It's In The Genes

More December 2008 Snow Pictures

Ben (left) and Will (right) helping me clear the walk.


Will and me.


Ben


Will


Ellie


So much snow (for us).


Ellie inspecting my work.

World's Cutest Superheros

Blog Glob, 12/22/08

• It looks like we will have a white Christmas this year. Over the weekend, we probably got around a foot of snow. On Christmas Eve we are supposed to get some rain/snow mix, but I doubt there will be enough rain to melt all of that snow by Christmas Day. Christmas is supposed to be fairly warm, around 50, with no snow fall predicted. However, I think having the ground covered with it counts as having a white Christmas.
• I'm now sore and tired as a result of the first bullet point. There was a lot of shoveling to be done. I also started construction on our own sledding slope in the backyard, backed up to the climber, but that is still a work in progress as it is taking a lot more snow than I thought it would.
  
• I'm going for my annual eye exam tomorrow. Yippee (said in a monotone, with no enthusiasm).
• I'm on vacation all this week and am only work the first three days of next week. Yeah (said with a lot of enthusiasm and pitch fluctuation)!!
• I bought myself a new computer game to play with the boys, specifically Will. It's called Crazy Machines 2 and does not involve any violence to living creatures, just to some inanimate objects. I decided to do this because Will really likes computer games, but seems to get obsessed with the ones that have fighting in them, like Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle Earth II and Age of Empires III. He seems to like this one (so do I) and has not been talking about shooting guns or arrows as a result. Ben likes it too, which I knew he would, since it's about solving a problem (or puzzle) with various parts to make something do a specific task(s).
• My parents are coming next week for a visit. It will be nice to see them.
• I am in the process of reading "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens to the family (which means Will and Stephanie, with Ben and Ellie occasionally listening in). After that, we are planning on watching a cinematic version of it, the one by the Muppets :-).
• I watched Superman, The Movie, a couple of nights ago. It's still a great movie in my opinion. The next night, I let the kids watch a "making of Superman" with me. That resulted in Ben "flying" off the couches and beds.
• Can you believe that Christmas is only 3 days away? I've still got presents to wrap!
  

The First Snow, 2008

About 6:30 this morning Ben came into our room to inform us that it was snowing. I mumbled a less than sincere thanks. To be fair, we had looked at the forecast yesterday which had forecast snow, so Ben was on the look out for it. Both boys were hoping that there was a parking ban in Providence, which would mean that there was no church, which would mean that they could go out and play. In fact, they wanted to get suited up and go out prior to breakfast, that's how excited they were.

I checked a couple of web sites and even called and left a message for our pastor to check to see if there was a parking ban. So the snow would have to wait until we got home from church. As soon as we got home, the kids headed out to the backyard to play. About the time I decided to go out with the camera, Ellie had decided to come in because her clothes were wet from having jumped in a puddle that had formed in front of the bulk head. Enjoy the pictures below. Some are a little fuzzy or off center because they were taken while I was the target of snowballs from both boys. At one point I was forced to put away the camera and defend myself :-).

Will was not happy to have snow down his coat.










Ben was not happy to have fallen face first in the snow.

I mentioned that Ellie had come in as I went out, right? Well, Stephanie was in our bedroom feeding Sam, so Ellie was unsupervised. Below is the result.

She's sucking on the lid of the toothpaste tube.

Box Race Car

This past week a box came into our home which Will thought would make a great race car. Because he asked so earnestly, and so persistently, I set out to make a race car for the kids. Will wanted one with actual axles and wheels that worked. I told him that unfortunately, the cardboard box did not have the strength to handle axles and wheels, without a lot of bracing in the form of wood. So fake wheels would have to do.

As any good MacGuyver fan would do, I pulled out my (new) roll of duct tape. Then I rummaged around in the recycle bins for parts. Those parts acquired, along with a couple pairs of scissors and Elmer's glue, I proceeded to create the race car pictured below.

From the front. The hood (all that white up front) is made from a cake box.


From the side. The white piece of cardboard across the middle is the seat belt.


They colored the wheels. Ben's is the rear one, it was the most colorful.


The steering wheel assembly. Made from a toilet paper roll, the lid of an instant oatmeal container, a brass paper fastener, a piece of thicker cardboard and lots of duct tape. The toilet paper roll is the column, with one end cut at an angle.


Our proud, if unknowing, sponsor.


Will, race car drive extraordinaire.


Ben, with his racing helmet.


Ellie, the cutest of all race car drivers, with her "helmet" on too.

Alas, within a day, the steering wheel suffered a catastrophic failure in the form of Ellie attempting to wrest it away from Ben. I was wise to take pictures prior to allowing the kids to embark on imaginary races. It only took about an hour to do and has been well worth it as a cheap form of entertainment.

More Samuel Pics

Before I show you more pictures of one of the most adorable babies on the planet, I'm happy to report that Stephanie and Sam were able to come home this morning due to both of them being in such good health. Praise God!

Getting checked out


This is not where I'm supposed to be!


He has long toes


Cutest baby


Adorableness


Found those fingers


Look at that hair!


Stephanie and Sam


Sam with Grandma


Sam and Will


Sam and Ben


Sam and Ellie


All my kids


Stephanie dressing Sam for the journey home


Sam and I