The Gould Family: 2010-02-07

Blizzard of 2010

Along with everyone on the East Coast, we got hit less with a blizzard less than four days after our last weekend storm. We've barely been dug out, when we were preparing to be snowed in, again. The snow started late Tuesday night as Rob was walking in the door from taking the train home from work and didn't end until late last night. We enjoyed our day as a family, although, I must admit, we were growing a bit stir crazy from being inside all day. Rob worked on some projects for work and then shoveled twice to try to keep up with the falling sleet and snow (in the end, I think we had an additional 2 feet of snow). Rob did the final shoveling last night until about 10:00, and I enjoyed a late night walk around the neighborhood---it was beautiful! We did lots of playing, baking, painting, movie watching, reading, and, of course, shoveling.

Here are some pictures from our day yesterday and some from this morning when Ella came out with me to clean off the cars, spread salt, and dig out the end of the driveway that the plows closed in:

our door decorated for Valentine's Day from Ella's projects

a good day to clean up/reorganize the toy area
(How long will it look like this?)

finger painting on a little canvas

finger painting (or is it "hand" painting?)

masterpieces
(They are the snowstorm, can't you tell?)

traditional holly bush photos throughout the day as more snow fell

our bean growing project
(these winter days of being inside are dragging on....)

fresh snickerdoodles right out of the oven

snow on Rob's back and hat from shoveling round #1
(looks like a sheep's wool)

tree in our neighbors' yard--looked so pretty

"Hurry, Mommy! My bike crashed and I need a tow truck!"

views of our house in the snow

Can you find Rob??

snow on our porch

Rob and Ella in our "tent"...where are they?

Ella shoveling
(Ella was much warmer this snowfall...wearing snow pants from Gram)

Ella walking up our sidewalk
(she was calling it the tunnel)

Ella shoveling in the hill

Can you find Ella between the snow piles?

making snowballs

throwing snowballs

perspective of how much snow we had compared to Ella

Ella's baby snowman

Ella and her snowbaby

eating snow--the best part!

So, we made the best of our snowed in day and are glad that we were all together. We are lucky that we had power, didn't lose any trees like our neighbor, were able to shovel, and were cozy in our house. We'll be wishing for this weather when it's 95 degrees and humid this summer!

Super Bowl Sunday and more....

On Super Bowl Sunday, after we shoveled ourselves out of one weekend snowstorm, we headed to Rob's parents' for the day. We went to watch the Super Bowl, but, more importantly, to celebrate his mom's birthday and to visit with his grandparents, Nanny and H, who are here from England for the month. We had a great day visiting with everyone and Ella had tons of fun playing, running around, and being silly.

opening a present from Nanny and H

Ella and Nana
Nana is wearing her birthday queen hat that Ella picked out for her

eating snacks

Ella teaching H how to play the marble game

"Say, 'Cheese!'"

"Say, what??"

Granddad getting ready to catch a flying Ella

Bonnie, Nana, and Nanny enjoying Super Bowl food

the rest of the crew eating and cheering
(Granddad, H, Rob, Lesley, and Joe)

Day to Day.....

These pictures are some of the things that happen around our house day to day when we're doing chores, playing, and hanging out together......

homemade soup for a cold winter day---

dumpling soup with mini-chicken meatballs and gnocchi

what Ella does when I am making soup---
drink water from a measuring cup and put things into another pot to make her own soup

other things Ella does when I am not looking---
like rolling up the entire living room rug and moving it into the dining room

"Look, Mommy! I am using an eye pencil. I'm doing makeup like you!"

Pappy and Baba's Sleepover

Last week, Pappy and Baba came to visit us and have a sleepover with Ella. We had a great time, as always, and were so glad they could come!

Ella, Baba, and Pappy

(love this picture!)

Pappy and Ella reading together--
a big collection of Curious George stories

A little snow had fallen overnight
(anything less than half a foot this winter seems like only "a little" now) and when Pappy shoveled it, he brought some to the window for Ella to touch

She also enjoyed eating it off the screen

Baba and Ella reading the CCD book

We went to Briar Bush Nature Center and looked at the animals inside and played in the "Treehouse." We were there during "lunchtime" and got to see the snake eating mice, again---so gross, but so interesting!