Snow... And More Snow

It was a week of snow. Gorgeous big flakes of it. We got hit twice. Saturday, and then again a huge dump on Monday night.

In addition to the beautiful winter landscape, the Christmas preparations have continued. Which of course includes teaching my son the versatility of markers.

Body art!!!

Saturday's snowfall was just like being in a snowglobe. 

The flakes were gigantic, and floated slowly to the earth.

The boys and I had fun watching it from the window.

Sage has been working on his wrapping skills. He spent the afternoon wrapping up knick-knacks from around the house and placing them beneath the tree. 

We have a Christmas fanatic on our hands!

While Kale pretended to be a holiday traveler. He loaded up his luggage and walked endless miles through the "Denver airport."

Saturday night we had the Johnsons over for dinner. 

Sage and Sam played so well together.

Kale and Joanna also took a liking to each other. Kale did try to sit on her several times. But Joanna is one tough chica!

Gryos and falafel for all. They watched the Polar Express together over dinner. So cute!

Sunday brought with it more good food.

Matt's parents send us a box of grapefruit every Christmas season. And EVERYONE is a fan. Particularly, the little boys. Sage and Kale love grapefruit (with a little sugar sprinkled on top). And after we eat the fruit, we squeeze the juice then hand out straws to sip it up. This has become not only a breakfast tradition, but also a great late-night snack.

We did some imaginary camping in the living room.

And a double bath. 

(But..every bath is a double bath. So I guess it was really, just a bath.)

I worked on Monday - because we were having some special events that day. Which meant I got Tuesday off. And boy was I glad for the schedule change... 

Because when we all woke up on Tuesday morning....we saw this!!

10 inches of snow! And not a drop on the ground when I fell asleep the night before. What fast accumulation!

Matt's employer gave him the ok to work from home. So we called it an official SNOW DAY, and kept the kids home from school. Sage was thrilled!!

After a long romp outdoors, we had a round of hot chocolate.

I've always been an advocate for more snow days. America needs more subtle reminders from Mother Nature to slow down, and enjoy the simple things.

Kids grow up fast....

We found evidence of it in our ornament box...

This is Sage's hand from his very first Christmas when he was just 5 months old.

Merry Christmas!

A Griswold Weekend

This past weekend we went into full-blown Christmas mode. We spent the majority of both days acquiring/decorating a Christmas tree, and putting lights on the exterior of the house.

We went to our typical stomping grounds  - Bath Nursery - to select the tree. They have reindeer, and free popcorn and apple cider. We got there Saturday at 9am, before any crowds had gathered. It was the most stress-free tree-buying experience ever. Fancy that!

2015

2014

Mid-day Saturday Matt and I headed outside to begin the lighting of the house. Kale joined us. Sage was inside with his iPad. I bounced back and forth to ensure the 3-year old was ok. But after catching Sage trying to haul a chair up the stairs to find the hidden stash of old Halloween candy (in the linen closet), I had to abandon Matt to head indoors where I could watch both kids. Bringing Sage outside was never an option. Ladders to a toddler boy are like bugs to a bug zapper. Better to keep him locked up inside. Matt assured me he could proceed with the lights alone. 

Hours went by. The sun set. Yet Matt pushed on to give our house the Christmas touch it so badly needed. (Much like the famed Clark Griswold.) Eventually, the job was done. And thank goodness. I had gotten tired of Sage asking us why we were the only house on the cul-de-sac not to have lights.

 Why did it take so long you ask? We tried a new hook-on-gutter method. Keeps the lights perfectly aligned.

P.S. The bush twinkles. It would knock your socks off if you could see it.

We played Christmas music, danced, drank, and dined on appetizers all night. It was a rather great night. We cleared the living room furniture and brought in the tree. We did a little preliminary pruning, but saved all the decorating for the next morning.

As a side thought...I wonder how many of our neighbors have driven down the street to see the four of us spinning, dancing, and jumping around the living room. Secretly, I hope they've all seen it. And I hope it made them smile. We rarely close the curtains!

A second side thought... you can really jazz up freezer appetizers with a little bit of homemade dipping sauce. I paired the vegan Trader Joes taquitos with a chipotle sour cream. And I paired the spanokopita with a heavy-on-the-dill tzaziki. Delish!

Sunday - tree trimming day!

Sage was biting at the bit since the sun rose. It took everything in our power just to get him to let us shower.

Matt piled the boxes of ornaments next to the tree. The kids couldn't keep their mitts off the them. 

"One box at a time please," we reminded them. Yea right!

There was much for little hands to touch.

Most of it breakable, we quickly realized.

 

Monday the boys headed out of the house. To school. To work. And I got my one day alone. God bless it! I decided to make a cocoa banana bundt cake. Followed by a roasted balsamic winter vegetables.

I wish my oven could look like this everyday. Covered in wholesome scrumptious dishes for my family. But alas... I must spend far too many hours of my day out of the home. And as the workweek progresses the kitchen crumbles beneath the weight of dirty dishes, cat medication, sticky lunch boxes, lost-then-found sippy cups with curdling milk, and the ever-growing pile of unsorted mail.

But for this one afternoon.... I felt like a little Martha. 

Stewart that is.

There's my babies! Eating warm banana cake after a long day at school.