Crazy Winter Snow

Michigan is cold.  I know, you're shocked.  I had one friend on Facebook post "Today I am incredibly thankful that I live in California and not Georgia, Minnesota, New York, Texas, etc. But I am especially thankful that I don't live in Michigan. "  OUCH!!!  ;-)

Luckily we've been able to get out and enjoy the snow a little bit.  A few weeks ago it was even cold enough to do the boiling water to cloud trick:

In case you're wondering how this works:

What makes this trick work? Boiling water thrown into the air quickly freezes into tiny ice crystals. According to an article posted on University of California Riverside's physics page, hot water can freeze faster than cold water thanks to the "Mpemba effect." Author Monwhea Jeng theorized that one reason warm water freezes more quickly than cold is that the "lack of dissolved gas may change the ability of the water to conduct heat, or change the amount of heat needed to freeze a unit mass of water."

We had a HUGE snowstorm one weekend.  Jake was out shoveling our driveway for HOURS and he didn't even finish.  Our neighbors were out at the same time using their snow blowers and no one even offered to help Jake.  The lack of neighborly kindness around here is a little discouraging, I guess it just means we need to work harder at making friends with them.  Towards the end of shoveling though a neighbor of ours who lives on a nearby street (on the HOA board with me) brought his shovel over and helped Jake.  Jake came inside that evening and promptly bought a snow blower!  Now he can't wait for the next big snowfall!  ;-)

(The red snow blower was a hand-me-down that Jake couldn't get running, he finally gave up and bought an electric one.  The tool box was his Christmas gift.  And yes, those are empty cans.  We have to pay 10 cents extra per can for a can tax that we get back when we return them to the grocery store.  It's lame.)

One Sunday we pulled into the church parking lot the same time as the Bingham's.  Jake and Adam proceeded to the back of the parking lot where they took turns doing doughnuts in the fresh snow.  haha!  Great way to start the Sabbath!

Lately there's been a cold snap and we haven't been able to get out much.  Luckily we've found lots of fun stuff to do inside:

Playing Dress Ups 

(she was determined to get those on even though they are 4 sizes too small)

Eating Food

Playing with Friends

Playing with Toys

Playing with Dad

Learning to take pictures with Mom's camera

Just Being Cute

I wasn't feeling well one day so I took a nap while the twins were asleep.  Scarlett sat next to me on the bed and watched a movie.  I woke up to her putting lotion on my arm "it will make you feel better, mommy" with sucker wrappers all over the floor and all her hair rubber bands dumped out on the carpet.  It was worth it.

For Christmas Scarlett got her own chapstick.  Normally she's pretty good at just putting a little on in the general area of her lips.  One day I found her COVERED in a chunky layer of white wax.  No more unsupervised chapstick.

On Sunday I was wearing purple eyeshadow.  While I was nursing the twins Scarlett ran in her room and brought me a purple flower clip "it matches you mommy".  Then she ran and grabbed a blue bow and told me "this matches my eyes perfectly!"