Snow, snow and more snow!

We have had so much snow... It's kind of nice because it's not too cold out and the snow is so fluffy and pretty. Ella and Clio have been having some fun today.









I wonder how much snow we will get tonight? It reminds me of how winter was when I was a kid. 6 foot high piles of snow on every street corner. Sinking up to your waist in drifts... I was beginning to think that those days were gone forever. I hope you are all enjoying it, too!

Finally

I guess I just wasn't waiting long enough for the darn pictures... Okay, here is Ella eating pink heart cake and wearing her fantastic Mama-made valentines socks on V-day.
And a very fashionable shot of the perfectly fitting socks. I can't believe how easy the pattern was! If anyone wants to give these a try I can pass it on. They only take a 50 gms ball for the pair and knit on two needles, but I did need to use two stitch holders while turning each heel. If you have spare needles of the same size you could use those instead.

Maybe...

It seems I can post a picture from a different computer... So perhaps there is something wrong with my home connection? This cutie pa-tootie shot is from October 2006. It was the only picture I had at hand.

Darn it All

Blogger is currently giving me grief and wont upload pictures... Bummer!

A HIghlight From Our Trip

Kindergarten?

We just found out that the registration for kindergarten is TONIGHT!!! Oh my, where is that birth certificate? Why didn't we get the letter in the mail that all of Ella's pals got informing us of this momentous event? It's a good thing Clio's mom mentioned it to Ron today. We would have been so screwed. Kindergarten round-Up has a sloppy lasso.

Sweet

I can't wait to go get some!

Green Comics Presents

This is the best darn comic book ever! Thanks Buchermonster!

Knitting starts again!

The knitting group at work starts again tonight and I am looking forward to it. I have all ready made HUGE progress on my project: Ella's sock. I will get the other one started today and, hopefully, finished by next week. This little sock was pretty simple to make and it fits perfectly! But she does have two feet so I can't claim the project is complete.

Dear Mom and Dad

No, I am not pregnant! (JoAnn says you've been wondering...)
I am just trying to be a bit healthier.
Don't let this stop you from coming up to visit us! Ella would love to see you guys more often.

Brrrr. -15 is not my favorite way to start a day

It's very very cold.

I tried to upload a video of Ella giving a lecture on how the human body works. It's quite hilarious, but too many MB's. I may have to upgrade my youtube accounts to a "directors" account. It's still free, but you get to post bigger movies.

Due to the weather, the Hardys have decided to spend the weekend "home bound". Yesterday Ella did all of the cooking!

And she helped clean the windows.

Note the fancy tie-dye dress Grandma Andy sent from Florida. The very cold mailman delivered it yesterday and Ella fell in love.

Well, even though it is cold enough to freeze off parts of my body, I think I may go outside for a few minutes to get some sunshine. It's very sunny. I need a little fresh air. And we are almost out of toilet paper, the one thing I forgot to buy on Thursdays pre-freeze stock up shopping trip. Foolish.

Back to School

It's funny to think that my life revolves around semesters again, but it is true. Spring semester has started and I have been swamped with work! It should clear up a bit in the coming weeks until I get swamped again with March Women's History Month and all the programming it includes.
We are preparing for a cold snap this weekend by shopping today for everything we (and Grandma Peg) might need. We plan to spend the entire weekend at home in a nest of pillows and heated blankets. Ella said "Wouldn't it be cool if we lived in a magic world and our house was magic and we could just pick it up and move it south? Not for ever... just for a few days. Like a vacation!" I think it's brilliant. Our high temps are supposed to be around 1 degree.
I am really looking forward to our knitting group this semester. I am going to try my hand at some socks. I have no idea how to "turn a heel", but it sounds mysterious and strangely exciting. I found a pattern for toddler socks and if they end up too small for Ella I am going to give them to sweet little Esther Amelia. I hope they end up matching!
Hey, the snow just stopped!
Send us some warm thoughts... We'll need them.

Empty Promises

OK, I said I would post pictures of Ella's birthday, but I am a damn liar. Things have just been busy and I have been tuckered-out!

Ron left Thursday for D.C. and we have guests from Winona, MN. this weekend, so although I am still quite busy, I do have a minute to post some January 11 moments.

Ella giving Joseph a hug

Ella and Clio sharing dessert at the Mexican restaurant. Yum!

Clio took this one of us. She did a pretty good job! We may not all be the cutest, but we certainly are happy.

And lastly, the sled full of gifts. We have finally had a chance to use that sled, too. It's fun and fast! Yeah for sledding! I can even fit on there with two kids.

Okay, back to playing doll house with Ella and Lily. We sure miss Ron and are looking forward to his return on Monday. Hope you all have a super weekend.

The Party (Fake Birthday)

Ella had her birthday party on Saturday Jan 6th. She called it her "Fake Birthday" because her real birthday is not until the 11th. Here are some pictures... She wanted a chocolate cheesecake so I baked her one. It was super yummy and she liked it so very much that she wants me to make another one for Thursday. I said I would.
Here she is all dressed up for the party and eating strawberries. She looked super pretty, but this picture didn't turn out so well.
Here is a shot of the kids making crowns.
It was fun. Ella and her guests had a great time. I still can't believe that she's going to be FIVE! I just look at her and am amazed by how grown up she seems and is still my little baby. I'll take about a thousand more pictures on the 11th, and probably a movie or two, so check back in for more of Ella's birthday!

January

Ella will be five on the 11th. It's so hard to believe!
My report to the general is I'm holding steady. Pretty good for all the festivities and what-not. I hope everyone had a great end to 2006 and that 2007 is just darn great. Time to get ready to go back to work!

Christmas Tap

Ella got some fancy new dancing shoes for Christmas!

She had a great time opening gifts and visiting Grandma Peg.

We hope you all had a great Holiday, too!!!!

Christmas Eve

Happy Christmas Eve! In the process of clearing off my fancy new camera I found some pictures to post. Here goes:

At ourt Solstice party Dec 21...

Playing with Kirin and Peter, talking with the big kidz, and looking at me like I am a Mom with too much Ella on my mind.With the ginger bread house and a picture of Lily with HER ginger bread house!And playing in the snow...

Now the camera is all empty and ready for tomorrow mornings photo opportunities. I hope you all have a great holiday!

Decorations

We like to make these super easy ornaments out of applesauce and cinnamon. When dry we decorate them with glitter glue. It's fun and easy.

They make the whole house smell like cinnamon. I hang one in the car (or a closet) as an air freshener, use as present labels, and hang them on the tree. They are fun to make as gifts for other holidays, too. Like Valentines day.

Bakin' Cookies with Clio

Ella and I headed over to Clio's afterwork to make Yummy Gingerbread men & women, flakey sugar/butter cookies, and cinnamon ornaments cut out like, uh, cookies! Michelle did a great job of keeping the ranks of cookies flowing throught the making stations while the girls played and played. Then the girls decorated some friends before dinner. It was a grand old time.
Oh, and the girls sang songs. They are such good pals. I'll say it again, we are very lucky to have the Clio's as friends.

The Nietzsche Family Circus

"The irrationality of a thing is no argument against its existence, rather a condition of it."

Okay, not one of the best pairings, but I am out of time and they come up random...
http://www.losanjealous.com/nfc/perm.php?c=42&q=121