The Snowman!

A Day In The Snow!

What does 45 degrees with snow on the ground mean? Great snowman making conditions. The kids, their friend Jordan, the dogs, and I put on our snow gear and walked to our neighborhood park where we spent the next two hours playing in the snow and on the playgound equipment. We all made a snowman together. Afterwards, Maya and Jordan worked dillengently on their walls for the snowball fight while Kai crafted a "trophy" out of snow. Benson even got involved in the snowball fight attempting to catch every snowball within reach.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Winter Bliss!

We hit 40 degress today and it felt like a spring day. What a great day to take the dogs for a walk. I actually left the house without a coat! I think the pics show just how much Benny and Hunter enjoyed their outdoor time today.

A Pool Party!

Today the kids and I went to a pool party for Morgan's Birthday. Maya and Morgan went to preschool together. The kids had a good time, although I have so say the water was absolutely freezing!!! It didn't matter though, because where there's water and kids, good times are had by all!

Kai's Valentine's Day Party!

Today was kai's preschool Valentine's Day Party. It's a bit sad knowing that this will be my last preschool party as he is moving on to Kindergarten next year. The kids seemed to have a great time. They played musical hearts, parachute games, made heart crafts, and ate more sugar and sweets that I thought was possible.

FYI: Maya talked Dom into driving her to school today. She was so excited to be "a drive".

A Ride to School and A Donut!

To say it's cold today is an understatement. That's because the outside temp. this morning was registering at negative 2 (and that's without the wind chill)! I decided it was much too cold to wait at the bus stop so I offered to drive Maya to school. Of course we had to leave about 10 minutes early so we could stop at the local food mart two blocks from school for some yummy donuts.

Now that Maya has gotten a glimpse of "being a drive" as she calls it, she no longer wants to ride the bus in the morning and only wants us to drive her. She's in for a rude awakening tomorrow when she finds out she'll once again be waiting at the bus stop and taking the bus.

We Got Mailboxes In Our Mailbox!

The kids are always so excited to open their annual Valentine's Day surprise from Nanny. Maya and Kai each received a personalized mailbox filled with yummy sweats! Thanks Nanny for always thinking of us and being so thoughtful! Happy Valentine's Day!

More Snow!

How is it possible that we got another 6-8 inches of snow today? We're running out of places to dump this stuff!

Hunter and His Shoes!

Hunter loves to pick up the first shoe in sight every time anybody enters out home. This is to guarantee that he gets the attention first (even if the attention is negative and telling him to drop the shoe).

We are always spending a few extra moments each morning finding the other match to a pair of shoes. The shoes are never chewed, rather placed in a variety of spots around the house. Today, I was looking for one of Dom's shoes and said to Hunter... " Hunter, where is Dom's shoe?" He immediately responded by running into the kitchen and bringing me one of Dom's old boots that was next to the kitchen door. Even though it wasn't the right shoe, you gotta love a dog who listens!

The Built-In Shades Hat!

Two of Kai's favorite gifts from Arizona were a hat with built-in sunglasses (they litterally slide up and down using a lever on the side of the hat), and a quartz rock.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Today we joined Maya's "China sisters" and their families in China Town to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We ate great food, watched beautiful dances, and observed an authentic lion dance. Kai said that his favorite part was when the Lion spit out the lettuce and it flew all over. Happy Year of the rabbit!

The Snow The Storm Left Behind!

I Have to Look My Best!

Unfortunately, Maya spiked a fever again late last night...this time only to 101, but nevertheless, it's still a fever. By morning, she was again fever free and appeared to be feeling much better. Very lethargic, but better. Let's hope the fever's gone for good.

My parents called to tell us that they would be arriving at our house around 5:00p.m. The kids asked all day..."how much longer until they're here?".

Maya wore her jams most of the day and told me that she wanted to get dressed. Her exact words were "I have to look my best for Didi and Papa!" She found one of her China dresses and decided it would be perfect for the occasion.

My parents arrived safely, and spent the evening with us playing princess monopoly and eating a roast dinner.

Following Didi and Papa's Journey!

For those of you who don't know, my mom and dad have spent the past 6 weeks in Arizona with my sister and her family. They were able to be there for the birth of their 4th grandchild, baby Evan. We have all missed them terribly and are excited that they are on their journey home. Fortunately, they're not in a hurry and can take their time as they "follow" the storm rather than fight with it on the way home.

Just recently, Papa sent the kids a package in the mail that contained a kitchen table bird book, and a map of the United States. On the map were two bold black lines. One showing our usual drive down to Miami and the other showing their route to Arizona. This gave the kids a better idea of just how far Phoenix is considering they remember all too well our 22 hour treks to Nanny's house in Miami.

Every day, my parents call the kids and let them know their travel route for that day. The kids take turns following their journey back by recording it on the map in red marker. They're counting the days and can't wait to see their Didi and Papa again.

FYI, schools were out again today. Maya's been fever free for 24 hours so our fingers are crossed that she can go to school tomorrow.

The Blizzard Has Arrived!

We didn't get hit as hard as Chicago, but we definately got our fair share. Everything is closed today. Our local newspaper even announced that they would be combining Wednesday's issue with Thursday's as a result of the storm. Our local schools are closed, all Chicago area schools are closed, Dom's work is closed, and Maya's still sick.

The Blizzard is Beginning!

We're expected to experience one of the worst winter storms in Chicago history. They're predicting waves up to 25 feet crashing along the Chicago shore line conbined with up to two feet of snow and extremely strong winds. Sounds fun! Early this afternoon, this is what Hunter looked like waiting to come inside.