Last week we learned about bridges and how much load Thomas could pull up a bridge without falling off.  This week we are learning about tunnels. 

Or more accurately, bridges are now boring; what can we use to make a tunnel?

A bridge that dumps the train into the tunnel. 

And Mom, this is the tent he was talking about.  The big square tent is dying a slow, painful death.  I don't think it will make it through another set up. 

Our Annual Blizzard

We officially got 12 inches but there are much deeper and much more shallow areas even in our own yard.  Luckily we didn't get ice.  The grocery store sold out of meat, beans and bananas two days before this storm hit.  I guess the looters knew what they were doing this time!  We aren't supposed to break 10 degrees for a few days.  Oh well!  We're prepared with movies, chili and firewood.

 Poor Peyton wants to go play but it is just too cold.  Brandon told me to let him go & he wouldn't want to stay but it sounded like an awful lot of work to get him bundled up for just a few minutes. 

3 + foot drift in our backyard

There's a step under there somewhere.  And a cat, too.  (She sank a bit)

THIS is why you have kids!! 

Peyton thought it was great fun to wipe up the snow that came inside the door.  I'm so glad!!

The latest pictures

No caption needed.

Peyton's latest favorite toy is Playdough.  I was particularly impressed with this one.  He said it was a mommy and a baby.  Do you see it?  I do! 

Peyton in his 'Cooking Chair'.  He was really filling a plastic bowl with water and dumping it in the sink but it counted as cooking that day.  Usually he stirs or puts ingredients in a bowl for me but that day he was just playing in water and staying out from under my feet. 

Do you remember Glister?

There have been lots of little stories here and there over the last month that I really meant to share but I've been so stinking busy I haven't had the chance.  Hopefully I'll remember them long enough to document them.  But this one I HAD to share.   

So guess where I'm going this Sunday evening?  To an Amway 'party'.  Offically I shun the whole lot of these MLM presentations but this one I had to do.  I think two people who read this blog will appreciate that.  MAYBE three.  And no one has told me that's what it is but I happen to know that Nutrilite vitamins are Amway's vitamin line and the woman who sold the vitamins to Kristine is having a 'nutrition party' or something like that.  I suspect that several of Amway's products will be there.  And its possible that I will buy something.  I mean, Amway makes a good product.  Or did.  I think my pots and pans are Amway.  And I KNOW they are least as old as me and still look and work great.  I looked up the Amway website and remembered how much Amway stuff we used when I was little!  Seriously, is there anything Amway DOESN'T sell? 

Anyway, I had to share that.  I had visions of green plastic boxes (vitamins) and blue compacts and bottles (makeup) dancing in my head. And if I really think about it, I can even remember the smell of the big blue box of makeup.  (I don't know if that's good or bad!)

Sorry my first blog back is boring (April!) but I hope to be back to the old routine again soon!

Parade of Pictures

Peyton is listing off what he wanted from Santa:

1 Dinosaur

2 Dinosaurs

3 Dinosaurs

A Bike

Santa listened...

I tried to tell Peyton that Santa preferred coffee over milk but everyone else insisted that

a glass of spoiled milk was the way to go.  (It does make a good picture)

Brandon told Peyton that he needed to feed the trash monster inside the bag. 

I think those are new jeans.  I don't have great opening-the-presents pictures this year.  :(

We went to San Antonio for the OUS bowl game and spent a couple of days around town.  We took Peyton through the Alamo but I promise you he doesn't have positive memories.  It was entirely too crowded inside and once we got in, we just headed for the exit.  We'll go back again when he can appreciate it anyway.  He did love the mission grounds, though.  It is a big open garden area with fountains and a lot of cactus.  The weather was perfect- even a little warm.

Not the best family picture ever but it'll do. 

He was tracing the engraving on the monument. 

He really thought it was interesting. 

I think the only education he got while we were there

was that the Alamo is a fort and it is in San Antonio. 

But I think that's pretty good, really!

Back at home enjoying the spoils of Christmas. 

He LOVES his video game! 

The first of (probably) many Christmas-related posts

I'm quite busy at work this time of year so I've neglected my family story-telling a little bit but, not to worry, there will be plenty of pictures and stories to come.  This I was just thinking about and thought I'd jot it down in the few minutes I have right now.

Peyton surprised Austin (our cousin - no the kid in his class - more on that child later...) with his technology knowledge.  We had lunch at the Lowrys on Sunday after Christmas and Austin was doing something on his iPad.  He didn't know that Peyton has iPad radar and can sense them from another room.  The radar is so strong that it pulled him away from the Polar Express train he plays with non-stop at Christmastime at the Lowrys. 

So Peyton quietly saunters over to Austin and just appears at his side, looks over his arm and says in the clearest voice 'Can I play with your iPad?'  I thought Austin would fall off the couch.  Austin couldn't believe Peyton knew what an iPad was, let alone knew how to use one.  I didn't go ahead and tell Austin that the only reason Peyton didn't get an iPod for Christmas is that he is already bored with them.  I forget that the rest of the world doesn't have a three year old. 

Just had to share...

Turtle With Wheels