Toby's Thoughts

Hello all,

 

I decided to sit down and write a few words (or more) about our wintery weekend we are having.  All last week we were hearing that a snow storm was coming in to the area on Sat. around noon.  We were out with the girls at swimming lessons then to Starbucks for hot chocolate for them and coffee's for us.  Little flakes started to fall and we were all excited.  For once I was not on call or out of town so I was pleased to enjoy it and have fun with the 4wd on the 4runner.  We then ventured out to a wildlife refuge.  By now it was really coming down and the road was totally covered.  We drove through the 5.5 mile auto tour which we had pretty much to ourselves.  Sienna said as we swooshed through the woods that it was like driving through Narnia.  April spotted about 6-7 white-tail deer on a distant ridge but they jumped a small fence before we could show the girls.

 

After stopping at the Library and Safeway for some apples and basic groceries we navigated our course for home.  April had mentioned before we left for our little journey that it would be fun to make a apple pie.  When we arrived home we had a few inches already and I was busy shoveling the snow and the girls were making lunch.  I decided to have a little fun with Sienna and have a pie competition.  We both got on our aprons and went to work making the crust and then slicing the apples up with our corer.  Sienna was like a little Martha Stewart but our kitchen did not look camera ready like hers.  Later we enjoyed hot pie with milk. 

 

This morning I woke up to hearing the low hum of snowthrowers churning their way through about 10 fresh inches of new snow.  I on the other hand had left our snowthrower with the folks that rented our home on Alice (as we call it).  So needless to say I wasn't really looking forward to shoveling the driveway.  It took me about an hour to shovel it all out.  I talked with the two neighbors across the street and they have lived here about 10 years and have not seen this much snow.

 

I think I will be looking for a snow blower soon on Craigslist!  I have enclosed some pictures that I took earlier this morning and a couple from swimming lessons.

 

Have a great day

 

Toby & Girls.

 

 

 

Christmas and Beyond

We had a great Christmas this year, except for the fact that we did not get to spend it with Toby’s parents. My parents, my sis and her hubby, and Toby’s sister came out to our new house for a few days. We had great food and it snowed on Christmas day for everyone! We watched The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Christmas Story (tradition).

We also had great quality time with a game my mom made up called Open Mic Night. This is where you had to go up to the mic (our lamp) and talk for 3 minutes straight about anything. Well, it was easy to find out who the hams are in our family. I am proud to say that we have one more just added last May, Mr. Shane. I don’t know who was up at the mic more between my sister, Shane and my mom! Sienna wasn’t close behind.

Of course, it took a lot of urging before Toby, myself and my dad would go up. And as usual, I cried during my 3 minutes. I can’t help talking about something from the heart. I spoke of my dad telling me, after I quit soccer in high school because I was insecure, that I was actually good. Anything coming from dad, you know it is the truth and heartfelt. And after he told me that, I was kinda taken aback. I had thought I had only made varsity because I was fast, but with no real talent and thus no real confidence. After he told me I was a good player…it stuck with me and now I am playing again and with a lot of confidence and having so much fun!!! Anyhow, I hate talking in front of people because of my tears, but it was worth it, and if the night would have went longer I would have gone again. It was neat to hear my dad talk as well. He doesn’t particularly like to talk in front of people, ‘though he is good at it. We learned how much he likes to watch the weather, not the news, but stare outside at the snow falling for hours and how he can predict the weather long before the news does and how he has loved ponds since he was a boy, that he would literally shake with excitement when he would get to see his neighbor’s pond growing up! Anyhow, I love quality time like that. It really made my Christmas for me for all of us to be together and talk!

If you peruse the pictures, you will see that we have had tons of snow this year! It is so great! Also you can view the spot sisters (Ellie and Ayla in their matching pink pajamas). Also one picture of me in my pj's and no make-up, but I had to add it because Sienna bought me one of my favorite movies.  We did a lot of baking together and now whenever the oven beeps, even if it is just the kitchen timer, Ayla runs to tell me “Num, Nums!” which means the num, nums are done in the oven! It is really cute!