Snow Days and more snow days

We've had at least 8 or 9 snow days this year. I'm sure a better mom knows the exact count - but I can't remember at this point. In some ways snow days are easier for us than for a lot of families - because I work from home and don't have to take the day off. However, this also means that I end up with two kids home all day while I'm trying to work. It's not perfect - but it could be worse. And I guess because of my years of school, I still cheer a bit inside when I hear that schools are canceled for the day.

In the meantime, the kids have gotten very good at finding non-TV things to do (even if it does mean a little too much time on the iPad). They've also gotten very good at refusing to get dressed if it's a snow day. I don't know how that assumption came about - but they act like I've lost my mind if it's not a school day and I asked them to get dressed.

Little Bitty loving on her "good boy".

Brother googling some stuff to make sure he doesn't get too far behind in school.

And this is what we have to do to encourage the kids to actually get ready when school is actually in session. Five smileys and you get a treat.

So, everyone hope for those smileys to start adding up. We need a little more schoolin' up in here.

Wha?! Is it January already??

So. The longer you're alive, the faster time goes by. It's the "time is relative" theory, right? I recognize this to be true because I can't believe I haven't posted on here since October. It's because I'm 38 now.

So, anyway, we are all well. We are all healthy (well, Blake just found out he has Strep. Bummer.) but overall we are healthy. We are all happy too. Overall. Little Bitty may disagree depending on the day minute. But, we are.

The holidays were wonderful. We spent a week in Florida over Thanksgiving, which was delightful. I always like to take the opportunity to tell people how lucky I got in the in-law department. LUCKY. I spent 10 days with my mother-in-law and was sad to see it end. My father-in-law is a one of a kind as well. And Zia and Uncle Awesome? The best. Anyway, I had some rather lovely pictures just waiting to be posted to the blog. But, my work laptop died and the Thanksgiving pictures are temporarily lost. We hope "temporarily". But, back to the trip...we even squeezed in some beach time. Ahhh. It soothes the soul, right? Blake and I talk a lot about how we used to want to live in a beach town. It was one of our priorities on where we'd like to settle. We'd still love that for the geography...but not sure due to other circumstances that come with living in beach towns (shark attacks and whatnot). It's very complicated once kids are in the equations. However, we also know that wherever we end up, our stellar parenting will overcome any challenges that are brought our way due to the town we live in. Heh. Yes, that is a tad sarcastic.

So - on to Christmas. We celebrated as just Team T first (Santa came and did not disappoint) - and then we headed to Alabama to see my family. There were cousins and aunts and uncles and grandmas and mums and papabobs. It was wonderful. My mom and all her little chickens under one roof. It doesn't happen too often. My mom always puts on a great holiday and everyone feels relaxed and thankful. I also got very luck in the my-side-of-the-family department. ;)

After Christmas we took a visit to my home state of Indiana. Just a quick day trip to my grandparent's house. I don't see my dad's of the family as much as I'd like and it's always great to get to catch up with everyone. I should really do an entire blog post on this side of the family. But, I'm afraid I wouldn't or couldn't aptly describe or give enough history and dynamics to really make it accurate and as fascinating as it really is. Anyway - I'm very glad I got to see my dad and everyone else!

Blake's parents came to see us after Christmas and spent a few days. This overlapped with a week that my brother (also from Florida) was here. We have a small house - but even so - it's always fun to have family here and part of our every day lives because we don't get to have that full-time. We didn't do a lot of anything (other than eating). Just hung out together, played games and relaxed.

So, that brings us about to now (New Year's was in there but it was a non-event this year. zzzz.) Today Brother and Little Bitty went back to school. PHEW. Brother went back with his hair neatly combed, shirt tucked in, and a sweet (if a little hesitant) smile on his face. Little Bitty went back with days of begging and pleading to not go back, threats, screams, refusals, and finally the bribe of a treat from Walgreens if she would PLEASE JUST GET DRESSED AND NOT CRY.

She goes through phases where she makes me wrack my brain and try every parenting skill in the book to just get through the day. Seriously, the last couple of days have made me reconsider things I thought I firmly believed regarding parenting - and to question if I have somehow completely failed her already and just created a miserable little anger ball of a being. And then - as ferociously as the phase comes - it will pass quietly without event and I'll end up thinking to myself "wow - she is sooo sweet. How did I get so lucky?!" I know this to be true. I also know that she manipulates and tests her limits and that she's just FOUR - it's just sometimes I forget all this in the heat of the moment and want to curl up in a ball. Or to start drinking.

Today...I actually left her smiling in her classroom doorway today as she waved and yelled down the hallway to me, "Run, Mommy! Run like the wind!" Believe me... I am, Baby!

But - I'll be back at 3pm excited to see her, looking forward to spending the evening together. It's good that it works out like that.

So - bring it on 2011.