Call me psychic (no but seriously, I have a certain intuition about these types of things) but I woke up this morning just knowing that this would probably be our last nice day of pretty snow.  And sure enough, it's already starting to melt as I type this.

   I felt that we HAD to go out one last time, and get some pictures to remember this rarity of a white Christmas in Oregon.  There is this one, charming little tree in our backyard that is (or was) blanketed perfectly in snow and never fails to make me think of a Charlie Brown Christmas.  So of course it was just begging for some ornaments.  Plus, we're leaving for Florida on the 19th and so I don't think we will even have a Christmas tree this year.  So this little experience will have to fill their tree void.

 Plus, Uncle Shelby was around to take pictures and we have to take advantage of that before he leaves to go home. *sniff*  I can't believe how few pictures I've gotten of him during the past 2 years he has lived with us….see, probably some of you didn't even know he'd been living with us!  But he is busy and gone 1/2 of the time and we are busy and gone the other half.  So it all kinda makes sense, actually.

 

   The girls are going to be a mess when he leaves.  He is their FAVORITE.  They even choose him over me occasionally, true story.  But in all reality……….



when he leaves they probably won't even think about it.  It's actually far worse when he just leaves to go to work or something.  They wail and weep and beg for him to stay, but when he's gone-gone, they probably won't think about it much.  *Side note* Uncle Shawn if you're reading this, Jocelyn asked about you the other day! So she hasn't forgotten you. :)





   This photo shoot was loads of fun, but let's be honest, today wasn't all that magical.  We're all fighting colds (probably be we are crazies that go out in this weather) and the house is still a mess from the on-going un-packing process that seems like it will never end.

   We've had troubles with appliances that I never even dreamed of and all of it is starting to just emotionally wear us down.  Jocelyn has been testing the limits lately and any other parents of a 2-3 yr old know exactly what that means.

On top of it all, I am just. So. Tired.





  This is the view out of our dining/living room windows.  I must say, the sunrises are INCREDIBLE.   

   I say all of this, not to be gloom-and-doom and pessimistic, but to keep things real around here.  It seems like lately everywhere I turn I hear someone talking about how bloggers always make things seem so perfect in their lives.  And so if tonight you are one of those, looking at my pictures and thinking "My, how perfect" then dear, dear reader…..STOP BEING SO NAIEVE.

   Yes, we went out in the snow and everything was beautiful and white and we had fun, but…..it also required searching all over for boots and coats and hats prior to that and also peeling off all of the layers once we were inside, creating more messes in my already very messy home.  It also precluded a rough day of a fussy Charlotte wanting to be held all of the time and a naughty Jocelyn and a tired mama.



  And NO, I did not curl my hair this morning.  Who has time for that?  I slept last night with my hair all rolled up into a headband and wah-lah…..curls in the morning.









 And in the spirit of 'keeping it real', here is a glimpse of my kitchen.  Countertops full and dishes in the sink and boxes laying around.  Yeah.  A real haven around here.



   Oh yes and there's the blessed laundry room, with the washer/dryer combo that was a STEAL off of Craigslist and we were so excited to nab it.   Only to find out (after we lug the things inside, get them all hooked up and run a few loads) that the low price probably had something to do with the fact that the washer was on its way out.   Makes me wanna lose faith in mankind a little bit.

    So all of this goes to say…..sometimes we hold hands and stroll around in the snow and other times we pick our way through a house full of messes and boxes and see how many clothes we can re-wear before someone might smell them.  But I am very glad I have this blog to help me chronicle sweet moments like ornaments on a Charlie brown Christmas tree on a snowy winter's day, and also chronicle moments like the headaches of moving and the heartbreak of Craigslist lemons, because those are important to remember too.   It keeps us grounded, ya know?

It's almost the weekend, folks.