Lately...

Even with all of the craziness of our life going on right now (i.e. putting our house on the market, searching online for rentals in Kentucky, and- oh yeah- starting the process of planting a church!) we have still managed to get out in the spring weather and enjoy ourselves a bit.  The weather is either rainy and cold or absolutely gorgeous, but lately the gorgeous weather has been showing up more than the showers.  I don't mind it so much if it keeps it from being uber-hot here in Illinois.  That is something that this mama is not looking forward to!  But here's what we've been up to lately.  We have been...

Sitting around looking handsome (and far too old!)

Going for lots of bike rides and walks.  True story: Jake climbed into his own stroller today and tried to buckle himself in.  Between that move and bringing us his shoes all the time it looks like we'll be spending lots of time outside this summer!

Picking out a puppy.  Yes, you read that correctly... more on that to come

Practicing with the spoon.  Although, we find that we're much better using a fork at this point!

Spending LOTS of time in our swing in the backyard.  He pretty much makes a beeline to it as soon as he gets out the back door (which we are this close to being able to open by ourself!) 

Playing in the dirt.  I am still amazed at how boys just naturally gravitate to it.

Enjoying the scent of the blooms in our backyard.

I think that spring and summer are going to become my favorite seasons now that we have a kiddo.  I can't tell you the last time that I went for a bike ride just for fun or swung on a swing-set.  I never realized that by having a child you really do get to experience parts of your youth all over again.  There is a certain nostalgia, certain memories, that you forget you have until reliving something unlocks them all over again.  In the past month Josh and I have shared more stories about our childhoods- favorite vacations and things to do- than I think we ever have before and I know it's because we're out and about doing some of the same things that we did when we were kids.  Plus, seeing the joy on our child's face as he slides down a slide, runs through the hose, chases bubbles, or sticks his hands into a sandbox makes my heart swell.  It is these sweet moments that I will always treasure about my fourteen-month old boy.  The world really is an incredibly amazing place through the eyes of a child.

Whiteout

This is a little overdue, but I misplaced my video camera for about a week (my brain is on permanent hiatus right now) and was finally able to sit down today and upload some of the video from our blizzard last week.  I had to laugh a bit at my footage as there were about 12 short clips that I deleted of the snow falling outside the window.  Sure, it was falling at a pretty impressive pace and you could certainly see how windy it was, but it was one after another after another!  Can you tell that I've never really lived any place with this much snow??  So don't worry, I won't bore you with those, but here are a few from our winter wonderland:

The first is a short clip of the dogs running in from outside.  This one shows how deep the snow is!

Next up is just a view of the front of our house and neighborhood.  We live on a main road, so we were lucky to wake up to fairly-well plowed roads.  We have friends, however, who live out in the country and were snowed in for days!  I will say that living in the Midwest is nice when it snows as they are very used to it and very prepared to take care of it! 

And lastly, little Jakie in the snow.  He loved being outside and didn't mind the cold too much.  His snowsuit limits his movement, however, so often times he just ends up sitting in one spot with a blank stare on his face.  Please ignore the commentary in the background... I tried to put it to music but I'm not that talented!

While we did love the many inches (er... feet) we received, Josh and I have decided that we are officially ready for spring!  The groundhog told us that it would be an early spring and I sure hope he's right!  Today the temperature got up into the upper 30's and no joke, it feels like a heat wave.  I even went outside in short sleeves and felt like I was dressed warm enough... what is happening to me?  I think they are turning me into one of them!  But seriously, especially with a toddler (yes, a toddler... this kid has definitely mastered walking... video to come and I promise to not make you wait as long this time!) who has cabin fever, we are ready for some warmth and sunshine!  Heck, what am I talking about?  I am a mommy with cabin fever, too!  I guarantee as soon as the thermometer hits forty degrees (which is rumored to happen Tuesday... and we'll be out of town of course!) the stroller will be out in full force.  So groundhog, bring it on!

It Definitely was a Blizzard!

Did you know that it can thunder and lightning during a snow storm?  Did you know that snow can fall so quickly from the sky that it actually looks like rain?  Did you know that if the wind blows hard enough an entire screened-in porch can have a couple of inches of accumulation?  Boy have we learned a lot in the past couple of days!

Tuesday afternoon the snow started coming down, fairly normal at first, but then the winds picked up and we could hardly see the houses across the street at times.  And it just didn't stop!  We stayed up fairly late and it was still howling outside when we turned in around midnight.  At that point it was almost up to the dogs' chests when I let them out and we were still in for a few more hours according to the radar.  This is what we woke up to:

Can you find the Route 40 Sign?

Snow snow everywhere!  We got 16-20 inches in most places, but with the wind, it made for some major drifts in our driveway and side yard... check it out!

I assure you that the above picture has not been doctored!  Walking through that just to get the picture was quite an adventure!

Late in the afternoon after all that super-fun snow-blowing and shoveling was behind us, we bundled up our favorite little man and ventured outside to check it out.  The weather was spectacular!  And yes, I say that even though it was a mere 8 degrees.  But the sun was shining, the snow was sparkling, and the air felt clean and crisp.  We weren't sure how Jake would react, but he loved every minute of it!

I have plenty of video to post that I took throughout the storm and the morning after, but this gives you a good idea of the fun we're having in Small Town, Illinois these days.  There's so much snow that the department of transportation is trying to find solutions as to where to put it all... especially the tons of it in parking lots!  Looks like we'll be seeing this white stuff for awhile!

And yes, those are still Christmas decorations on our porch railings.  In fact, our Christmas tree has only gotten as far as being out of our living room and onto our (now snow covered) screened-in porch.  It's freezing here- don't judge us!  

More snow fun to come... stay tuned!

Here it comes...

I was beginning to think that the Northeast was going to get all of our snow this year.  Over the past few months it seems that my sister in Kentucky and friends in Nashville have been getting more than we have!  And then I read that South Bend, Indiana got two feet??!!  Wow!  Now I'm not really sure what a "normal" winter is like here in Small Town, Illinois since this is only my second one, but I am pretty sure that we're supposed to (logically) get more snow than our friends in the south.

Thank you, Mr. Weatherman, for proving me wrong.  Apparently we're in for some good stuff tomorrow:

Yep, that's right... 12 to 18 inches headed our way!  Yowza!  Apparently the sky has been waiting to just dump it all on us at one time rather than in these little 2 and 4 inch showers we've been getting over the past few months.  To say I'm a little giddy would be an understatement.  In my opinion, if it's going to feel like the arctic tundra outside, it might as well be snowy.  And believe me, it feels like the arctic tundra.  I know that I have many friends up here who are moaning and groaning about the impending blizzard (can I call it a blizzard?  I might have to look up what needs to happen in order to refer to it as a blizzard.  That sounds way more exciting than winter storm), but I say bring it on!  Sure, the roads will be bad until the plows get out, but I don't have anywhere to be, so that doesn't really mater too much.  And sure, we'll have to shovel (and by we, I mean Josh) but that's why we invested in our snowplow, which lucky for me is his new favorite toy.  I don't see any reason to complain.

And the best part (in my opinion) about the snow?  Those lovely snow days.  Granted, I "work" in Miami, so I won't necessarily have one, but it's a lovely treat when the world around us shuts down for a day and the hubby gets to stay home.  He'll do some work from here, but seeing his face all day long makes my day a little happier.  

So blizzard?  I say, "yes please!"  And that goes for the kind from Dairy Queen, too!  This post just officially made me hungry.

Snow Daze

On Sunday the weatherman was calling for a blizzard. We weren't necessarily going to get a lot of accumulation, but we had winds of 40mph+, below freezing temperatures, and blowing snow. After much debate that morning, calling other pastors, and hearing that a friend of ours got blown into a ditch out driving that morning, Josh made the decision to cancel services. When I turned on the news it looked as if almost every other church had decided to do the same thing.

So with an entire day of nothing to do ahead of us (which never happens), we watched movies, snuggled on the couch, and just enjoyed our time together as a family. But somewhere in the middle of the day we had the brilliant idea to cut Jake's hair. It had started creeping past his ears and down the back of his neck and there were a few pieces at the crown of his head that could be brushed forward almost to the front! I think they were his last two strands of original hair that I couldn't bear to trim the first time!

Armed with a bottle (which was advice from my sister Mindy) and the clippers, we set to work. Jake is such a wiggler, so I had to keep him distracted and Josh had to work quickly. At first glance upon finishing, we thought we had butchered his hair! From the side he looked like a friar with a weird bowl cut, but once it dried and fell naturally the look went away (thank goodness!). But with a haircut and some boredom we did have a little bit of fun at our son's expense... take a look!

In the chair at Mom and Pop's Barber Shop. I feel like if we opened one of our own, that's what it would be called... has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? We serve free drinks!

Jake's comb-over... looking just like his Great Grandaddy Bullen! (And no, he wouldn't mind me saying that... in fact, Great Mawmaw would have probably pointed it out to everyone anyway)

With it combed straight back, he's a baby version of Christopher Walken:

Yikes! Did someone stick their finger in the light socket?? This is one hair-raising do! This boy can pull off any look, can't he?

But we actually thought it was so darn cute that we left it that way for the rest of the day and took some pictures for our Christmas card (yes, I know we're behind). This is one of the out-takes so I'm allowed to post it... maybe I'll post the rest after our cards get mailed out because there are so many cute ones. Jake wasn't really having much fun, but this one makes me laugh because it looks like a totally posed fake-smile. How does my son know how to fake-smile at 9 months old? What a character! And if this is one of the out-takes I'm sure you're thinking that our Christmas card pictures much be really cute, right?? Right??? :)

We finally did get our cards ordered after I looked through all of them about eighteen times. Estimated date of delivery to our home? December 24th. Nice. I guess I should have ordered New Year's cards like my friend Kristen does every year... I should have known better considering that my nephew's birthday gift from October is sitting on our coffee table. Oh well... maybe next year. You live and you learn I guess.

I hope everyone who had snow had some fun in it! I know that next year Jake will think it's much more fun and we'll actually venture outside!

October???

Seriously... is it already the 19th of this month? Where did the first 18 go? This month has gone by in a blur and it feels like Christmas will be here before I know it. It's my favorite time of the year here in Mauneyland and everyday seems to be filled with perfect weather, vibrant leaves, endless sunshine, and therefore zero reason to sit inside and blog. Or do anything for that matter. We woke up this morning to 30 degree weather, so I know that winter is right around the corner and we'll be holed up inside for three months or so. Although I'm not looking forward to that, I do love the changing of the seasons and everything that comes with each one. So even though I have a ton to catch you up on... I'm going to neglect my blog once again and go take the boy for a walk! Fall is awaiting!

But just to tie you over... here is some of our autumn fun so far. More to come including a post on our Kentucky visit, Jake's 7 month post, and a couple of other surprises.

Now get out from your computer and do the same... you'll be glad that you did!

This Could Get Ugly

We thought we were a house divided before...

but things just got complicated!

I'm SO excited for football season... for the crisp fall air, pots of chili, the leaves changing, and most of all, no more Lane Kiffin coaching my beloved Vols! It's the start of a new era and it's about time! I haven't been this excited about the season for a long time, and even though I know we still have a long way to go, I know a change is coming and it will be exciting to watch. In the meantime, I will still wear my orange proudly and always declare that...

I SAID IT'S GREAT - TO BE -

A TENNESSEE VOL!

We Survived

The "blizzard" of 2009 blasted through here last week, but I think the weatherman may be kicking himself now for calling it the "worst storm in 30 years." Was there lots of snow? Yes. Were there negative degree temperatures? Yes. Did school get cancelled? Yes, for 2 days. Did some folks lose power? Yes. Was it worse than any other snow according to every person we asked? Ummm... that would be a no. Apparently, we need to get used to last week's weather, because that is what we can expect all winter long.

All in all, we ended up with about 8 or 9 inches on the ground. The strange part (to me anyway) is that it's a week later and the ground is still completely covered and it's solid ice. Every place that I've ever lived with snow, it was generally gone the next day, but that does not seem to be the case here. The dogs enjoyed it when it was soft and fluffy, but now when they go outside they have to walk slowly as the footing is very uneven for them. Sometimes they will lift one paw off of the ground at a time because it is so very cold on their little paws. We tried to take a video of them running around out there, but of course, they did nothing spectacular on film so it is not worth posting. Hopefully we'll get a good one next time... and I'm sure we won't have to wait long for that.

So in case you were worried, we survived the great blizzard of 2009. I will say that I experienced the coldest weather I have ever felt in my life, but I mostly stayed indoors so it did not bother me too much. And oh how beautiful the world looks underneath a blanket of white! I don't even mind that it's all dirty and piled up on the side of the roads now because those few gorgeous days, before it was all plowed and played in, made it all worth it. And nothing is cozier than a cup of hot cocoa at the end of a winter's day.

Oh, and in baby news, our last appointment went well and they bumped us up yet again to the March 22nd due date, which makes us skip ahead to the 26 week mark this week (are we overachievers or what!). Granted, we've now seen 3 different doctors plus a midwife and we get a different answer every time, so it's clear that Baby Jake will just come in his own time. And all three of us are perfectly content with that.

And it begins...

I really shouldn't be surprised. The year I moved to Florida we had the first hurricane in 20 years. The year I moved to Small Town, Illinois they call for the worst blizzard in 30 years. Although I am a big fan of the snow, the word "blizzard" is not something I'm familiar with and it has me a little bit on edge. Six to eight inches is one thing... it means snow days and just enough to play in, but blizzard? That sounds more like we'll be trapped in the house for a few days. Regardless, it's sure pretty to look at and the pups seem to enjoy going outside and running around in it (although they like it so much that they usually end up in the neighbors' yards and circling half the block before bounding back to the house). And as for me, if we are going to be cooped up in the house for awhile, at least I'm stuck here with my handsome husband and baby Jake in my belly... it sounds like the perfect remedy to keep me warm on this long, snowy night. We'll keep you posted on Blizzard Watch 2010, but here is what we're expecting to see in the next couple of days:

Today: Snow. High near 32. Breezy, with a east wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around 2 inches. (Dearest Weatherman, I can already assure you that we have WAY more than 2 inches on the ground at this point).

Tonight: Snow and areas of blowing snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Some thunder is also possible. Low around 29. Breezy, with a north wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of around 6 inches. (Breezy? Makes us sound like we live in a tropical paradise. And at what mph is the limit to describe the conditions as breezy?)

Wednesday: Snow and widespread blowing snow before noon, then snow likely and widespread blowing snow after noon. Temperature falling to around 16 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as -5. Windy, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph increasing to between 25 and 30 mph. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of around 1 inch. (I will officially have to watch the thermometer tomorrow. I have never seen that little mercury line dip below zero. Oh who am I kidding? Nobody has a real thermometer anymore. Hopefully we'll have power so that I can see it on weather.com)

Wednesday Night: Widespread blowing snow and a slight chance of snow before midnight, then areas of blowing snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy and breezy, with a low around 0. Wind chill values as low as -20. Chance of precipitation is 20%. (Blowing snow? That's a new phrase to add to my weather vocabulary. And please don't bring attention to that -20 part... that has to be a joke)

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 11. (Ooooh! A warm front!)

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 1. (So what you're saying is, this will be three days in a row that I don't step foot outside.)

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 20 (Warmth and sunshine, just in time for the weekend... ha! Looks like I should get used to seeing this white stuff on the ground because it looks like it might be here awhile)

On another (kind of) unrelated note, I was on the phone talking to my friend Crystal last night about the impending blizzard. By the end of the conversation, the weather talk had ended and we were instead contemplating whether we should meet at Dairy Queen to get an "actual" Blizzard. Yes, we're both pregnant.... all roads lead to food.