Snow, Valentine's Day, and More Snow...

This Valentine's Day was interesting.  With the blizzard, school cancellations, and the lethargy that set in this week, it was tough to get motivated.  Still, Little Lewie and I managed to spend Wednesday night making heart sugar cookies for his class's Valentine's Day party. (It's become an annual tradition.)

Hubs and I managed to go to a Valentine's Day Comedy Night last Sunday, and tonight, we just went out for our special Valentine's Day dinner. Although we weren't able to celebrate right on Valentine's Day, we've been able to make the most of this special holiday.  Here are a few highlights of this interesting week:

Sledding after the storm.  This is the all natural way...no sled.

A sampling of our delicious homemade heart cookies.

A special Valentine's Day song from my little boy.

Hubby and little boy serenading me.

My husband learned how to play "Ho Hey" by the Lumineers just for me.  I feel so lucky!

All in all, the week just flew by.  While it was tiring, it was still full of so much love.  Not surprisingly, we are expected to get a few more inches of snow tonight, and so the week has come full-circle.  I got a little bit of a late start for Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week, but I plan to make up for it next week...Please stay tuned!

Happy Belated Valentine's Day Everyone!!! 

Blizzard 2013

I can't lie.  I was looking forward to Groundhog Day--you know the day when the groundhog emerges from his burrow on a cloudy day and predicts that we'll have an early spring...  Only our groundhog here in Connecticut, Chuckles, saw his shadow and darted back to his burrow--six more weeks of winter--YUCK!

He couldn't have been more correct.  Six days later, President Obama is declaring a national state of emergency for the state of Connecticut (again).  Only this time we weren't pounded by the ferocious winds of  Hurricane Sandy, we were buried with 40" of snow.  From Friday until Saturday, everyone barricaded themselves in their homes to protect themselves from the blizzard, and now two days later, we're still trying to clear our roadways and return to normal life as we know it.  Although it's Monday, most people have not returned to work yet, and if they're like us, then they've been eating nonstop and going stir crazy...  So much for my diet or exercise...  I suppose I'm right on schedule.  Isn't this the month when everyone's resolutions are broken?

Here are some pictures of our rather crazy weekend...  When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  When life gives you snow, make snow cones...  At least that's what we plan on doing--staying positive.  Climate change is definitely not a joke around here; it's become a reality.  (This is our fifth national, weather-related state of emergency in two years!)

Lewie enjoying our first day of snow (Friday).

So happy after hours of begging to go outside.

Another cute picture...when the snow was pretty and manageable...

Helping us shovel the snow...

Helping us shovel some more...especially when the pace picked up.
At one point, we were getting 3 to 4 inches per hour!

The morning after... (We had already shoveled and cleared off the table several times yesterday!)

Our little path up to our driveway...a two hour project!

Our five-foot retaining wall...

Leading up to our driveway.

Our driveway...easily covered with 35 to 40" of snow.

A regular plow truck couldn't even tackle this mess!

Our plowman had to bring a front loader to the rescue.
Here's a picture from my window when he arrived at 4 a.m.

Dinosaurs??

Since the last few weeks have been cold with minimal snow, it's been somewhat of a struggle to try to find activities to keep my little guy busy.  Since we went to the Danbury Railway Museum for two weekends in a row, this weekend we decided to check out Dinosaur Days at Yale's Peabody Museum, in New Haven, CT.

At first, I thought we had a winner.  Lewie eagerly followed the "dinosaur tracks" on the sidewalk that led to the front entrance of the museum.   However, once inside, he wasn't impressed.  I thought for sure he would be in awe of the huge dinosaur bone displays of Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus, and T-Rex, but no-can-do.  (Even though I'd never been a huge dinosaur fan as a kid, I did like Stegosaurus.)

The global warming exhibit, gem and mineral display, and exploration room (with real poisonous frogs, cockroaches, snakes, and other lovely treats) did not captivate him either.  I suppose four is a little young for these types of museums, but I thought, at the very least, I could get some interest in watching the blue frogs, picking out a favorite gem, or viewing the giant squid hanging from the ceiling of the welcome center...  (My husband and I, on the other hand, could have stayed here for hours...)

I refuse to think that any of our trips are in vain.  They are educational, and in time, they will open Lewie's eyes to other interests.  However, for now, there's no doubt that it's the train museums that he loves the most.  Sorry Stegosaurus.  Until we meet again next time.

The three of us in prehistoric times...

A forced smile from my little guy...  (Notice he's pale...we've been sick with a cold all week!)

My two cavemen.

I can't imagine bumping into a sea turtle that size!

My silly boy...

Waiting to eat at our favorite pizza restaurant in New Haven.