A Light Blizzard in VA

Today we got an unexpected snowstorm, receiveing around 5 inches of snow at our house. 

This is what our front yard looked like when we got back from the mall. This was after around 2 hours of snow.

Back deck after 7 hours of snow.

And, as everyone knows, when you get snow, you have to go play in it.  I got Austin some cheap cowboy boots from Wal-Mart because I couldn't find any snow boots.

Austin loved the snow right away.

He didn't mind the cold or the wet.

 

So we started making our first snowman.

 

Here's the finished product.  We made ours a redneck snowman and put a coon-skin cap on him.

BONUS PIC:

 Austin wanted to see just what Mommy will look like in a few months, so he tried on the pregnant belly in GAP Maternity today.

First Trip to the Barbershop

Well, it only took 19 months, but Austin finally grew enough hair to need a haircut.  We found a children's barber at the mall and took Austin in for a trim.

Austin sat right down in the chair and never really moved a muscle as the lady used scissors to trim his hair.

 He wasn't too sure when she got the clippers out to trim his neck.

This was the finished product.  He looks like such a little boy now.  And he enjoyed his lollipop afterward.   The haircut looks good, but I think I could have probably done just as good a job.  I might have to give it a try the next time.  I'm not sure if he'll sit quite as still for me.

Get Ready Austin...

Because you are about to be a BIG BROTHER! Yes, that's right, Crystal is Pregnant again. I imagine that you've all already guessed it by now, but we thought that we'd just come on out with it.

As it happened, Crystal found out on a day when she was already coming to visit me at the Pentagon, so she got to surprise me at work just like she did with Austin.

We are really excited. Our first sonogram strongly suggested that this one is another boy, but the doc is only about 80% on that right now. Crystal's due date is June 1. Right now she is starting her 14th week. Only 26 more weeks to go!

Bring On the Christmas Decorations

Before we had even finished washing the dishes from Thanksgiving, we began decorating for Christmas. I never see Crystal more excited than when she sees all of her Christmas decorations.

As usual, Austin was right in the thick of things, offering his assistance. Here they are "fluffing" the tree. "Fluffing" is what you have to do when you don't buy a real tree and you take yours out of the box that it has been sitting in for the past 2 years.

After the tree was good and "fluffed" they moved on to the table. Once Austin realized that Crystal was putting things into the glass jar, he was all over it. We are not sure about his Christmas decorating sense, because he tried to put in...chapstick, his pacifier, a hammer, the chapstick again. Hopefully he'll have a wife one day that can manage to decorate the house for him.

The new addition to the Christmas decorations is the mantle. Believe it or not, the wreath and the stockings were all Crystal's creation. Thank you to Granna, who sewed the stockings together, but the concept was all Crystal. She hates when I brag on her. She's watching me type this blog right now and she's rolling her eyes.

Ahhhh, the beloved Christmas tree (a.k.a The tree that bringeth many spankings for Austin). Actually, he has been very good. It only took him a few "No, No"s before he understood that he is not allowed to touch the ornaments. Now he walks up to the tree shaking his head "No" as he approaches.

The finished products.


This was is my claim to fame. It may not look like much, but the success was the fact that we had lights at all. We don't have an outlet out front, so I had to rig something up and it has worked quite well. We were the first ones on the block with Christmas lights. Staying at home for Thanksgiving really allows you to get a lot done.

Thanksgiving in Virginia

The post title makes it sound like we traveled for Thanksgiving, but that's just where we happen to live this year. Another year, another city, but it beats Thanksgiving in Iraq.

Although I left Crystal to go play football on Thanksgiving morning, Austin would not let her cook Thanksgiving dinner all alone. He dragged his chair over to the counter and offered a helping hand.

Here are the happy cooks once all of the cooking was complete.

Austin enjoying the fruits of his and Mommy's labor.

We were very thankful for the wonderful meal that Crystal prepared. It is always sad not to spend Thanksgiving with family, but we enjoyed each other and the good food (which included Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, sweet potato casserole, stuffing, cranberry relish, burnt rolls, 2 pumpkin pies, a dish very similar to but not exactly banana pudding)

Austin's New Seat

Austin loves to sit in little seats whenever he can. A couple of days ago he found his travel high chair in a closet and insisted that I get it out. Then he sat right in it and snapped the tray on himself. He sat there for a whole episode of Barney just locked into his seat and perfectly content. I think that Santa will have to bring him a real chair :)

Austin Earning His Keep Around Here

Austin found the vacuum today and decided that he would help out a little. I only caught the tail end of his vacuuming, but it is still pretty cute :) He walked around the kitchen and the hallway cleaning his little heart out. He was so excited about it!