Enjoying the Polar Vortex

Yesterday there was no joy with the weather.  This morning we enjoyed it before the sun started to melt it away.  It is still way below freezing, but we all know (except Florida boy, Jon) that once the sun starts shinning, things start to melt, even if the temp is still below freezing.

So, we got out around 10:00 this morning and used our ice covered hill to sled on.  Here is a picture overload of the morning:

 Mac went once, with Tavis half way down ready to catch him

 And, heck yeah, I went - regretting no gloves the whole way down...

 Two cuties!!!!

 Two more cuties, just much older.

 Ruth went once with Malachi

A Malachi Angel

Mollee going down and Tavis jumping on top

 The Larry Drive Crew - 11 Cousins and 3 Aunts

 The Three Sisters

 And this is where are van sits - along with Jason's truck and the Harris' van and someone else's truck

 And this is what our hill looks like.....

And school has already been called off for tomorrow.  *sigh*

Polar Vortex

I am going to start this blog by taking offense (only a little) by all the people on Facebook that make fun of Southerners that panic in snowy conditions.  Ok, I take that back.  It is ridiculous to be afraid of the regular dusting we get.  It is not ridiculous to be fearful of icy conditions.  I don't care who you are, if you hit a patch of ice, and your car is not equipped - you slide.  Also, in the South, there are no slow plows and no salt trucks.  You have to admit, that does make a difference?

All that to say, Southerners do panic - and it is ridiculous.  And, in the city we live in, the weather people don't get it right often.  We are surrounded by mountains which makes it tricky (or so I am told?).  I have lived here for 30 years and they have always struggled.  So, I do not know if that is common for weathermen, or if that is just common for our area?

There have been a few times this past year the weatherman have called for snow and ice, school has been cancelled early and no bad weather has hit.  Well, today was different.  We were told there would be a light dusting around 10, nothing to worry about.  There would be much worse weather about 90 miles South of here.

Well......

It hit further North than expected.  At 10:30 we got a text from school for everyone to pick up your kids.  Apparently, everyone else in the city got that same message.

Jason was working local and was at Lowe's 10 minutes from the house when the text came thru so he was going to come home and get the van and would go get the kids.  No big deal.  Then he would go back to work.  Or, so he thought.

We live in a hilly neighborhood and in that short amount of time it had already sleeted/snowed enough that he could not get his truck into the neighborhood.  So he walked home to get the van.  At that point, we decided he should get the Harris kids too so that Heather didn't have to get out into this stuff too.

So, he headed to school.  And it took him two hours to get there.  Mostly because of a wreck on the interstate.  No one was prepared, so the salt trucks that we do have were not even prepped.  The interstates were not even clear.

He finally got there, but the interstate was so bad he didn't want to go home that way - it goes up a huge ridge to get home and he could see people sliding down while he was on his way to school.  Another way home would have been preferable, but the news kept saying it was closed - do not go that way!!!  Later, we learned it was how Gary got home and we wished we did not listen to the news, wondering if they were salting it at that time?  So Jason chose the third option, which appears to be the option that everyone else choose.  And it only took him FIVE HOURS!  With 8 kids in the car!!!!

I truly was not worried about their safety, just worried about his sanity.  I was extremely thankful he filled my van up with gas that morning, but I had wished he had grabbed his phone charger (I was only talking to him on a limited basis) and the stack of blankets I had for him, just in case.

So, when he finally got close, he still couldn't make it home and had to get everyone out and walk the rest of the way.  I had to run downstairs and snap a picture of the crew finally walking in the driveway!

Seven Hours - could have made it to the beach in that amount of time!

Monday Mornings

Sometimes, your coffee looks clear on Monday Mornings?

Rheya

We have all waited a long time for this little one.  And I finally got to snuggle with her today!

 Our dear friends have tried many years to have a baby and many years to adopt a baby.  Before life got too crazy, these friends spent every Sunday night with us.  We cherish our friendship with them and we are so excited they were able to invite this beautiful little one into their home right before Christmas.

Brother - Sister - Warped Love

Mollee and Tavis are 12 months and 9 days apart.  They have been buddies growing up and worst enemies.  Tavis knows every button to press to tick Mollee off and he uses that power often.  Mollee is short-tempered like her mom and a bit emotional (not sure where she gets that?) and can't seem to ignore Tavis' annoying attempts.

Tavis and I went shoe shopping last night.  Afterwards I had to pick Mollee up from something.  He asked if he should get in the back so she could have the front seat (and they ALWAYS fight over the front seat).  I told him it was up to him.

Tavis: "I'll give it to her so she won't get mad."

Me: "Whatever"

Tavis: "It will make her happy"

Me: "You know, you drive her crazy, but she loves you"

Tavis: "Yes, I know"

Me: "And it is your job to love her, compliment her and protect her.  If you figure out those things, your wife will be a happy camper" (we really, really emphasize compliments in this house - it means something for your parents to say you look good, but for a sibling to say it, that is huge)

Tavis: "I know, Mom.  I compliment her all the time"  (and he does, he is very, very good at this)

Me: "AND protect her.  Dad and I need you in this department"

Tavis: "I know, Mom.  If some guy breaks her heart, I'm gonna track him down and punch him in the face".



Yep, that is the warped love we need to feel confident about.

*but my heart tells me it will be Capps everyone needs to look out for*

Mac's Other Birthdays

At the Browns - Mac and Pops

 Krispy Kreme cake

 Daegan and Tavis with Libby

 Funny video watching while waiting on the party

 Two noisy toys for the Mac!!! 

 More watching, this time with Uncle Daniel....

 A Birthday at the Caines - shared with Townes

 Goofy Cousins

 Presents! 

 Officially, 7!!!!

Purple, Winged, Wide, and Animal

This was my combo today - purple leggings, winged eyeliner, a wide belt and animal print.

I don't typically blog this kind of stuff about myself, but today was a good day.  Sometimes you have to dress powerfully, to feel like you can conquer the world.

OK, I don't want to conquer the world.  Maybe just the laundry pile every once in awhile?  

But, I do want to strive to be better in 2014!  I am working on taking care of myself (on week two of yoga and aerobics), slowly getting in to a vitamin regimen (which I have never done) and I am not on a diet (hate that phrase) but I am eating healthier - and I am down 6 lbs.

Planning on this being THE year!

On a side note - I like winged eyeliner, but I have never tried it.  This picture doesn't really show it that well, maybe I have too many wrinkles and I am too old for that look?  But, Tavis, being Tavis, said, 'Mom, your makeup is smeared up the side of your eye'.  Thanks son!  I love your honesty!

My baby turns 7!

Because Mac's birthday landed on a Wednesday and we have crazy Wednesdays getting to church, we decided to celebrate on Tuesday.  Mac had no objections to celebrating a day early.

My only New Year's Resolution this year was to make each kid a birthday cake.  I can't do really fancy cakes, but I did take a course in high school to learn the basic techniques.  I have made one cake for all of my kids birthdays - ONE!  What an embarrassment.

So, two weeks into the year, I got to do my first one.  And here it is!  A minion!!!  I must say, I was very proud of this one - and it was so fun and great to get out all of my tools and be creative.

 In recent weeks, Mac has taken a really, really goofy turn.  So there are lots of animated weirdness in his birthday pics.

 I think if you can choose a month to have a baby in, January is the best.  You can buy toys on clearance after Christmas, plus you can get wrapping paper for cheap - you can't see it, but this is Angry Bird wrapping paper and you can't even tell it is for Christmas!

 Legos!

 A really, really, really noise machine gun that I am having second thoughts about.

 And a Hot Wheels race track that sticks to the walls.

And this is what it looks like after everyone gets the piece they want.

 To hang the track you have to follow specific instructions so that it angles correctly and all the moving parts work.  Jason had Daegan do it.  Funny to watch, but very proud of the results.

 Still working on the track and Mac shooting everyone with his noisy gun.

 On Mac's REAL birthday, I surprised him at breakfast with one more gift.

 A Captain America Jacket!!!

 So, my baby is 7.  I love this goofy, snuggly, awesome kid!!!!!  Our own little Minion.