If You Don't Like the Weather....

...just wait 5 minutes.

Or so the saying goes in Kentucky.

In this weekend's case, Friday had a high of close to 70 degrees, and Monday we got almost 5 inches of snow.

Yeap, the warmest day of the calendar year (or in months, for that matter) followed by the biggest snowfall (by far) of the winter season.

We may be shaping up for some really crazy weather in the next few months if this weekend is any indication.

We thoroughly enjoyed our solitary snow day!  We were expecting "trace amounts" or up to 2" at the very most.  Generally, a snowfall of this caliber would have warranted days of Winter Weather Warnings, advising the urgent need to stock up on bread, milk, and eggs and gather loved ones close and oh-my-goodness-it's-going-to-SNOW-folks!

Perhaps the tornado devestation overshadowed the snow.

Or they just plain got it wrong.

In any case, Libby woke me up at 3:30am for a potty trip and a glance outside showed a thick layer of the white stuff covering the road and lawns.

By the time we woke up we had almost 5 inches of fluffy snow!

I spent quite some time gathering hats, gloves, scarves, coats, layers and layers of clothing, and suitable footwear....and then more time cramming children into the said layers before setting them loose in the backyard.

This was one of those very pretty snows that sticks on branches....

...unfortunately, in the morning it was also quite a dry snow, and we couldn't get it to pack into snowmen, or even sled easily.

What a change from less than 60 hours before!

After we shed frosty clothes we snuggled under warm blankets on the couch and watched cartoons.

We considered the traditional mugs of hot cocoa, but decided to go with chocolate covered strawberry smoothies instead. 

Libby like!!

About Being Thankful the Only Little People in the House Don't Live on the Yellow Brick Road

The news Thursday was full of dire warnings predicting strong storms to come through Kentucky on Friday.  We didn't pay too close attention to it except to consider the possibility of a power outage Friday evening.

However, Friday morning dawned stormy, and Bill Meck was very vocal about the tornadic storms that would be hitting our area later that day.

Around midmorning the first round of storms had come and gone, leaving it muggy with a hint of sunshine peeking through the gray clouds, and not much on the radar for central Kentucky.

It was around this time that schools began to announce early dismissals.  I guess so that the students would be home with their families by the time the storms were scheduled to rip through around the time of regular dismissals.  PCA made the decision to release early about 11am, so by 2pm the girls and I were home enjoying a beautiful warm, sunny, very unseasonable early March day.  Earl got home by 3pm when the city and county government sent their workers home early to brace for the storm.

Now, we have in the past had early dismissals for the threat of snow or ice, but never have I seen a complete and total shutdown of public and private business for the chance of a thunderstorm. It was rather odd and somewhat foreboding to be sitting home just waiting....

We did take all the necessary precautions and loaded up emergency supplies, important papers, and hard drive info, along with blankets, warm clothes, toys, and lots of snacks and water into our "walkspace".  While paking up (and keeping Anna from having a total meltdown) we kept an eye on the radar and tuned into the news, watching in real time as the storm spawned tornadoes that wiped out whole towns along the Indiana - Kentucky border.

Fortunately, as the storm sped closer to cental Kentucky it started to break apart, and we only received rain, a bit of marble-sized hail, and some moderate wind gusts. 

Within minutes after the storm hit us is was over, leaving a rainbow in its wake... 

...along with some rain puddles that the girls took advantage of!

Soon, the sun came out...

...and quicky ushered in brilliant blue skies.

As the sun settled into the west it lit up the clouds lingering on the back edge of the storm front.

We've never seen such spectacular cloud formations!

And.....do you see the creepy cloud in this picture?  EEEK!

Today we're watching the puffy white clouds float past while hitting some home projects, like replacing tile in our shower, giving the hot tub a spring cleaning, and dusting and mopping to get ready for my baby's FOURTH birthday next weekend.

Where did the time go?!?!

Libby's New Room

I've had these pictures sitting around for quite some time.  I had great intentions of getting Libby's shelves hung and putting all the finishing touches together and then posting.

However

We got Libby's shelves hung and then stalled.  I'm just not entirely sure what to put on them.  I had an idea in mind and then it hit me....Libby can reach the shelves.

So anything on the shelves needs to be Libby-proof.

There goes my idea of finding bird statues and painting them funky colors to match her decor.

**sigh**

So, at the moment she has three cute little shelves, the one the furthest from her bed holds her daddy-made peacock painting (her request - after I had them hung so that the painting was balanced on the wall).

Libby had been sleeping in the tiny nursery in her crib/toddler bed.  When it became evident that Libby was quickly outgrowing her little bed I decided that instead of squeezing a bigger bed into the oddly shaped room I'd rather just move her into the muchlarge guest room/storage room/catch all.

Since she was dead set against the move reluctant less than thrilled with the idea of switching rooms at first I thought we'd make a big production of it with Santa bringing the "big girl" bedding at Christmas.

Yeah.

After weeks of refusing to so much as discuss the possibility, one night she announced she would sleep in the guest room from hence forth.  Which led to a mad scramble to throw down some clean sheets and put any potentially dangerous objects (which, for Libby is just about everything) up out of her reach.

I spent many hours searching stores and browsing online shops to find a bedding that was fun and feminine without being frilly.

I finally found a set at Linens 'N Things online, then the fun of adding the details began!

Welcome to Libby's room...

Land of Nod is one of my favorite places to find quirky little accesories like these art hooks.  I also got a pink closet storage system with colored drawers.



Pinterest is awesome.

I got the idea of using embroirdery hoops and fabric to create a display for this wall from Pinterest. 

See the purple handprint?  All my idea. 

Oh yeah.

The wall decals came from Amazon.  They are from the Happi Tree line by Dena Designs.  The set was huge, colorful, and a great addition to her room!

The lightswitch cover matches the decals.  I found it on an ETSY site.

Eventually we hope to replace her hand me down and down and down furniture with something white with traditional lines.

Curtains.

Oh, curtains.

This is an example of me being a glutton for punishment.

I hate spending ridiculously large amounts of money for sheets of fabric. 

Curtains seem so simple to make....

Looks can be deceiving, folks.

I've dabbled in curtain making in the past.  It wasn't pretty, so I'm not sure what my thought process was for attempting to do it again.

Oh wait.

Yeah...$80 a panel curtains. (And don't even get me started on what money hungry corporate giant came up with the idea of selling a HALF of a curtain.  REALLY)....and reading far too much at  Young House Love.

So I thought....Jo Ann Fabrics has pretty fabric...

I can buy pretty fabric....

I have a sewing machine....

I can totally sew my baby some curtains.

Did I mention my "sewing machine" is about the size of a BeDazzler?

Long story short - I sewed up some decent curtains.  But factoring in the time and energy and money I spent on them, I would have probably been better off buying some overpriced curtain panels.

Believe it or not, she has actually left all the pictures on her art hooks!

All in all, I really like how it turned out!

Since this is still a work in progress, I'll be posting more pictures on the shelf saga!

Stay tuned....

It's the Holiday Season...

...or...ahem...was several weeks ago.

Christmas this year was a low-key, relaxing time in our house.  Last year, with it being the first year we had lived in our current home, we went all out.  The decorations were perfect and shiny and new, they came together just so and we rejoiced in the beauty of our home.  This year we decorated, but tried some different things and just couldn't achieve "the look" no matter how we arranged....and rearranged....and rerearranged....

Even with so-so decor and a distinct lack of snow, we enjoyed our time off.   This was the first year Libby really understood the whole Santa thing, so we played it up!  Who knows if our big girl will still be a believer next year...*sniff*

We also managed some short day trips to area attractions.  We made our first visit to the beautiful Shaker Village.  WOW!  It is worth it for the drive alone.  The tiny town was decked with boughs of...evergreens and plenty of red bows.  They even had a horse drawn carriage to cart visitors up and down the main drag.


The simplicity of the Shaker homes really soothed our souls, as did the rolling hills and towering, leafless trees.

Christmas day itself played out in a flurry of colorful paper and exclamations over new toys (for the kids).  Our big "Christmas present" had arrived in August and was hot and bubbling in the backyard.  And let me tell you, what a fun tradition to soak in a hot tub on Christmas Eve, long after kids are dreaming of sugarplums.

The night before Christmas....

We tracked Santa on NORAD!

Nana and Plap plap joined us for a Christmas ham dinner, then left the next day to take Anna back to Pennsylvania for a week visit.

While she was gone Earl and I took the opportunity to paint and decorate Libby's new "big girl" room.  I had spent weeks searching stores in person and online for the perfect bedding set, paint, and decorating ideas.  I had mistakenly believed that my very-particular-about-bedtime-girl would need wooed into a new bed, in a new room.  Nope.  Long before we even started moving junk out of the guestroom Libby decided she was going to sleep there.  And she did.  Still, I think her room came out perfect.  When it is completely done I'll post photos.
Getting Anna back to Kentucky was the biggest adventure we need for awhile.  Let's just say, in all of the many, many miles we spend on the road, we've been blessed to never get hit by the stomach flu.....or a treacherous icy conditions.  Until January, when Earl hit unexpected ice and snow, and Anna was hit by a nasty virus.  A 6 hour trip took about 12 hours, but they made it home safe and sound.  And I must say I thoroughly enjoyed a sick day to snuggle up on the couch with my Annagirl.

It's hard to believe we are already a full week into February!