My dog won't "GO" in the snow

She tries and tries to find the scent.

But just can't find where last she went.
















And so because of all the snow.

My dog implores me "I can't go!"

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

So today we had a blast playing in the snow outside our house and at the school, with neighborhood friends and school friends. We used our various snow sleds to slide down our street hill...but forgot to put on our helmets--YIKES! Tomorrow will be different, as Evan plowed head first into a parked car. I saw his life flash before my eyes, visions of casts and concussions danced in my head. Luckily no major damage done. Lesson learned. The helmets we bought for skiing will now also be used for sledding!


I am so ecstatically happy that there is no school or work tomorrow. Yes, Virginia, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS! I will sleep in, play in the freshly fallen snow with my kids, drink hot chocolate, and pray for more snow, more snow, more snow!

My cat is an atheist

My cat keeps planting himself on top of my nativity scene. He's trying to conquer baby Jesus. Bad cat! Bad atheist, blasphemous cat! Next thing you know, he's going to attack Santa. Nah...he's too lazy.

My graceful self

So last night as my poor husband attempted to doze off into that ever-so-elusive slumber (before my sorry butt should crawl in next to him and instantly begin to snore), I got a major case of the GIGGLES. We had just finished watching several sitcoms, mind you, which started me on my way. So I'm creeping into the unlit room, trying to be oh-so-quiet, when suddenly a vision pops into my head of an earlier incident in my day. Just then I bust out giggling. I mean, full on belly jiggling, tears running down my face, trying to shut up in church kind of giggling. Eddy just rolls his eyes at me, and turns his face to the wall. I try to apologize, but the sincerity is all but lost in the continuation of my uproarious gleeful hysteria.

So what is so funny, you ask? Well...earlier in the day I found myself in a patently typical "Dawn move." The kind of move that won me the nickname "Grace" in high school, after falling UP the bleachers at a basketball game.

The kind of move in College that I was famous for, after one particularly bad night.

On said night I was trying desperately to play it cool in front of my MAJOR crush, "Mr. GQ" from the dorm next door, (on account of the fact that his girlfriend from out of town was IN town for the first time). I was so successful at playing it "cool" that the night's tally consisted of me:
1. Setting my hair on fire while trying to imitate a match trick.
2. Opening a door that was not attached to the wall and having it come crashing down upon me, cutting my hand.
3. Falling on the dance floor while wearing a skirt(in front of Mr.GQ and his girl) totally drenching my behind in the pool of beer that was the frat dance floor, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE--I kid you not!
and 4. Crawling home on all fours in tears due to my complete embarrassed state, only to have GQ and girlfriend drive by and call to me out the window to see if I needed a ride home. That would be a big fat "NO THANK YOU."
Oh yeah, and 5. Getting back to my dorm to discover that I am...wait for it...
LOCKED OUT! Gloriously fabulous night, that my sister loves to retell to anyone new who hasn't heard it. (Including my children--so not appropriate, and in front of my husband--also not cool mentioning old crushes).

Anyway...back to my giggle fit. Earlier in the day as I was on my wooden staircase in my super slippery slippers, I lost my footing and slipped UP the stairs (this falling up thing takes great talent and practice-don't try it at home viewers!), landing hard on one armpit and my chin, with my legs sprawled out behind me. Let your mind visualize this lovely sight.

For whatever reason as I was creeping into the room and crawling into bed (ooo...I'm a creepy crawler) I pictured what this act of ballerina grace must have looked like from behind had anyone had the misfortune to witness it, and I couldn't stop laughing. I just couldn't stop. I'm not sure I wanted to stop--laughter like that doesn't come around everyday ya know!

So, since I rarely have funny things to share with y'all (all 2 of you!) I slipped into bed, muffled my sillyness and dreamed of the magic of this awesome writing I would get to do today. Hope it was as fun to read as it was to remember...

Giggling like a child makes me oh so happy!!! (following spelling errors not mine)
a buch of peopel falling down

Inspirational Moments

Soo...I've been thinking about what I like about blogs. I love that blogging requires you to take mundane everyday moments, and turn them into interesting and inspirational fodder for thought. This is certainly a challenge for me--the glass half-empty gal.

The other day I read a blog where the mom told of her day playing with the kids, and it sounded so poignant and lovely. I thought, I've had a hundred days like that, and I probably would've thought to myself, "I have nothing interesting to write about today." Not because it wasn't an enjoyable day, but because how do you make that sound interesting to others?

I have found myself lately retreating into cyberworld to try to connect, instead of hanging out with my family and connecting with them. It's not that I don't want to be with them, but sometimes I feel a little lonely for friendship. Some of my best friends are from my kids' preschool, who live in other neighborhoods, and lead similarly busy lives. I've recently noticed that many of the moms at my kids' current school also seem closest to friends from their kids' preschools, or with moms who are available for PTA, volunteering, and foundation. I want to be, too. But working full time again and trying to be the mom is actually more than I can handle sometimes.

So...this weekend I worked hard at ignoring my computer and focused on hanging out with my kids. Sounds awful, I know, that I have to work at it. But, anyway. Kaley and I were hanging out. We played Wii, and Super Mario Kart. We put puzzles together and babysat the kittens. We read and talked. But the most glorious part was we giggled! We rolled on the floor playing and teasing and we laughed 'til it hurt giggled! It was beautiful and silly, and a total blast. I am so aware right now of how close my children are to growing up. How fast time is moving and how quickly they will be teenagers who want no time with me at all. I need to make the most of the time that I have with them.

Hugging, and giggling, and being silly with my kids makes me happy.