Our snow day(s)

I had a very busy week scheduled. Something every day, which is big for a homebody like myself. I was a little stressed at how the kids, particularly Matthew, were going to do with all the going and doing. Well, God answered my prayers in an interesting way- a three day "snow event." (I'm not kidding- that's what they call it here in crazy Cincinnati where one falling snow flake means a snow day for all).

Although this time it really did snow. And sleet. And rain. And icy rain. We ended up picking up about a foot of snow and maybe half an inch of ice in between. Just check out the leaf in my hand below. We plucked that off our poor bush. We lost a decent size branch off a tree next to our fence. I'm sure more will come as the days go on.

The added blessing in all this was that even Erik got a snow day out of it! They actually closed the office today (although you know Erik, he still was working from home). He did get to play with Grace outside for a while. Even Dixie got in on the fun in the front yard because it was so cold out, we knew she wouldn't venture too far!

So just in case you are in the snowy region and need a cozy meal (or if you are in a warm region and these pictures make you shiver) I've included below a recipe for a tasty meatloaf. It takes a little more prep work than a normal meatloaf, but it is well worth the effort. Let me put it to you this way- even Grace had seconds for dinner. And several of you have witnessed us struggle to get her to eat THREE bites of anything. She even ate a piece cold the next morning while I was making Erik a meatloaf sandwich for his lunch. To which she replied, "mmmm"!

The ice might be brutal for the trees and bushes, but isn't it just gorgeous?

Grace and Daddy made a snow castle the day before our big storm. When you don't have sand, snow and flower pots will do just fine!

Honey BBQ Glazed Meatloaf

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, minced

1/2 cup diced red and yellow bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire

1/4 cup milk

2 pounds meatloaf mix (or just ground beef)

2/3 cup quick oats

1/3 cup fresh minced parsley

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute onion, carrot and peppers in a skillet until soft. In a bowl, mix eggs, thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire and milk. Add meat, oats, and parsley, along with cooked vegetables.

Pat into a 9x5 inch loaf. Place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Put in oven to bake. Glaze with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce mixed with 1/2 cup honey every 15 minutes. Bake for 1 hour total or until thermometer registers 160 degrees.

This makes enough for a dinner for four, plus several leftovers/sandwiches.

What I did on my Christmas vacation

If I were writing this for school, I would have received an "F" if for the sheer fact that it was so tardy. But I'm sure that if it had been on time, I would have been given an A+ for how cute my kids are! :)

This is for those family members who have been asking for pictures (and rightly so). I apologize profusely if it seems a little obnoxious. There were so many great pictures (thanks, hubby!) from our Christmas at the Lake House in Minnesota that I had an awful time choosing which ones to use. Shocking, I know. I am certainly not an indecisive person! ;) It wouldn't be Grandma's house if there wasn't a baby in the bathtub! No comments on the flab, please. :)

The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming! (There was a request made for a family picture in traditional Russian boots and hats- for those of you who don't know, my in-laws live in Moscow.)

Making peanut butter pine cones for the birds

Snowy fun! A little cautious at first, Grace learned to love sledding down the sled run that Daddy and her uncles made. We found the driveway just as fun- fast, but wide. We also got to do some snow shoeing through the woods that I am sure Robert Frost had in mind when he wrote his famous poem.

I see glimpses of this sweet child as a grown up girl. She looks so precious in her new hat from her uncle!

And in that same vein, does that mean Matthew is going to be the class clown? Check out this hilarious face he was making.

I'm th-th-th...

Still trying to say it. Let me try again.

I'm th-th-thirty! Eeekk!

Yup, I officially left my 20's behind today and am now entering what I see as the "old" decade. Ever notice in the drugstore that they have make-up for mature skin and it is labeled "30's and up"? Well, I did. I also noticed that I am getting wrinkles (or laugh lines as they say). And that I don't understand most of the texting lingo. And I have no idea what all those buttons on my TV remote are for. And I talk about the weather a lot. And I confuse my sister's name with my daughter's name whenever we are all together. I'm thinking these are all symptoms of getting old.

I'd love to show you a photo of my smiling, wrinkly face on my 30th birthday, but alas, only my dear mother took any pictures and those all went home with her today on her camera. But I know you are used to waiting for me to post pictures, so whats new, right?