Hello, World!

We have had WAY too much snow during that last couple of weeks. I don't seem to have any photos of the boys playing in it because it seemed as though as soon as we heard the storm warning and rushed to the grocery store with all of the other unprepareds in the DC area I began to become deeply and immediately depressed. The boys and I did not drive the Expedition for a week and a half! We played outside at first, but then it just got yucky and it was cold and...and...we were BORED! Jay was fortunate that he got to go back to work after a week and I just stopped getting dressed. Ate a lot of M&M's that were supposed to be for Jayson's Valentines Day party. Watched Masterpiece Theatre. Read one of my fave books...Joy of Cooking. Did some online shopping. Charlie and Aidan were thrilled to stay at home day after day. Aidan discovered a new vocation: cookin' a dinna. He gets every pot, pan, utensil, etc. that he can reach out onto the kitchen floor and fills them with toys and balls and the occasional scrap of food and "cooks" it. If we try to move anything he tells us that it's hot. "Cookin' a dinna, cookin' a dinna!" Jayson began to develop a textbook case of the "Mean Reds" as described by Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's. He was as overjoyed as I was when school started again (yesterday).

Just before the snow Jay's nephew Mitchell stayed with us for a couple of days to get a better look at SVU. He has decided to look into his other options. I think he should be a professional tourist...he left in the morning with Jay and came back with Jay at night. He watched obscene

amounts of college basketball and one day got lost on the Metro which shook his confidence so the next day he walked like 20 miles. Jayson is a little bit in love with him and refers to him as "Mitchy".

Jayson's M&M filled Valentines had these pics on them with the caption "love is in the air". The kids got store bought cards with Toy Story pencils, due to my embarrassing weakness for candy...especially when snowed in and not showering. What's the point?

AND....drumroll please!! Happy half birthday Charlie Snow!!

I just got an email from Tina and enjoyed it so much that I decided to just post it on our blog! Tina...I hope you don't mind. Hi Jay and Steph- Just wanted to say thank you so much for letting Lily and me come hang out last weekend. We loved your blog entry, and wanted to email you copies of photos too. So, sorry about the multiple emails. You'll be glad to know that my stomach returned to normal and Lily's nose cleared up the day after we got home (of course), I did find Lily's sippy cup lid in the middle of my luggage, I did finally remove the tag (our address) off Lily's diaper bag, and I have been pondering on the deep meaning behind a little boy running to win shoes... so life is pretty much back to normal. Jayson- McKinnon loved your picture, thinks robots are even cooler now, and thinks that you need to get into legos. It is his new obsession! Aidan- Lily sure had a good time. Charlie- you stay healthy now, OK. Thanks again for showing me around- I will be dreaming of Amish pretzels for some time to come I think, and the thought of crab cakes have been making my mouth water for days. We are keeping our spare room clean in hopes that you guys will use it some day- you are always welcome to come stay- Steph, I'm serious about the "I'll watch your kids while you hang out with your sister" thing. Anytime! Hope you guys are great! Lots of love, Tina P.S. Steph- can I get your recipe for the yummy curry dish you made??? I'd love to have it! Thanks!