Oops.

We knew the soda upstairs was getting slushy. We knew that it was getting quite cold at night. We knew what happens when soda freezes. And yet, we did nothing. Not until I was feeding the girls breakfast and it sounded like a person or a large animal was in our garage. I grabbed my phone, had the police on speed dial, took a deep breath and opened the door. Nothing. Then the light bulb went on. The soda. Upstairs. Exploded.

Here is my lovely Vanna White displaying the shredded can. After it dawned on me what had happened, I went up to the loft and took the police off speed dial just in case I accidentally hit the send button and had to explain that I'm not smart enough to remove my soda from sub-zero temperatures. It was messy and I was scared to go up there in case more soda decided to evacuate it's container.

The good news. Frozen soda is pretty easy to clean up with a broom and dustpan. Even off a ceiling! Yes, the soda has been moved to a non-freezing area of the house. I'd like to say this will never happen again, but I may be lying.

Snowy Days.

Tons of snow this year! Some years we wait until close to Christmas for snow. Not this year. Blizzard after blizzard, and usually on weekends. It has ruined many a plan, but I'd rather be warm and alive than....well you know.

Our huge pine trees look so beeeeyooootiful draped in snow!

Here's the backyard. The snow got so deep after a few more of these that it covered these chairs!

Erin's first snow angel.

Blizzard number...well number after the first one anyway. Ridiculous amounts of snow!

Whoever sent the backhoe to dig us out, I love you. It also made a bonafide sledding hill right in our front yard. All that snow had to go somewhere.

Erin got tired of trying to drag a sled up there and get on it before it took off without her. We bought a new sled this year that we could use with Izzy. Problem is that it got buried in one of the blizzards and we haven't been able to find it.

And after she made it top she decided the most fun could be had by rolling down. The first time I caught it out of the corner of my eye I gasped and panicked before I realized that she did it on purpose. Silly girl!

My Little Girl Loves Dragons.

I found the face-painting book at Target awhile ago on clearance. Target clearance, I LOVE Target clearance! It has professional grade face-paint in it as well as a really nice brush. The book gives you lots of ideas and things to paint and takes you step by step through the design.

Obviously you don't have to just paint faces. I had been promising Erin that we would do some painting and she chose the dragon. Not the fairy, or the cute panda, or a butterfly. A dragon. As you can see she is thrilled with her dragon and the fire coming out of it's mouth.

Erin is a fascinating blend of girly and tough. She loves dresses. She loves shoes. She loves make-up. She also loves dragons, and tigers, and play fighting. Any imaginative play always turns into fighting. She doesn't go ga-ga over babies, but toy swords definitely! I love this about her!

Family Christmas Picture.

It is always interesting and challenging to get some good family pictures for our Christmas card. The age of our children makes it difficult too.

Erin does much better now at four and a half, but if she is crabby then forget it.

This is the best one I got of them together. The light was terrible as well. Our house even with all the big windows doesn't have the best light for picture taking.

Izzy was going a little crazy. She LOVES having her picture taken!

Such a wiggle butt!

What on earth Scott is trying to do here is beyond me. When I got up to go look at the picture I showed it to him and we laughed so hard about it. He doesn't remember trying to look like that. What a weirdo.

Hold still!

Flash, everything looked washed out. Have to make sure that Izzy doesn't dive off the chair.

This is the best one we got so it went on the card. No need for perfection, good enough is good enough. Plus if the photo session is too long everyone ends up very crabby. Lets keep photos fun!

Christmas Time

Growing up decorating the tree was always a really fun event. We would get everything out, dim the lights, put on some Christmas music, have some hot cider, and decorate.

We haven't reached a caliber where it is a relaxing experience yet just because of the girls' age. It's still more damage control.

This little one doesn't know the difference between decorations and toys yet. Throughout the Christmas season the decorations have slowly migrated toward the top of the tree.

Erin doing her goofy dance. She is such a fun and silly girl!

Cheese!

Good job Izzy, now lets leave it there.

Daddy supervising from his chair and snuggling with his girls.

That looks like a great spot Erin.

Merry Christmas!

Erin's Dance Recital.

We don't get to watch her during her little dance classes, but the last class of the term we get to watch! They don't let parents in during regular classes because it's hard enough just keeping their attention without us in the room.

They did their little stretches first. Erin kept looking at me and making sure I was taking lots of pictures of her.

What an adorable ballerina!

And a little curtsy.

So focused!

A little jazz dancing too! All these cute little girls dancing!

She really seemed to enjoy it.

Happy Halloween!

Holidays just keep getting more and more fun with Erin getting older. Seems like a huge difference between 3 and 4 for her. She changed the costume that she wanted every day. Ninja, Super Girl, McQueen, Tinkerbelle, Witch, Cat, Tiger, Frog, Bee, Viking, Pirate. No costume was off limits. But we had a Tinkerbelle costume already so I basically made her stay with that. She didn't mind though.

I also have a face painting book complete with face paint, so I painted Erin's face for trick-or-treating as well. I think she looked beautiful!

She still has some of it on. She wouldn't let me wash it off. Silly girl.

I wanted Izzy to be a ladybug this year. Her's is the first costume that I bought brand new. I usually get them at the used kids' stores. However, I couldn't find a ladybug one. She looks super cute!

The antennae did not stay on. She also started turning into a little Izzy Popsicle. She kept putting her little frozen hands up for me to kiss because they hurt. So I took her back inside. Scott continued with Erin. We trick-or-treated with some friends. They have two girls as well and they had fun running from door to door and getting candy!

Mine and Scott's costumes. Construction paper, glue stick, and tape. I think the message is clear though. I'm trying to convince Scott to get the storm-cloud tattoo and I'll get a sun.

Fall Fun!

Here is our pumpkin family. Let me introduce you...

Meet Daddy Stormcloud! An angry elf he is. Pessimistic. A Debbie Downer, Negative Nancy, a Complaining Carl. But he's our Storm-cloud and we love him!

Meet Izzy Pumpkin! A little space between her teeth, curious eyes, and those two little teeth on the bottom. Scott did a good job carving hers as well.

Meet Mommy Love! She has a big heart where her family safely resides.

Meet Erin Options! She is so energetic that she can't decide on just one theme. So give me more!!! Scott carved this one too!!

Erin, not enjoying digging inside for the nuts. What are they Erin? Seeds!

Daddy's pumpkin was outside so his pumpkin guts are freezing! Erin's was inside, so her little hands aren't cold.

Mama and Izzy watching Erin and daddy disassemble their pumpkins.

So excited to be doing pumpkins, she may have asked every 35 seconds since breakfast....

Look at those muscles at work!! Be still my heart!

Where's Waldo??

Corn maze for Erin's Orchard field trip.

This way mama!

Erin's teacher Miss Cat. She adores her!

Her other preschool teacher Miss Jen helping her pick an apple from the tree. Thanks Miss Jen.

The hay-bale tower.

Izzy came too. Daddy had to work and she was content for awhile in the sling. Corn mazes aren't great places for strollers.

Ball! Nope Izzy those are p u m p k i n s. You can call them balls if you want. Cutie!

Mmmmmm.....apple.

Happy Fall Everyone!!!!