Blizzard of 2009

If this past weekend's weather is any indication of our winter to come, we better get our shovels ready! This weekend we had about 18 inches of snow, with blowing and drifting overnight and Winter has yet to begin.

Friday night, Rob took me out for my "Christmas dinner" (a tradition he started to thank me for taking care of Ella all year). We had a nice dinner out together--just the two of us.

The snow started before we awoke on Saturday morning and didn't stop until the next morning. We decided to do our little Gould family Christmas (the three of us) a day early since we were snowed in. Ella went out in the snow with us, but only for a couple of minutes--she didn't like the snow blowing right into her face.

I love our holly bush with snow on it

braving the blowing snow


Before Ella's nap, we made a note for Santa to leave with cookies and milk. She wanted me to write that she wanted a "doctor kit" and "step-a-scope" (luckily "Santa" purchased that one). While she was napping, I decided to take a walk in the storm. It was so nice---quiet, peaceful, and everything being blanketed with fresh white snow. I arrived back home in time to finish preparing our Christmas meal---New England pot roast, vegetables, and potatoes, with apple crumb croustada and tea for dessert.

my view walking in the snow


snowy winter wonderland


a neighborhood house that looked beautiful


snowy tree branches


neat old wagon in a yard being filled with snow


what I looked like when I got home
(fogged up camera and all)


Ella's note to Santa


Ella's version of the note
(the scribbles on the bottom say, "Dear Santa...Love, Ella")

Santa polished off his cookies and whole milk and left a note for Ella
(I think he was very excited to get to drink Ella's whole milk instead of his usual skim)

When Ella woke up, she came down to presents under the tree to open. She got books and DVD's (her favorite is now Once Upon a Potty), and toys like a doctor's kit, race car track, and cookie making set. She picked out toy cars for Rob with a dollar I gave her (she originally wanted to get him a toilet plunger before I steered her away from them). We got Rob an iPod Touch and other goodies. Rob picked out lots of perfect gifts for me, too--like kitchen items, coffees, perfume, and jammies. It was fun to watch Ella open her gifts and for us to spend the rest of the evening (and weekend) playing with her.

our Christmas dinner table

presents under the tree


opening books


"Ooo....What's this?"


playing with her new cookie kit


Rob with a present from Ella


Rob's new big-kid toy (iPod Touch)


mouthful of Rollos!


lining her stocking candy up on the floor


playing with racetrack (mouth still full of candy)


opening doctor kit


checking Pinkie out with her doctor kit


Rob's turn to get his heartbeat checked


sitting with Ella to watch Once Upon a Potty

After Ella went to bed, we watched the new Harry Potter movie and ate our dessert.


Sunday was a day of digging out. Thankfully, Rob shoveled most of our corner lot himself. The next few days, we'll be getting ready to visit our families for more Christmas celebrations.

being silly with Rob


grabbing a snowball


snow kisses

snow piles as big as Ella along the driveway


walking up the cleared sidewalk


Rob trying to clear our our back patio
(after shoveling for 3 hours)

snow at our house