Thursday, January 27, 2011

Recent Snow

We had snow again a little while back. Actually, this is still the remnant of the first snow covered with a second snow that turned into sleet/snow/ice. It was a light icing but pretty and so I made sure to go out and snap a picture or two.

The sky was so blue. I haven't even edited this picture. Pretty day but very cold!
The Chickens spent all day huddled up at the back door waiting for their people (us) to throw out food. Also, they don't like to dip their little chicken toes into the snow any more than absolutely necessary. Here, they are all turned to look at me because I was outside but the rest of the day, they stood there and looked in at us. It was really rather funny.
This is the backyard. You can see their frosty coop and run. As I was walking up there later in the day to lock them in for the night and they all launched off the back porch when I was halfway up the little hill to their run. Several of them actually ran into me mid "flight". I jumped! They don't usually fly much because, well, chickens don't, you know.

And this guy didn't like the cold, either. He is supposed to be an outdoor cat but he sneaks in pretty much daily and hides out if he can get away with it. He's good in the house, has yet to make any messes, but since he doesn't have a water dish, this is where we caught him this frosty day. Eww!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Family pictures in the snow!


Snow!!
All of the family. Steve is smiling and I am trying not to look like I had just been running back to my spot from setting the camera timer. Just as we were finishing these pictures, I remembered, AH! My mom and Dad gave me a camera remote for Christmas! Well, next time...

Ivy, inside, peeking out. Guess she got cold.

Vitali, always cold, plays anyway. Favorite snow activity?
Standing on piled up snow to be 'bigger' than anyone. (and I do mean anyone! Someone? PLEEEASE!)


The lovely Annette.

Misha, looking jovial.

Max, pausing in the midst of shoveling our quite long driveway. He worked tirelessly on that driveway. We really appreciated that later in the day! Steve and the other boys helped, but Max didn't stop till it was all done.

Hannah was mostly glad because the snow gave her a chance to wear the new
coat her friend Rachel gave her. I love the fur around the hood. So does she.


Now, let me back in the house so I can warm up!

Home in Ukraine


We have received word that Ira and the other kids have made it back to their orphanages in Ukraine! I'm sure that she is relieved to be home and sleeping in a bed after the long hours in airports and on trains.

We had a nice visit with her these last three weeks. She said very teary goodbyes with hugs and kisses for all of us, but I think she was looking more forward to going home again this time than she was at the end of her summer trip. The kids have mentioned several times in the last couple days that they miss her.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Getting bigger...

Our little guy is growing bigger and stronger! He kicks and wiggles and I really have noticed in the last week or so that he has gone from mostly squirming to more stretching, and poking, and kicking. Wearing that striped shirt at dinner that evening, the black stripes across my belly kept catching my eye. They were moving around like a wavy test pattern on an old fashioned, black and white tv! Haha!

5 weeks to go...