Snow Day: The Sequel

Don't make fun....they made me wear my sister's old snow pants.

Well, I heard the rumors that snow was on its way, but I didn't pay much attention.  Usually, the more fanfare they have about an upcoming snow storm, the less snow we get.  We were predicted to get 2-4 inches, then 3-5 inches, and now 5-7 inches.  It started at noon today and hasn't stopped since.  It's fantastic dry snow--very good for sledding but bad for snowballs.  We all got to stay home for the snow day (government was closed for Timmy) and spent about 20 min getting ready to go outside.  Jason (enjoying his first "real" snow) looked just like Randy in the The Christmas Story--poor thing could barely walk!  

"Helping" Jason

Roller coaster works great in snow or grass!

Kids found my old snow board in the shed and gave it a whirl.  Here's Caroline!

Emily prefers the tried and true method of snow body boarding.

Ummmmm....what's the stuff coming out of the sky?

It's snow!

Garrett's turn on the snow board

The fire gate turned into the "drying rack".

Life is a Roller Coaster...

 Gotta love a deal on Craigslist!  I have been looking for a Step 2 roller coaster on there off and on for about a year.  It's one of those toys that kids have a lot of fun on, but I wasn't going to pay $130 and up for retail prices.  I found a couple on Craigslist in the past few months (I didn't check too often for this--I'm busy!) and found one out of the blue this past week.  It was still available (last two sold within hour of posting) and I was able to pick it up on Friday afternoon.  We have a couple of nice weather days coming (supposed to be 55 degrees on MLK Day) so maybe we'll get some use out of it!  It was cold today but not horrible, and both kids wanted to go on the roller coaster.  Emily is an old pro at it now, but we still follow Jason in case he "forgets" that he is on a moving toy and tries to make a run for it.

I LOOOOOOOVE THIS!

End of the track

mid-run

Not to be outdone, Emily added some Barbie Jeep time!  Here she is adjusting Jason's hood.

Jay's look is priceless.  "Yeah, I know it's a pink jeep...so what?"

Jason was evicted and the baby doll earned a front seat ride.

Hanging Around the House

 We're in that "blah" time when the high of Thanksgiving and Christmas are over and you only have a cold, gray winter to look forward to.  We were on winter break for two full weeks (enough time for all of us to seriously get on each other's nerves) and then we went back to school for one day and BAM!  Out Tuesday for "polar vortex" a.k.a. "-10 degrees in the morning and VA doesn't know how  to handle it".  Back to school for Wed and Thurs and then BAZINGA!  Out Friday for what they are calling "freezing rain and icy conditions" but when I look out my window, all I see is a wet patio.  Barely a drizzle!  I don't mind a day off, but the on-off-on-off schedule is driving me crazy!  

 Jason has become quite the "chef"!  He loves to play with the kitchen play set and our own pots and pans.  He can be seen around the house most afternoons with a pot holder on his hand and waving a spatula.

 Most evenings now include a show after dinner.  Emily likes to sing made-up songs while insisting that someone accompany her on the guitar.  It's hilarious (and loud!) and makes me think, 'Do we have a junior Taylor Swift on our hands?'

 Three weeks after Christmas, I finally inflated the ball pit that I got the kids from Walmart.  It came with 20 play balls (only 10 have survived attacks from Willow).  Jay likes to crawl in and take a chill break from the rest of the world.  It reminds me of a giant baby pool in the middle of my family room!

See my left hand???  Spatula!

A Fun Lunch Date with My American Girls

 Emily has recently started to really like playing with baby dolls and other dolls in general (Barbies, etc.).  For most of the winter break, I keep hearing "Sissy, you want to go play America Girls?  We play American Girls please?" which is just so freaking adorable.  Caroline has 3 American Girl dolls and more clothes, shoes, and accessories for these dolls than most adult women have for themselves!  I thought to myself, we have this nice long winter break; why not take my lovely ladies up to the American Girl store in Tyson's Corner?  
I made reservations for Jan. 2nd last weekend so that we could eat lunch in the Bistro, and I'm so glad that I did!  For one thing, Emily loved that our dolls sat at the table with us and even got their own plates and cups.  She also loved all the really cool food.  And lastly, I overheard some of the NoVa mom crowd getting snotty with the hostess because she couldn't get a table for her 3 daughters and their hoard for dolls.  Overheard:  "Really, you don't have anything?  Not even at the counter?  Those are booked too? I highly doubt it.  Fine, whatever, we didn't want to eat here anyway".  Just......wow.  Great example for your kids, by the way.

 The Caroline Abbott collection!

Emily wanted her doll to be part of the display!

The New American Girl of the Year 2014:  Isabelle.  She sews her own costumes and loves to dance....and can be yours for the low, low price of $110.

Waiting for our 11:45 AM reservation

Soooo excited when we finally got seated!

Not ironically, American Girl Bistro has a pretty extensive wine list.....so Momma will get sloppy drunk and buys tons of tiny clothes!

"I'm having the best time ever!"

Emily has now discovered Bitty Babies....which are adorable, but too freaking expensive.  $80 for a doll baby?!  And their accessories are as expensive as real baby stuff--$115 wooden crib and $75 stroller!

The debut of the Isabelle doll gave us lots of photo opps!

Bitty Babies also come in toddler versions, so these two got the ride of their lives when Emily pulled them around in the wagon for a while.

Sorry, Emily, can't take them home with you!