There's No Day Like a Snow Day

5:15 am--The phone rings.... YAY! Pam delivered the wonderful news of the SNOW DAY. It was a glorious day. We played downstairs, played outside twice, Ken spent much time with the snow blower, made a fort for the kids, and I baked. Unfortunately, Ken and I are coming to the realization that Owen likely chucked his dudes in the snow again!!!!! CURSES! Well...that is definitely a story that we don't like, but otherwise we had fun. Here they are.


More to follow on the developing Dudes story. :(


-----> THE DUDES HAVE BEEN FOUND!!!!! WHEEE!!!!! Thankfully, he had taken them off inside and stowed them away in an odd spot and didn't tell anyone/couldn't remember where he put them, and not chucked them in the snow like last year.

Post Thanksgiving Familiness and 30 years of Rainbow Belt Glory

While in the Chi-town area we got some time with the Hallowell side of the family for brunch.












Later that night the Baleiko cousins all met at Buco de Peppo's for a fantastic celebration of Amanda's 30th birthday. The evening was superb-- great food, great conversation, great people.

Good Food, Good Family, Good Times... Good Times.

The Turkey Smackdown report is all good! Lots of quality food and fun were had today. 2nd cousins enjoyed meeting each other and playing. The adults enjoyed far too much food.... but what can I say, Aunt Mary does it up right! :)

Owen's First Day!

YAY! The GSRP preschool program is finally up and running again. Last week Owen had orientation and came back ready to go--so ready he was mad when he didn't get to go to school Friday. So Monday came at long last and our little man headed off to school again with Mommy and Mitchell. He was very eager to use his new locker with the big green O on it. He went right in and had a great day! Ahhhhhh... such a relief. What a difference a year makes!

Birthday Bash, Tractor Tales

Owen finally got to celebrate that 4th Birthday of his, and boy was it fun! Glorious weather and good friends made his day. Among many gifts, he now has many more puppies to add to his collection. His bed now looks like a kennel. Here is a picture of him today, fashioning one of the bracelets (party favors) as a headband and holding his prized new Bakugan launcher.









And with the unusually warm weekend came a perfect chance to get wood cut, split, and hauled behind the house. Farmer Ray was kind to again allow us use of his tractor, and
the kids ~LOVED~ the rides.

Oh Man!

Aunt Ruthie, this post is for you.

First Annual Rogers' Pumpkin Launch

A new tradition has been born! It was relatively nice today--or at least dry--so we took the jack-o-lanterns and other pumpkins to the deck. With a good heave from Ken, they quickly met a smattering on the ground below while cheers rose from above.

Up... up.... up!




















Crash!