Deep Thoughts

This past Sunday Ellie and I were driving up to Harrisburg, PA for a baby shower. It was a little over an hour trip so that left us with plenty of time to chat and that brings me to the topic for this post... Larry.

We started talking about birthdays and who's are next. When we finally got to October we talked about all of the people who share the same birthday month... Ellie, Andrew, Brendan, Schatzie, Takara, Larry, and myself. Also that Ellie and Andrew will always be the same age. They will be 5 at the same time, 7 at the same time, 40 at the same time, and even 90 at the same time. I know, it is just crazy how that works!

While we were talking about where in the month every one's birthdays fall is when the conversation took a sharp turn off of it's predictable course...

Ellie: Andrew and I share a birthday on the same day.
MB: Do you know who's birthday is the day after yours?
E: Takara (side note: Takara is one of her classmates.)
MB: And who else?
E: Schatzie
MB: Do you know who's birthday is the day before Mommy's birthday?
E: No
MB: Your Uncle Larry
E: Uncle Larry's got no hair. Why?
MB: Well, when some men get older they loose their hair.
E: Did he used to have hair?
MB: Yes, when he was younger.
E: But you can't see it now.
MB: Nope.
E: I have a book at school with a man that can take his teeth out.
MB: When you have teeth you can take out, they are called false teeth.
E: False teeth. *Pensive moment.* Uncle Larry has false hair.

The Tsnownami, the Dig-out, and Other Stuff

Ellie's 100-project for school... 100 Jelly Belly jelly beans! They were celebrating the 100th day of the school year and even had a party!

The tsnownami hits...
Well, we ended up with another dumping of snow just 3 days after the last one... Lucky us! This one was another 20+ blizzard with stronger winds than the last one. If you do the math that is 49.5" of snow in less than one week, a record for Baltimore and now making the winter of 2009-2010 the snowiest winter in Baltimore's history!
Well, it is great that Ellie and I got to witness history but scheesh, ENOUGH SNOW ALREADY!!
Way too much snow and it is just getting really hard to throw that much snow so high!! You can barely see my car now!
Papoo shoveling on Wednesday. The pile behind him actually came up to his shoulders and that is on the patio.
Meme made Ellie some homemade play dough. What a fun project for a snow filled day!!
Meme mixing up the batch of hot pink!
That is Ellie's pink snake.
Margie, Ellie, and I on Wednesday evening. We ventured out to get some fresh air and so Ellie could see what was going on!
Ellie and Margie in the middle of the road after the plow came through.
One of the only times Ellie is allowed to run free in the middle of the street... She is loving it!
Mt Ellie... This is the pile at the foot of the driveway that is about 8 feet tall!
Scoping out the perfect place to do some "mountain climbing"!
Ellie and I in front of Mount Ellie.
Ellie "butt-stuck" in Mt Ellie... I just picked her up and shoved her butt first in the snow and she couldn't get out. It was way too funny. Once she finally wiggled free she said, "Do it again!"
Snow angles
Just taking a break in the snow.
Either there is one talented snow-hating dog in the neighborhood or I was just expressing my feelings with the yellow snow paint.
Ellie jumped on me and was trying to mush me into the snow... Thanks kiddo!!
All sassy-ed up and ready to venture out for a bit to run some errands.
Ellie was helping me out on Thursday at work.
Playing on her "green dot" games.
She actually know how to get on the internet and how to get to her games.
Friday night... maybe it was the snow glow from outside, the cabin fever, or just those catchy Fleetwood Mac tunes but once the CD player got turned on while making dinner, the lights got turned out and we had a fantastic dance party in the family room.
Papoo and Ellie were waving flash lights around the room and Meme and I were dancing... What a great time! 20min later we were worn out and dinner was ready, perfect timing!
Dressed up for school on Friday.
She had to take full advantage of the second day going to school that week! What a diva!
Saturday evening we went to Joelle's Valentine's party. We made necklaces, went on treasure hunts, had pizza, and watched a movie.
What fun!! They even made foam valentines!
Sunday... coloring after a wonderful Valentine's day breakfast.
We ran into Emma, Erin, Uncle Ronnie, and Aunt Pat at church Sunday evening.
Ellie insisted on holding Emma's hand while walking to the cars.

Snowpocalypse... Round 1

This has been quite a snowy winter so far but this storm was by far the worst so far! The flakes started on Friday afternoon and kept coming for over 24 hours. By later Saturday afternoon we saw a peek of sun and Sunday was sunny and clear, a perfect day to finish digging out of the 26". We don't have much time, Tuesday afternoon we have another storm coming and they are calling for about the same kind of accumulation!
Saturday morning...
You can't even see the swings!!!
First thing Saturday morning I had to get my coat and boots on to start shoveling... Schatzie took one step out of the back door and it was up to her chin!
Yes, that is my car in the driveway and it is still snowing.
Poor Schatzie, she couldn't even go in the snow if she wanted to!!
Here comes the Silver Bullet coming around one of the snow-bergs on the back patio.
After lunchtime we were measuring over 24" on the driveway with snow still falling. All in all we got 26"+ by the time it finally stopped.
GGGRRRR!!!
All of this shoveling (and more) done by just my two hands. Don't worry, no injuries just really sore. Two days of r&r (and Advil) to get ready for round 2.
Suiting up to play!
Ell in the backyard.
Climbing though the driveway.
She is so light, she didn't even sink all the way down.
Ellie and I out front shoveling.
Enlisting child labor.
Elie playing with her snow paints.
With some work it looks like we are making some progress!
Even Princess Belle came out to play in the snow.
Snow angels!
Hiking up the path to her club house.
Ellie at another angle.
Ellie is up there in the club house.
Watching the neighbors help us with the rest of the driveway on Sunday.
That is a LOT of snow!
More snow painting.
Its Ellis!!
So, I hear her yell, "LOOK!!! I am peeing!!!!" Then about fall over laughing! "BAWHAHAHAHA!!!!"
It was very hard not to fall over laughing myself!!
She is just cracking herself up!!
Baking cookies on Sunday afternoon... Chocolate chip, yum!!
Showing me her chocolate chips!
Ellis!
Getting ready to get herself stuck in the snow!
This is taken from under her clubhouse and in the right corner of the photo is the top of her picnic table.
Schatzie trying to see what is going on.
She lost her boot, luckily we found it!
No worries, she thought that was hilarious too!
Mmm... Snow! No worries kiddo, there will be plenty of that for a while to come!