more sledding ensued plus we made more snow angels, snowmen and snowladies, caught snowflakes on our tongues and tried to check them out under magnifying glasses after letting them fall on cold black paper. However, the unusually powdery small flakes didn’t show much shape under our magnifiers… later those flakes turned to freezing rain, driving all of us indoors for hot cocoa.

Aren't hummingbirds amazing? How do these little guys stay warm in weather like this?!

The hummingbird feeder was frozen solid the following morning. When I went out to retrieve the feeder and warm it up, I noticed a shiny thick layer of ice atop the snow and ice coating everything. This is when things started to get interesting…

Rob returned from his morning run (no, this dedicated runner doesn’t let ice or snow or freezing rain stop him) with reports of transformers blowing and flaming power lines down across the street with neighbors hollering “TURN BACK!!!!” as he calmly jogged along. Not that it stopped him from going again the next day, even he admitted, “yeah, it really wasn’t a good morning for running.”

The kids loved walking on top of the snow with their feet only breaking through every fourth or fifth step with a satisfying crunch. And the big sheets of ice were great fun for them to shovel, lift and break and even taste…   

Sitting on a snow bench

He means business

Ice Lanterns (propped three small sheets of ice together and added a votive candle) would have been beautiful at night but so much snow and ice was falling that the flames were quickly extinguished

Sledding on the slippery icy surface would have been thrilling but it was out of the question with the cacophony of thunderous cracks and snaps coming from the woods around our house. We weren’t about to head anywhere near the woods or anywhere with power lines overhead. Crushing weight from the ice was taking everything down.

It didn’t take long for our flickering lights to darken to a total blackout. Silence… no fridge humming, no computer “thinking,” no Pandora radio, no heater blowing, just quiet. Well, all quiet except for the kids shouting their very animated reactions to everything suddenly turning off. 

To be continued (when I'm not rushing off to pick a kid up at preschool)...

Gets 'Em Every Time

Regardless of the weather, all I have to say is “Scavenger Hunt!” to get the kids interested in venturing outdoors.

When they were younger I would make the lists for them and draw pictures for clues since they weren’t reading. They still aren’t reading but now they create their own lists complete with pictures.

I write the words for my 3 year old and she draws the pictures. She added a happy blue version of herself (lower right with wild curly hair) and said "Look! I on da list! We have look for Sara out there!"

My Kindergarten boy carefully sounds out the words and gets the letters on his paper, wonderful practice activity, by the way.

No, we didn't go out in search of bears, he is writing "berry"

They thought I was fooling when I suggested we search for ice but they humored me and wrote it down anyhow. Then, despite my encouragement otherwise, they put on their light jackets (Sara only had on a sundress to start with.... sigh) and we headed outside.

Ice was the first thing they found and of course they wanted to crack it. Fascinated by the bubbles frozen inside and the cracks from the rocks hitting the ice, my budding scientists peered into the bird bath. When they were looking closely, they noticed something special:  rainbows! They were delighted and Momma was impressed.

It's hard to see but several colorful prisms of light appeared in the fissures

Wonderment over the rainbows was quickly replaced by determination to crack that ice. William decided rocks weren't doing the job fast enough so he ran off to find something more serious.

What is it with boys and tools?

Behind that ice there is a grin

We trekked into the woods behind our house, William with his handy hammer, Sara in her sundress and Mom following with her camera (wearing a warm coat and scarf, by the way, it was freezing)!

We didn’t find everything on the list (all of the spiders are tucked in for the winter so no webs were to be found) but we walked in the woods, chased each other, and ran around so much that none of us got cold after all.

Something New for the New Year

I only recently learned what a blog hop is and honestly, I'm still kind of figuring it out. So far, it's been a great way to find new projects and new blogs while inviting others to see what we've been up to here. I posted Sara's Fairy Princess Accessories but now it looks like my graphic link is broken. Oh well, I'm learning. Anyhow, take a look, hop around and have fun...

Growth and Hope

Two amaryllis bulbs + two pots + expanding soil = two curious kids eager to track the growth of their chosen bulbs. Cuckoo Grandma brought these fun gifts for the kids; Sara chose pink and white while William picked the bright red one. Little did he know that the red variety blooms later than the other… at least we hoped that was what was going on as we witnessed her bulb shooting up quickly (sometimes an inch a day) while his quietly stood by.

We measured Sara’s bulb a few times and recorded our findings but our little scientific experiment was overshadowed by William’s disappointment. I explained that this was part of the process and sometimes bulbs and seeds sprout at different times and sometimes they won’t even grow at all but to not give up on his bulb yet. When glorious blush-colored flowers as big as Sara’s head proudly started opening, I knew it was time to take action.

Upon closer inspection (ie. yanking the non-performing bulb out of the soil) we found considerable root rot. After plucking off all the soft brown bits we left behind 4 or 5 nice fresh white roots, said some encouraging words to the red amaryllis bulb, buried it again, and hoped. Two days later we were still hoping but on the third day we saw a glimmer of life! One of the sprouting leaves looked slightly taller and a new green tip was also starting to show. I am so happy to report that in one day William’s bulb grew at least a half inch and has continued at a remarkable rate. It is now a promising 7 inches tall and we’re still enjoying the gorgeous pink flowers of Sara’s plant. Now William explains to everyone (as I have been saying in an encouraging tone this whole past month since planting), that once Sara’s is all done, we’ll have pretty red flowers to look at so it’s cool that his was slower. Phew! Close call.

A Lesson Learned

Handmade gifts are the only way to go. Beyond thrilled with their homemade costumes (Princess Accessories and a SWAT Team Vest), Sara and William have been telling anyone who will listen about their “fancy clip clop princess shoes” and “cool police gear” their Momma made for them. It’s the first thing they mention when asked about what they received for Christmas. Yes, I am aglow with joy every time this happens and next year I’ll give myself way more time to craft and create for my children.

The C.S.I. hat from an evidence collection kit (a gift I had forgotten about) turned out to be perfect with his vest

Furiously writing us all "tickets" (even though there were still a bunch of gifts to open)

"Now I can get out da window like Punzel!" (The long ribbons dangling from the back of her crown reminded her of Rapunzel's super long hair)

"I can wear these outside, Mom?"

I’m not sure why it took me so long to figure this out, perhaps insecurity about my own design talents (or lack thereof) but the joy with which my handmades were received will forever erase my hesitation. Curiosity about how I put it all together was another benefit – the kids wanted to know what materials I used and how I put everything together. Once they heard how things were made, they were inspired to make magic wands for a couple of friends…. and this was on Christmas day when they were surrounded by new toys to play with! Yes, another aglow with happiness moment.

A whole other level of handmade beauty also came my way this holiday. My incredibly talented artist friend, Michelle Willows (watch for her in the future, people!), surprised me with these exceptional hand drawn portraits of my kids.

What a personal, thoughtful, brilliant gift. I will be forver grateful. I'm not sure I can ever return the favor at the same caliber but thankfully this beloved friend is a fan of glittery pinecones, homemade granola, and paper stars. Thank you, dear girlfriend, we love you!

First "Real" Movie

Forget Frosty, we have a new favorite Christmas movie. Not only was Arthur Christmas one of the most charming and funny holiday films I’ve seen, it was also the first movie my children have seen in a movie theater so it will always be special. I’ll never forget their look of wonder staring up at the big screen and their joy with the fancy springy seats and “oh my gosh, Mom, cup holders right on our chairs!”

In awe of the candy selection (we kept it simple with just popcorn)

After spending the morning visiting with her and another dear friend and her daughter, my former employer and the kids' Fairy Godmother Paula treated us to this impromptu matinee. I could tell she was a little shocked that I had never taken the kids to a movie theater but when I explained that I simply haven’t felt that the enormous screen and surround sound is necessarily good for their ears or brains, I think she understood. Plus, you never know how much sarcasm or bathroom humor is going to be included in kids’ movies these days (not age appropriate for a 3 and 5-year old if you ask me) so I’ve just chosen to avoid it.

But I have to say that there couldn’t have been a more perfect first “real movie” than Arthur Christmas. With just the right balance of plot and action, it kept my kids engaged and entertained throughout. Futuristic touches made it “cool enough” for my boy while the friendships and cute factor made it great for my girl. Both of them laughed hysterically at several parts. Only a couple of scenes made Sara ask to hold my hand and William just came and sat on my lap once…. pretty good for a couple of kids who have never sat in a vast dark theater while a big screen whisked them away to another world.

Too bad it doesn’t have much longer in the movie theaters at this point (sorry, we’re a little late to hop on the movie bandwagon) but this will be one we watch for on DVD to watch every year together.