"Hazy Shade of Winter"

This is my view from the window of my boss Ed's office. (He's currently braving the snow on I-80 in the Grinnell area. "Not good," he says.) It looks all hazy and cold and gray. What you can't see on my pathetic cell phone camera are the fluffy huge flakes that are falling at a pretty fast rate. Snowing since almost 2pm, my car is completely covered in the white powder. It actually looks light enough to wipe off with the wind shield wipers.

This light, fluffy snow is supposed to accumulate in amounts of anywhere from 4-8 inches by the time it's all said and done tomorrow morning. Now, sometime early Thursday morning, the winds are supposed to kick in... gusty dangerous winds. Since the snow is so light and the winds are so strong, we'll have blizzard-like conditions and of course, Travel Is Not Advised. (But we'll be expected to arrive at work on time.) Look at this nasty forecast:

The high on Friday is -2!!! Seriously! Automatic snow day. I do not want to leave my bed. And next week's highs will be like Spring after this week. (It was -22 during the day last weekend when we were Cherokee.) Anyone from Iowa remember what February usually looks like? If December and January are this bad... how horrible will February be?

That's it. I quit. I am all wintered out!

A ~

I got your card today (our mailbox has been frozen shut.) I can't tell you everything that I need to right now. I promise to write back as soon as I can. I just wanted you to know that we got the card, and that I can't thank you enough for your gift to Weston. I would never turn any gift away, even a kidney. (By the way, same goes for me too. Any organ that I can spare is yours.)

When in doubt, remember... we've known each other half our lives, and I love you too, just as you are.

~ E.

Christmas and Birthday

I promise to post something fabulous about our Christmases and my (gasp!) 30th Birthday.
For now... just know that we still have the Jones Christmas in Cherokee this weekend.

Also... I always said that I was pooling birthday money for a memorable 30th birthday tennis bracelet. But... I am contemplating not getting the bracelet and instead getting a Wii Fit. Thoughts? Is it worth the money or should I go with the bling? let me know.

Post Script: I did get one piece of Bling this year... my parents (dad specifically) gave me a diamond tiara ring for my 30th birthday. This way I can be a Princess any day I want to. (tear!) good Dad!

gifts

This year I knew that we had to get our daycare providers a Christmas gift.

They love Weston almost as much as we do. They take care of him, teach him, kisses his owwies.

So, I needed to show them that they are loved too!

I was going to go with a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant, Jasmine Thai in Altoona.

Then I learned that 3 other parents had the same idea.

So I made them a Movie Night Bundle. Something for Kris and Todd and their daughter, Kaylie.

Jingle Bells?

Once upon a Midnight clear...

As Weston and I sat near,

There was a rustling...
what some might call a Jingling,

within our Christmas Tree.

**********

Since Weston was next to Mommy

there was no way that he was naughty.

He gave me a look as if to say,

"Hey! How come I don't get to play?"

**********

We crept around our glowing tree

looking for the source of the holiday clatter.

And what should we find was the matter?

(see below)

**********

Nola... our cat in disguise as the Griswald Christmas Chipmunk!

Superman Jones

Weston had a huge, very busy weekend. Late nights, early mornings and little to no naps.

He left all Christmas presents alone and under the tree.

He was especially adorable around all extended family.

He opened his Christmas present at the Dalton Christmas Party with the wonder and laughter that we all hope for our children.

He raced that car up and down his "Mommy-ami's" legs, arms, and tummy as if I were a NASCAR speedway! He kept going, "Broom! Broom!" (No clue where he picked up the car sounds.)

The best part of the weekend?

As we're getting ready for bed, I hand Weston his sippy cup and ask if he wants a drink. He takes the cup from me and replies, "Tan You, Mom." I about cried I was so thrilled.

Christmas pictures

Thanks to our friends, Jason and Rachel Taylor (photographer and creative assistant, respectively) from Taylormade for setting up this impromptu photo shoot in our living room. It was so much easier to do something like this at home. And since this is our last Christmas in our house, it was so nice to see everything look so pretty! Some of the pictures are a little dark, but most turned out nice.
To quote Jason, I made some "artsy," of course I did.

Our Tree... wouldn't guess it was our house!

My fave!
Weston loves the bulbs! Obviously I worked on this one.

Weston, old school portrait style, a little too bright (my fault!)

a little blurry, but the happy couple

our family

fun family picture! (my face looks huge!)

Weston and Mommy... love this one too.

our holiday card, thank you Walgreens!