Snow

Really, I've had quite enough snow. Fourteen inches last night over the many, many, we've already had this month.

Here is my poor dog Luna, trying to go to the bathroom. She couldn't see the steps of the deck, so she went right on it. (Click the photos to see them larger.)

We have to get outside somehow to refill the bird feeders. The squirrels are thrilled because they can just leap right up now.

Here are views from our front and back windows. Yes, that's our deck.

I'm so jealous that my boys are flying down to Florida for a week with my mom. I want to go in the worst way now, but they are really looking forward to having some time with Grandma and Aunt D without me. Plus B is looking forward to some time alone with me at home.

I would just love opportunity to get away from all this snow. I'm glad at least the sun is out today. We'll have a few hours of the snow being absolutely beautiful before it becomes a dirty nuisance.

The boys slept over some friends’ house last night, so the snow in front of my house will be there for a while. It's nice that R is at an age where he is thrilled to be allowed to use the snow blower. We got about two years out of him before his love affair with the lawn tractor mellowed, so let's hope the snow slows down over the next couple of years. In the meantime, perhaps I will go outside and shovel a path off the deck for Luna.

I'm glad my camera is still working, despite the fact that the LCD is broken. No viewfinder, so I've been just randomly aiming and hoping for the best. No “artsy” photos this way, but at least I can still capture life. (Partly why I still haven't mailed it to be fixed: I can't live without it.)

I'm enjoying time scrapbooking while the boys are out. There are lots of things on my “to do” list that I've been ignoring, but the snow makes me so unmotivated (as if I need a reason). I suppose it's better than laying in bed watching TV all day. At least I will have a sense of accomplishment. Plus I've hardly scrapped at all lately, really, because doing anything for myself brings such guilt with it. Not today though!

Sleepover

Last night the boys had their best friends sleep over.
Recognize them?
Usually I'm a big fan of irony.

Charity

Every week the boys get one dollar for each year of their age for allowance. Ten percent comes straight off the top for charity. Then the rest is cut in half between savings and spending money.

In the past, we've taken construction paper mittens off the Christmas tree at our library, and used the boys' charity money to purchase the gifts requested on them. They have always enjoyed shopping for someone close to their age, and continue to do so.

This year though, R rounded up his charity money each week before dividing his savings/spending, and ended up with a lot more than usual. We talked about some of the ways that money could be put to use. And he decided he'd like to help animals.

Well as these wonderful connections typically happen, a few days later I saw an advertisement in our local newspaper requesting help for a dog pound. And R decided a trip to BJ's was in order.

One hundred fifty pounds of dog food, and a drive to the next town over, left us all feeling pretty good about why we do this every year. Even B who does not willingly donate money on his own, liked the feeling and commented on how cool it is that the boys are growing up with this habit.