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Friday, March 23rd, 2012Winter turning into Spring is a pretty big event in our neck of the woods. It typically means that the snow fall amounts will lessen, and the bone chilling temperatures fade away some. What you do not expect is to see temperatures well into the upper 70’s on the last official day of winter. Remember, I live in New York State, not Florida.
Flowers are not typically something that we see quite this early. Normal highs for this time are in the upper 40’s. So when you walk out your front door to the following, you stop to take a photo.
When I took JSL to nursery school the other day, I noticed that they had a lot of daffodils already out of the ground and open. When I pulled into the driveway, I spotted yellow by the fence. I pulled my camera out to capture these beauties before the bunnies and birds get to them.
The weather is gorgeous, but it is HOT in the house. We went from trying to stay warm with the heat on at 63, to the living room reading 79 last night. So my question to you this week is inspired by the warmer than usual temperatures.
Assuming you have air conditioning units, or central AC, when is the earliest you will use them and why?
We do not have our window AC units in yet. Kind of early since the temperatures are likely going to shift. For now, fans are working really well since the house is warm, but not sticky like it gets in the summer. The cooler temperatures should arrive back this weekend and I will enjoy wearing my sweatshirt outside when taking walks.
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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.
Aloha #195
Sudden Signs of Spring
Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
Finally Some Snowy Fun
Saturday, March 3rd, 2012Dear NHL and JSL,
I know the two of you do not understand how I could possibly dislike the snow. Both of you will probably understand that a lot more once you have to drive in it and own a home. Of course, I can remember being a kid and making snow forts and playing outside for hours at a time with my friends. This winter, I have watched the two of you celebrate when you see a snow flake form, only to realize that there was nothing to go outside and play with.
That certainly changed this week when we doubled the winter snowfall in a 24 hour period. Finally, the two of you would be able to test out new winter gear and romp in the snow. Of course, that had to wait a day. I was not feeling well during the snow day and both of you were so sweet taking care of me. I promised you before school on Friday that if it was not raining you would have time outside.
Once NHL was out of school, we ran into the house and got everything on you and then went outside to check out the snow. I have to admit, this was amazing snow for building things. It had just enough moisture to make perfect snowballs.
The two of you played, ran, dug, slid, and so much more. Watching you smile, concentrate, and hearing the laughter was worth my numb toes.
Of course, I had to laugh when you both noticed the spot on the lawn that was perfect with no marks in it. JSL immediately immediately tossed his body down and went into perfect snow angel form. NHL was not into this, instead you just plunked down and looked around taking everything in.
It may have been cold, but it was fun watching the two of you enjoy the time together being creative in the snow. I promise not to complain too much next time it snows – well, not for too long.
Love,
Mommy
So this is Winter
Friday, March 2nd, 2012Earlier in the week, I had almost forgotten about that white stuff that falls from the sky.
Of course, I know where we live and it is hard to forget the snow from last year. This could have been the least snowy on record for February, but it was not meant to be. No, that funny 29th day killed that plan thanks to Mother Nature sending us a dose of reality. As of Tuesday, we had only received .6” of snow during the month. With a storm coming on Leap Day, we were going to easily go over the 1.2” record.
The photo above was taken right before I went to get JSL from preschool on Wednesday. The snow had started quickly and was making an impact. By about 4:00, it looked like this outside the house:
Thank goodness we all made it home safely, although skidding on the road was an issue. This morning, schools throughout the area were closed for the first time this season. The boys stayed home with me as more snow fell. After lunch, I went out to take some photos and get rid of the giant boulders of snow at the bottom of the driveway from the plows.
So my question to you this week:
How has the winter been by you? Mild, typical, snowy, tropical, or something in between. Share below and let me know what you think.
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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.
Aloha #193
The Year that was 2011
Monday, January 2nd, 2012It is hard to believe that 2012 is here. Once again, the year went by with a lot of fun, photos, and memories. Here are just some of the highlights from the year that was 2011.
January:
- Mother Nature started her tricks with a lot of snow that came our way. We had fun making memories with the sled in our own yard.
- I started writing Education posts at The Disney Driven Life and introduced it to everyone. Thank you to J.L. for the amazing opportunity. I look forward to getting back on track in 2012.
- NHL lost three more teeth during the first three months of the year. Much relief as they came out without dental assistance.
February 2011:
- The Snowpacalypse welcomed the month of February threatening 18-30 inches of snow. It left lots of the white stuff and tons of ice damage. Our neighbors probably had a laugh with knee-highs on our roof.
- With all of the freezing cold, even the little guy was trying to ride Tony Pony to Disney World to escape. Of course, we were gearing up for Disney Social Media Moms Celebration 2011 in March.
- We continued to take the boys to introduce them to hockey. They had a blast checking out all of the extras between the on ice action.
March 2011:
- Mother Nature teased us with warmth to melt snow mountains early in the month, only to knock us down with an ice storm to remember. Crackling trees and ice pelting the house is hard to listen to in the dark.
- A magical trip to Walt Disney World for the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration allowed me to see amazing friends, learn, and have fun with my family. Lots of items from that trip were shared throughout the months ahead.
- Of course, the reality world hit hard once we got back from our magical adventure. Tough decisions were ahead and left my head spinning. All of this made me remember the wise words of Rene Syler – The Good Enough Mother.
April 2011:
- Passover preparations were dominant this month. Making lists, shopping, and getting the house ready. Of course, we also captured memories of the holiday itself.
- Lots of moments where I wished I was not the adult who had to make decision. Thank goodness, JSL helped to keep me smiling along the way.
- A routine visit to the dentist for NHL revealed the need to see an orthodontist. We made the appointment for several months later in June, but knew the missing adult tooth was going to be something to contend with.
May 2011:
- Even moms need field trips. Yes, the weekend before Mother’s Day, Cutestkidever and I jumped into the car for a lunch date with Rene Syler.
- JSL’s 4th birthday and new love for Jake and the Never Land Pirates required working on a theme for his party. Supplies were bought and cupcakes were made.
- The sun coming back also provided an opportunity to test out our new grill, plant some veggies, and attempt to regrow our front lawn.
June 2011:
- After taking NHL out of a school he had been in since kindergarten, TechyDad and I watched as our second grader started to flourish in a new school. Once again, we started to believe in the education system. This entire drama made it SO hard to bite my tongue and keep a lot of things to myself.
- Father’s Day we spent a fun day together. We had lunch out, went mini-golfing, and had dinner with Nana and Papa. It reminded me of how special these moments together are.
- The end of June marked a major milestone for TechyDad and me. We celebrated out 10th wedding anniversary. Memories of our special day, honeymoon at Walt Disney World, and everything over the ten years together came flooding back. Of course, the day of our actual anniversary was a house nightmare. A plumbing fix resulted in us moving out for several days.
July 2011:
- The month started with a visit out to see my brother and his family for 4th of July. While there, we went cherry picking and beat our previous record. A day at Niagara Falls was also included in the fun adventures.
- Both of the boys were home with me for the entire summer. We looked for fun activities to do. We often ended up at the library for learning and crafting.
- We also spent a lot of time at Michaels crafting our way around the world. Yes, Michaels and Crayola teamed up to make a great passport of crafts for kids to do that were mostly free. The kids learned so much and we found some great new crafts to try later on.
August 2011:
- At the end of July, we started to think about a magical getaway to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Shortly after this, we booked a fantastic trip to relive our honeymoon at Walt Disney World. Everything was planned from the hotel, dining, and place for the kids to stay over Labor Day.
- NHL turned 8 in August and requested lion cupcakes. We documented the construction process and birthday celebration.
- The end of the month was heart breaking. We watched as Hurricane Irene wrecked havoc up and down the east coast. Thanks to the fear of the kids being stuck with no power and our flight getting canceled, we postponed our big trip to Disney. Being responsible adults was tough.
September 2011:
- The boys started back to school after Labor Day. NHL loved his new school and was settling into third grade. JSL thrived at his familiar nursery school and we had lots of fun going apple picking with his class.
- As a Type-A personality, I am a planner. So it was very rare for me to pack up in just a few days notice to head to New York City for the first ever SheStreams Conference. It was an amazing time seeing friends, learning, and getting away for a weekend. A huge thank you to all of those that made it a magical and empowering weekend.
October 2011:
- As a third grader, NHL started to take band in school. He picked percussion instruments and drum practice even got a Disney touch thanks to Nana and Papa.
- During the month of October, two large packages arrived to host parties. The boys loved learning and playing with LeapFrog items during the Learn, Create, and Share Party. The LeapPad had been an amazing addition to our family learning electronics. HexBugs also invaded our house for some glow-in-the-dark holiday fun.
- Halloween was a lot of fun thanks to everyone staying healthy. NHL was Darth Vader, JSL was Jedi Tigger, and even TechyDad dressed up. Of course, Snowtober threatened to make things more interesting just a day before heading out.
November 2011:
- The start of the month meant going to a fun event for bloggers at Price Chopper, headquarters. The Price Chopper Holiday Cheer afternoon showcased endless holiday entertaining ideas. Of course, I wanted to highlight the Decadent Desserts line.
- This was also the month that my entire family fell in love with Susan Egan. I had been lucky enough to see Susan at Disney Social Media Moms in March, but her new CD review was a hit in our house. My little guy even had a crush on her and certainly did care more than Nina.
- The boys learned about what an aufruf is and spent a lot of time with family in November during Thanksgiving weekend.
December 2011:
- The month began with full on Muppet madness in our house. The boys have always loved the Muppets, but the anticipation of the new movie brought it on even more. There was Muppets mania clothing style and lots of Muppet music playing in our house. Heck, I even tossed in some fun Muppets nail polish. Bringing things from our childhood back are so much fun.
- Chanukah was more quiet this year as we focused on time with each other, festive music, watching the menorah glow, and less attention on presents.
- A surprise trip to Build-A-Bear workshop introduced our family to Snowflake and Clumsy. Snowflake has been on a lot of adventures and even requested a beary special knitted scarf.
There were so many other things that made 2011 special and amazing. Thank goodness that is what archives are for. We can look back, laugh, cry, remember, and reflect.
What are some of your favorite part of the year that was 2011?
Snowtober 2011
Sunday, October 30th, 2011Snow in October is not unheard of in the northeast. Of course, IF we get snow it is not usually able to be measured. On Thursday, we were lucky enough to get just under two inches of snow. Thanks to some warmer (40 degree-ish) weather, it melted quickly on Friday.
As I write this, we are bracing to see just how much snow we get during what they are calling the great Snowtober storm. Originally, we were told the storm would begin here at about noon on Saturday, but the reality was that it started at about 4:00 and looked like this:
Prior to that, it had been very dry and the sky was even really blue early in the day. Then, at about 5:00, it started to really stick on the ground. Here is another photo of outside in the front of our house.
Of course, snow in October worries a lot of us because we remember another winter weather event that happened not too long ago. On October 4, 1987 we had a bad ice/snow storm. The trees were still covered in leaves. Old trees fell and pulled down lots and lots of power lines. I was in elementary school and there were no classes for a week. During that time, we lived with my grandparents because our house had no power and they did. It was an adventure that I will never forget and hope not to live with my boys.
So excuse me if I am not around much Sunday and beyond. Depending on how much snow we get, I may not be able to get online.
So how is the weather by you? If you live in the line of the storm please let me know how you are making our by you.
I know we are lucky compared to some areas. This just makes me wonder – what is the rest of the “winter” season going to toss our way. Clearly Mother Nature gave us a major trick before Halloween.
Snow Season Begins
Saturday, October 29th, 2011Dear JSL.
When we drove to get NHL at school on Thursday, I told you that it was snowing. I do not think that you believed me since it was small, pellet-like flakes with the rainy mist. I knew it was snowing and had no doubt you would soon believe me.
After we tried to get NHL’s percussion set in school, we stood outside and big white snow flakes started to fly around. You were in heaven. You ran around screaming “Mommy you was not lying to me – it really is snowin’!”
Of course, I told you I would never lie about snow. That was what we call sarcasm, something that you will probably be very good at dishing out one day soon enough.
By the time we got home and settled in, the ground was getting coated.
Friday morning on the way to school, you tossed on your rain boots and insisted on parading in the snow before it melted away. The bad news, it is pretty much gone. The good news (at least as far as you are concerned), tomorrow morning you may wake up to 5-9 inches of fresh new white snow to play in. I know you are excited, but I am not ready for the winter to be here so early.
Love,
Mommy
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Disney Anniversary Dreaming Again
Monday, October 24th, 2011It has been almost two months since we had to cancel out 10th Anniversary trip to Walt Disney World. TechyDad and I had planned a five night stay in Orlando without the kids. When we finally decided to splurge and go to a location for our ten year anniversary, Disney just seemed natural to us. A magical honeymoon and subsequent trips back with the kids made it a quick and easy choice. We were going to bring the kids to stay with Bubbe and Grandpa while we went to Disney alone. Then, as I wrote after the case Mother Nature had other plans.
Looking back at the trip that never was makes me sad. I see people Tweet and talk about restaurants that we had advanced dining reservations for. What was harder at the time, I saw pictures from people at the parks Labor Day weekend and the Magic Kingdom was decked out in fall decorations. Each time I saw a picture, a piece of my heart crumbled more and more. Of course, as time moved past the trip, I was ok. I knew that we made the right choice. We were responsible adults. Then, as school started, there was no time to dwell on what could and should have been. I was focused on getting the boys back into the swing of things. We had to adjust to nursery school five days a week and life in third grade.
Now, it is almost November and my heart is heavy again. I long for a time to get away with TechyDad.
We are trying to see if we can figure out a time that will work for us to get away. It will probably have to wait until the kids are done with school because their crazy schedules really do complicate things. Nothing is really set in stone yet, but I think about it often. I wonder when we may finally get a chance if we will be able to get reservation to California Grill in time for the fireworks. Will we be lucky enough to snag a time to eat at other places that were on our agenda? I suppose only time will tell. Until then, I know that we were safe during the storm, and that we will one day have a magical adventure to our favorite destination again.
P.S. I am not the only one that wrote about our trip that never was. TechyDad also did a Travelogue of the Trip That Irene Canceled – Part 1 and Part 2.
Apple Picking Field Trip
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011Living in New York State, we are lucky that we have a lot of apple orchards around us. Not only can we get fresh apples during the right season, but in many instances we can go and pick our own. Last year, JSL’s school was supposed to go on a trip. Thanks to the weather, it was canceled. This year, we hoped that the weather would behave and the kids would be able to go apple picking at Indian Ladder Farms.
When we got up Wednesday morning, the fog was thick and it was pretty wet outside. A light drizzle was in the air, but nothing too bad. Thanks to this, the ground was not very nice, but it could have been a lot worse. JSL wore his boots and was all set to go.
I had worried that we may arrive late since we had to travel a bit after dropping NHL off to school, but we made it in time and were able to wait with the other kids and families there for the fun morning. While we were waiting for everyone else to arrive, we decided to buy a bag to pick some extra apples for home.
The main reason we opted to do this is thanks to the selection that would be picked today. The Jonagold are a favorite and we hoped to find some of these to share with TechyDad and NHL.
The little guy was very excited to get into the fields to pick some apples. We quickly realized that he was smart to keep his hood up. Thanks to the damp morning, you were rained on as you pulled the apples off the branches. Not to worry though, JSL thought this was pretty funny and got into the apple picking.
Some of the trees were not in the best of shape. I’m not sure if this is because they were already picked over, or if Hurricane Irene had something to do with it. JSL and I still managed to move a few rows into the trees and found lots of apples to take home.
Going alone with the little guy was special. He was so proud to pick apples on his own and put them into our big bag. At one point, I made sure to stop him for a photo with an apple that he had plucked off a tree.
Before too long, our bag was filled and it was time to head to our car.
Yes, we have a good amount of apples to hold us over until we are able to go apple picking with the entire family. The little guy was so upset that he could not lift the bag, but I told him it just meant that we did a really good job.
After moving the car, the classes took turns going on a hayride around the fields behind the big store/barn.
Even at about 10:15, it was still really foggy. The fog lifting off over the mountains was gorgeous. Here’s a quick shot I was able to snag:
Then, we had snacks under a tent – JSL enjoyed the donuts that the nursery school brought (I promised to buy cider donuts to take home).
The kids were given money to buy food to feed the animals. I wish I had gotten a shot of JSL – he was brave and tried it, but I was helping him with the machine. The goats ate it too quickly.
Of course, there were even more animals down a bit from the first group.
Then, it was time to say goodbye to everyone from nursery school and head into the Indian Ladder Farms store. Here, we picked up from cider donuts and a bread for home. Of course, JSL was able to have one of the donuts in the car since that is a tradition after going here.
Despite the rain that greeted us in the morning, we had a fantastic time at the apple picking location. I know that JSL and I will have fun thinking of ways to use all of the apples we picked and heading back with the rest of our family to get more apples soon.
Have you gone apple picking this year? If you have what are your plans for all of your apples?
Enough With the Weather
Friday, September 9th, 2011Weather – not exactly the topic of choice for a blog post, yet it is one that is on my mind. You see, in my part of NY, we expect weather issues in the winter. Ice and snow often keep us home, make driving treacherous, and cause damage to our home. This is not usually true in the spring, summer, and fall. These seasons are relatively quiet most years.
Mother Nature apparently decided that she was going to get our attention this summer. Over the last two and a half weeks, it has been wild, wacky, and down right deadly in certain locations.
Tuesday, August 23 – The boys and I just got into our car that had been serviced. As I turned the key, the car started to buck violently. The boys did not seem to notice. I got out of the car. This is when I felt dizzy and like my knees were going to go out from underneath me. This should have been my clue, but I was tired and getting ready for a romantic 10th Anniversary getaway with TechyDad. Thanks to Twitter, I quickly learned that what I had felt was not my car – it was an earthquake. Yes, in NY we were experiencing the quake that started in Virginia. Linda Carmical wrote about the social media connection and how word spread.
Sunday, August 28 – Hurricane Irene, came up the east coast and left a major impression on regions that were a lot further inland than ever expected. Thanks to this monster storm, we had to cancel said trip to Disney World. Roads were flooded throughout NY, bridges closed, and rivers running into homes that are gone. We were so lucky, but so many others were not.
For a few days, the weather was quiet. The sun came out. People started to clean up, repair homes, and move back into areas that had been evacuated by the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. Then it changed.
Sunday, September 4 – While at a birthday party, my father called us. He wanted to let us know that there were tornado warnings throughout the area. Sure enough, when we looked outside the wind was wild and the sky rather black. The party was over and we knew that closer to our house was getting better. As we left Chuck E Cheese, a clap of thunder shook the entire parking lot. A car alarm went off, and the sky was lit up with bolts of lightning. As we drove you could see the ominous sky fading behind us. By the time we reached our home the news of a tornado in Amsterdam had been confirmed. Here is a video that was filmed of the Tornado crossing the NY State Thruway (at about 5:48 in the video):
This seemed to open the rain up to the area again.
Monday to Thursday, September 5-8 – Yes, Mother Nature decided to dump more water on the area already inundated with flooding after Hurricane Irene. Welcome the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee. Pieces were not picked up and inches of water were back all this week. Back to school has been gray, rain filled, and nasty. The Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, along with countless other creeks and waterways are over their banks. Watching the reports out of Binghamton, NY and other areas just breaks my heart. At midnight on Wednesday, areas in Schenectady County that had been evacuated during Irene were once again in chaos. People were told to leave immediately as water started to spill into the streets.
My heart goes out to all of those who have been dealing with this horrible weather and damage. We will be working on a project to help locals with items that are needed. Of course, I so wish we could bring some of the water to those in Texas. Thanks to the drought that area could really use it to help stop the raging wildfires.
So my question to you this week:
Do you recall many natural disasters from your childhood? If you do what were they and how did they change your life? Dare I ask . . . how is the weather by you?
I hardly recall any other hurricanes in our area. I remember them going to Long Island and places south of us, but no flooding in our region like this. This week, we are expecting the sun to return, which is much needed. Of course, this flooding will be an on going issue with any additional rain for months.
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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.
Aloha #168
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