Monster Snow and Spring

We got hit with a huge snowstorm that dumped 2 feet of snow. It was so beautiful, actually rather breathtaking. I especially loved that I didn't have to leave the house. The girls didn't have school for two days and it was great fun. We played outside, baked, watched movies and played hard.
The next week, I got a sinus infection to end all sinus infections! I thought I was going to die. Mark took me to an emergency care place and they sent me home with a script. I felt better after one dose. It's the first antibiotic I've been on since Brigid was in the womb.
Last Thursday, you could feel the season change here. The sun felt warmer and the air got drier. Now, all the snow is melting away and you are starting to see the grass here and there. I have some tulips and daffodils spiking in the back garden. Trees are starting their buds. I love the renewal and the awesomeness of it all. Spring testifies of a deity with every emerging plant and bloom. I have some of my vegetables starting to sprout in my indoor greenhouses. Soon enough I will be outside almost constantly. I really can't wait!

Sick, sick, sick

We have all been down with a nasty cold for almost a week and a half now. Mark had it, then Brigid, now Fiona and I are sick. All I want to do is sleep and veg out, but there is always so much that needs to be done. The house has been a bit of a wreck and there is no end in sight for a cleaner house.
Fiona spent the night with my mother-in-law last night, so it was a Brigid and Mommy sleepover. We ate dinner, watched a movie, took a bath and then fell asleep. When we talking in bed, I found out that Brigid thinks that if you kiss a boy, you marry him. When I asked her if she kissed a boy, she told me, "no," but she giggled that entire time. I am pretty sure, she is the girl kissing all the boys.
I have been working on long term food storage lately. I have canned dozens of jars of beans and 10 pints of ground beef. It is the BEST! I am shocked at how easy and convenient pressure canning is. Time seems more urgent now than it ever has in the past. Every time I turn on the news or radio there is something else that is telling me to prepare. Have you felt that too?

Super Cold!

It has been unbelievably cold and snowy here since New Year's Day. We haven't been above freezing since then. It was -8 degrees the other morning. The kids hate having to wear long underwear all the time, but I know it is keeping them warmer than their classmates. In addition to the cold, we are getting lots of snow. It falls about an inch or more a day. Up near Lake Ontario they have like 60 inches just since January 1. We have about 2 feet, which is not all that bad, just a nuisance. The bright side with it snowing everyday, is that the new snow covers up the ugly brown snow before you see it. It is always pretty.
On the regular homefront, Mark got me a kitten, he also brought one home for Brigid. They are brothers and we adore them. My kitten is named Jack and is black. Brigid's is named Pumpkin and he is an orange tiger. They are 10 months old and full of life. It has been wonderful for them to be together. One of their grandparents was an Abyssinian cat, so they are 10 lbs a piece right now and really long. They will grow quite a bit in the months to come and I am a bit worried to see how big they will get. It's funny, you pray for the pitter patter of little feet and you end up with 3 cats and 1 dog. Heavenly Father answers prayers in ways He sees fit.

my hair, what's left of it...

So, about three weeks ago, Mark decided to take Brigid to school and then he was going to go over and get his haircut. He said he was getting hippie hair. That usually means he actually has to comb it, I think. I went with him and ended up getting eighteen inches cut off- yep 18 inches! It is now shoulder length and is really cute on me. I still wake up every morning and am aghast at my image in the mirror, but it has been totally worth it. I haven't has a headache since and am using about 1/4 of the shampoo and condition I was. I never thought I would ever cut my hair. It has been 18 years since my hair has been this short. Here's to a new look.

Silly Monkers!

Things going on...

Fiona loved her dance class. She has spent a lot of time since then practicing her steps and rhythms. It is so amazing to see her blossom in an activity.
Brigid had a doctor's check-up. She is in the 75% for height and 50% for weight. She still is super skinny though. I have to pin all her pants up. The doctor was impressed that they only see my kids yearly. She absolutely loves that they don't know who she is. I took Brigid out to lunch as she had 4 shots and did not cry at all. She is my brave little trooper.
Our other cat, Poe, has not acclimated himself well to being an only cat. He wanders everywhere looking for the other cat. He seems really depressed. We may have to get a new cat sooner than we anticipated for Poe's sake.
Mark and I have been taking inventory of our property and trying to figure out what we can do with what we have. We are thinking of doing a mini-homestead here! We planted quite a bit of edibles this year, but we are going to expand. We are thinking of putting in some grape arbors with concord grapes, more raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and more veggies. The pear tree has given us more than we can eat this year. I was forced to make pear jam. One apple tree died, but we can still use the other. We shall see how far we are able to go.
There is a family in California that grow 99% of their food on 1/10 of an acre, in PASADENA! I am utterly amazed and enthralled by their work. That is what we would like to achieve, vegetable and fruit wise. With Mark and I both hunting, we may need the grocery store less and less as time goes on. That is my ultimate goal. Next up, I am thinking about my own bees....