Birthday's Birthday's!

We celebrated 3 birthday's at my inlaws a few weeks ago. Rachel's (Nate's sis) is Jan. 17, Nate's is Jan. 19 & Matt's (Rachel's husband) is the 20th. That previous Spring must have been busy :)

This is Nate's cake we had on his actual birthday, here at home. The kiddos picked it out.

I had the kids each pick out a balloon for him. They did a pretty good job.

At my inlaws: Jonah checking out Grandpa's mustache with a magnifying glass.

Nate and a Rooster

Jonah & Grandpa

Cousin Kellie drew Isabel a picture.

Jasper

Isabel

Nate making egg rolls! Those egg rolls are heaven I tell you! Nate's mom has the best recipe.

Rachel rolling the egg roll

Rachel's step-daughter, Kellie

Kellie & Matt

Jonah playing in the kitchen sink

Hannah, Isabel & Jonah

I let Hannah & Kellie take some pics with my camera. This is one of Hannah's of Rachel & I

Jonah bugging Gage

Hannah, Iz & Gage

Hannah & her American Girl doll

Kellie took this of Hannah & I

Ryan

Rachel & Nate

The Wright's - These are the usual smiles I get from them. I always give them a hard time because they never show their pearly whites! It's not like they have Billy Bob teeth. I'm use to my family where we show every tooth (even missing ones) in our mouths.

After I complained & told them to give me happy smiles.

I had Rach & Nate stand like this in order to get a cheesy late 70's early 80's pose

Matt was squatting

And then I told them to look at each other all cheesy & mushy

Jasper in his "Emperor" get up

A few days earlier, we had gotten some Star Wars books from the library. Jasper was in heaven. Then, Nate's mom broke out the vintage Star Wars books that were Nate's when he was little. Needless to say, Jas is over the moon.

Day 2 of the storm

It is day 2 of being stuck inside. The good news? We didn't lose power...yet. I'm hoping it stays that way. All evening I could hear things hitting the roof. I'm assuming it was ice because this morning, the porch & yard & everything else is covered in big ice chunks. I've done laundry out the wazoo & it is piled everywhere around the house. Guess I need to work on putting it away. We've eaten & eaten & eaten...well, I have anyway.

We told the kids they could have some candy & I walked in the family room to find this...

How bout' some Now & Laters, guys? Isabel's death stare in these photos make it look like she is going to jump on my face if I even thought about telling them "No".
This morning, there were more limbs down & chunks of ice everywhere

I love the look of the Pepsi 2 Liter that stumbled into our driveway...

makes it look even more eerie.

California Dreamin'...

On such a winter's day...

Well folks, we're in the thick of an ice storm...and apparently a blizzard warning has been issued. People are in panic mode. Our grocery stores have been practically emptied. The gas stations were packed with people waiting. Nate works an hour away & luckily, he didn't go in today. We received a 1/2 inch of ice last night & it is supposed to start back up this afternoon (along with the 12-24 inches of snow) & last until Wednesday night until 7 pm.

My sister & her family, my brother and his family & me and my family are getting prepared to load up & stay with our mom in case we lose our power. They have a generator & a big house. Please God don't let us lose power. Not that I don't love my siblings, but with mom & Duane, Ash, Aaron & their 4 kids (well 3 because Kayla is with her mom), Lee, pregnant with twins Amber & Kisen & Nate & I and our 3....someones bound to go all Jack Nicholson on us. My bet is that it will be me. I'm just sayin' I have a history of going a little off the deep end. Here's Johnny!

Nate explaining how the trees are hovering over the house

Nate couldn't get my car doors open. Luckily, he was able to get his open.

Just hanging...waiting to land on my house

Limbs are down all in my front yard

The mark on the house from where a branch broke off & hit it