Happy Snowy Halloween!

Well, let me start by saying that we did NOT go trick-or-treating tonight.
Nor this afternoon.

Because our police chief has postponed the event until Friday.

Because of downed power lines and trees.  I mean, it makes sense.  But so does limiting trick-or-treating to daylight, like the town where I teach.

Oh well.

So why are there so many downed trees and power lines?  Because we got a reported 7.3 inches (!) of snow on Saturday!  And the leaves hadn't fallen off the trees yet (since it's only October!), so the trees filled up with heavy snow, so limbs and branches started falling off.  It was much worse than Hurricane Irene (which was just two months ago...).

As an added bonus, James didn't have school today (nor does he tomorrow).  Daddy stayed home, and James "supervised" whilst Daddy and Grandpa went to work with the chainsaw on all our fallen tree parts.  Luckily Daddy had run out and gotten James some snowboots when the storm started on Saturday (I tried to get some about a month ago, but struck out at three stores: out of his size at two, and hadn't gotten them in yet at the third.), so he was well-dressed for frolicking about outdoors all day.

Shortly after Mommy got home from school, we all headed inside and James donned his Tigger outfit.  James played photographer and took some pictures of us.

Daddy and James carved one of the pumpkins (after much discussion about a design-- James said he wanted angry eyes and a smile with no teeth, then changed his mind and went with a spider).  Then we ate the delicious stew which was in the crock pot (conveniently awaiting our return from trick-or-treating, sigh).

After supper, James served us dessert.  Yum!

Other Recent Home Improvements

We're working hard to get the house "prettier" (buying rugs, painting rooms, new master bath) in time for Thanksgiving and Baby's arrival, but there were also some projects that took priority under the "getting ready for winter" category.

Dan had to put baffles in the soffets in the attic (this is supposed to combat the ice dams that form in one's gutters).

Grandpa came over to help with the drainpipes that lead away from the house (from the gutters).  They're subterranean and had gotten cracked and clogged over the years resulting in improper draining and flooding in the yard (and potentially could cause problems with water in the basement/foundation).

This also led to the extension of the retaining wall in the backyard.

And I'm not sure who was more excited about the new backpack leaf-blower-- Daddy or James!  (This acquisition is what lead to the previously posted game of playing landscaper.)

Dining Room

So back on Labor Day weekend, we (and by we, I mean Daddy, James and Grandpa; I wasn't allowed to help due to my "condition") painted the dining room.

I had a color in mind all summer, but it was too dark for Dan's taste, so I bought a different color.  It was too light for my taste, so I ran back out and got a compromise somewhere in the middle.

We'd like to get a larger carpet eventually, but this one (that was in the living room at the old house) will do for now.

We are trying to make some decisions about furniture.  There's the big china cabinet that came with this house,

and the one that goes with the table (and was Dan's grandparents').

We figure we'll put the big one on the big wall (where it is now) opposite the window

and the other one on the wall next to the door to the kitchen.

 But which one loses it's top?  Whichever one is "topless" will have framed photos, etc. on the wall above it.

Dan is not in love with the chandelier, but seeing as it's the best light fixture in the house, replacing it is low on the priority list.

Playing Landscaper

Mommy had a meeting in town on Thursday night, so James and Daddy played landscaper and took pictures of each other.  Please enjoy!

(Why am I sewing and painting stripes on a tiger costume?  This would be so cute on Halloween...)

Touch a Truck

Sunday morning was the Touch a Truck event at the Ramsey Farmers' Market.

James and I didn't have much time to go.  He was reluctant to leave the house-- having so much fun helping Daddy split logs-- then we had a birthday party to attend at 11 AM.

We certainly made the most of our time there!  James got to touch and explore a bulldozer, two firetrucks, an ambulance, an emergency truck, and a huge Army truck.

(By the bye, James was dressed in his helping Daddy outfit, rather than his birthday party outfit.)

Here are just a few of the MANY photos I took:

News Flash

i just busted out the iron for the first time since we moved (six month ago). For James's outfit. Ridiculous.