Snow!

Which means we have to document it.

We did get out to go to the pink Palace to see Night at the Museum 3, and afterwards decided to go sledding at the Kansas hill

Everyone got into it:

Except for me. I stood at the bottom and tried not to get hit.

We can now say we've had our fun with winter, and it can go away.

Snow!

It snowed last weekend. And it was really quite lovely coming down. Alison took my phone and snapped an enormous number of pictures. These are the best.

Then it turned bitter cold and the snow was no fun to play with. It did warm up (marginally) later in the week and Kristen and Russell got a little bit of time out in it:

They are crazy, those two. 

This Year's Snowstorm

Because, you know, we take pictures whenever it snows. That's the way we roll.

I'm glad someone's enjoyed it.

Let it Snow!

Last night it started doing this:

(Which is a big deal for us.)

And when we woke up this morning it looked like this:

So, even though Mom grumbles about it, there must be this:

Maybe tomorrow there will even be sledding!

It's Fall!

For WEEKS Kristen has been eyeing the maple trees in our front yard, waiting, begging for the leaves to fall so she could make a pile to jump in.

Thursday --  yes that was Halloween! -- was the day. It had been raining all week, but it cleared out and was GORGEOUS, and so Russell went out and raked a pile.

Which they proceeded to jump and bury themselves in.

 Ah. The simple joys of fall.

The BIG Storm

Some pictures of storm damage. Alison took them, in the dark, so forgive them if they're a bit dodgy.

Our neighbor's flowering pear.

One section of fence, once we got it off the bush.

My drowned herb garden.

And the back fence.

Aside from the power being off for three days, it's not that bad. For which I am extremely grateful.

Not What You Want to See on April 24th

At least in Kansas.

On a Sunny Day in March

What better thing to do than build a fairy house?

Nothing, I tell you. Nothing.

Snow, Part 2

It snowed again on Monday and Tuesday, and the girls were off school (again). I had to work, but Russell was home. And it cleared up on Tuesday afternoon for them to get out and Build Stuff in it. Alison is missing because she was at her friend Sophia's house for the afternoon. She thought the creations were pretty awesome, though.

They built an ENORMOUS snow fort in the front yard (it's still there):

And Megan created the Eye of Sauron in the backyard:

She started creating a Dalek, but gave up because she was cold and wet.

We've enjoyed the snow, but we're all ready for spring now!

Diary of a Snow Day

We haven't had snow in two years. In fact, we haven't had much moisture at all in 2 years. So, we were really taken by surprise when it started snowing on Wednesday, and continued all through Thursday. It also meant that the girls -- due to a holiday Monday, teacher inservice on Tuesday -- only had one day (and for Alison and Kristen, a half day at that!) of school this week.

Thursday morning

They did get out of the house for a little on Thursday to climb the pile from shoveling the driveway.

So what do you do when you're cooped up at home for two days straight?

Megan does this:

Caitlyn gets ambitious and builds a blanket fort for Alison, Kristen, and Alison's friend Sophia:

We have pizza for lunch, because I had to go to work Friday night and the event that I was going to send the kids to for dinner got canceled. And because that's the way I roll when Russell's out of town.

And then you go sledding!!

Where, you may ask, since Kansas is flat? Why, here:

Yes, that is an embankment next to the freeway exit.

Caitlyn made the green hat at an activity on Monday. I'm impressed.

But it was lots of fun!