Snowstorm Juno

We had two back-to-back snowstorms, one Saturday, then one Monday night through Wednesday morning.  Needless to say we didn't see Chris for a long time, except for intermittent stop offs to sleep or grab dry clothes.  

Stocked up on coffee, wine, binkies, as well as groceries.  

He can no longer plow our driveway due to a long ago disagreement with the neighbors across the street that has been ongoing.  Which means we (I) get to shovel.  Except that's not a feasible task with an almost two year old who does enjoy falling snow above her ankles.  

Here was our time inside and our five/six hours of shoveling.  Luckily GrandJoe came and helped shovel while Nana held a crying Vivian and Tess came the day before.  Tess even got to ride in the plow during the storm (perhaps more exciting for Sam)!

Sam on the snowdrift. 

Looking at a book.

Making bread & rolls with the kids.

Feverish little girl.  I got her checked out before the big storm on Monday though, last appointment before the office closed.  "Probably viral, come back Wednesday if she still has a fever and we'll check her for strep."  No fever now, but  cranky & clingy.

Monday before the big storm, took Sam to school and was home with Vivian.  I think I got 4 hours of sleep.  I went to Target for flashlights and coffee and Starbucks was closed.  Those were the headlines we were being bombarded with and the thermometer from 3:45 am.  I got the flashlights and a lantern and in my sleep deprived, non caffienated state, the wrong batteries.  Luckily we never lost power.

Vivian resting.  She never does this, ever.

And Vivian feels crappy.  And HATES snowblowers.  She stands at the window and yells at them.   If they don't stop she has a tantrum.  It was funny the first time- kind of.  Of course Sam taunts her, "hey Vivi, look a snowblower, want to yell at it?!" 

Writing lists about what we were going to do for two days.  The kid are illustrating them.

Vivian woke up from her nap and wandered out dazed, prepared for the wrong weather event.

Sam loving the snow.  Luckily he has a bright red hat so (unless he was upside down in the snowbank, I'd spot him).

That's my car in the back and all the snow that drifted onto our side of the driveway.  Dumb parking job on my part.  And the neighbor's shovel did not touch the driveway once.

It is pretty.  Our neighbors' yard.

"She's Calling Me Dumb"

Sam kept telling me Vivian was calling him dumb.

"Of course she's not.  She's probably saying something that sounds like dumb."

Hmmm...  kind of like the other day when he swore up and down that she stole his toy Disney plane and hid it and I defended her.  It was an ongoing conversation all morning, until I opened the diaper cabinet, and low and behold a little toy plane was tucked next to the stack of diapers.  

Vivian's Knock- Knock Joke

Vivian wanted to join in while Chris and Sam were telling knock-knock jokes:


Vivian: "knock- knock"
Chris & Sam: "who's there?"
Vivian: "Joe!"
Chris & Sam: "Joe who?"
Vivian: "Joe!"

This went on for several rounds before Sam got frustrated and yelled, "it can't be just Joe, it has to be Joe-something, Viv!"
So the next round was:

Vivian: "knock- knock"
Chris & Sam:  "who's there?"
Vivian: "Joe!"
Chris & Sam:  "Joe who?"
Vivian  "Joe n' auntie!"

While Sam Convalesced

While Sam was on the couch trying to relax and be sick, Vivian used the time to get a little exercise in.  This is precisely why the kids got a mini trampoline for Christmas, to burn off this energy!

Sam Sick

Sam has been sick again for a few days, feverish with a cough and nauseous, probably some kind of flu.  Chris got up with the kids on Sunday morning and I was sleeping in for a few minutes, when Sam came into the bedroom and stood next to the bed.

"Mom?" 
I opened my eyes, "yes?"
"Do I have Ebola?"
"What? No, you don't have Ebola.  Did you ask Daddy that?"
"Yes," he replied.
"What did Daddy say?"
"He laughed."
"Well don't worry, you definitely don't have Ebola."
I started to close my eyes when I had a thought.
"Sam, come back here.  How do you know about Ebola?"
"Uncle Tim told me."
"Do you know what it is?"
"Yes, a sickness that starts in your chest and then gets worse and worse until your whole body stops working and you die and go up to the sky.  People in Africa have it."
"Ahh.  Okay.  No, you don't have Ebola."

Not something to joke about at all and thank goodness it's not a reality for us.  I was still caught completely off guard though.