The Not Blizzard of 2015

About a week a go the whole city of New York was preparing for a "historic blizzard". We were going to get 24- 36 inches of snow with hurricane like winds. The stores were packed with people stocking up on the essential, bread, milk, eggs, and water(I guess people only shop for one day at a time). The public transit system was going to close by 11pm, and all non emergency traffic on the road was banned. At 3 pm snow began to fall, by 5pm it had stopped. We were again warned on the news that the 2 inches we got then clear skies was just the calm before the storm and to be ready because "it will get bad". Fast forward to our typical 10:30 pm bed time, we looked out the window and nothing was falling from the sky. We awoke to excited kids at 6 am. I glanced out the window to see SNOW! Not the record amount that they were predicting, in fact less than half of that. We in Queens got the most at 10 inches!!! We watched out from our 4th floor window as people went to work, clearing side walks and plowing the roads. As the city authorities realized that the "blizzard" was not to be they scrambled to get everything back up and running. You see most people in the city don't own cars, so when the buses, trains and subways are not running people can't get to work, so the city that never sleeps was closed!

If you follow my blog or are my friend on FB then you know how much I hate winter, and snow. So the fact that we got way less than was predicted was great news but the fact that we got 10 inches was not so great. Nevertheless with my re-found optimism (read about it here) I decided to make the most it.

I needed to warm up our apartment. We haven't had a heater in our main living area since right after Christmas(long story). I got to work making bread of all kinds, honey wheat, cinnamon swirl, and chocolate chocolate chip banana bread. So since the city was shut down and kids where off from school, we passed out all these yummy treats to our neighbors. Something warm and yummy for the cold snowy day. I regularly bring treats to our neighbors in hopes to make up for the craziness they hear through the walls and floors.

After all the treats were passed out I did something I rarely do. I went out for the sole purpose to have fun in the snow with my family. YES, you read that right, I went out to play in the snow. The last time I went out to "play in the snow" I think I was about 18 years old and it was our first winter in Colorado. Colt and I spent a half hour getting everyone all bundled up in coats, gloves, hats, scarves, and boots. It takes that long when you have 5 kids. So we headed out to the park that is about a block or two away from our building. It was filled with kids enjoying their snow day.

Our kids had a wonderful time and loved the snow. Luckily for me we don't have all the right snow gear so our outside time was only about 45 minutes. We walked back home dropped all the wet clothes at the door and enjoyed some hot chocolate. We made some great memories and now maybe I can avoid going to "play in the snow" for another 12 years.

proof I was out there

see the snow ball flying in the air

snow ball meets head

Bobby hit Colt in the face with a snow ball

Colt got him back

Cover Dad with snow

Where is Dad's body

there he is

run nay!!

run Lindy!!

Glasses and snow do not mix well

Eva and CJ trying to walk in the snow plow piles

and the pile of wet clothes and boots

Until next time, I love you C,M,B,C,E and L

D.C. and Christmas

     While we are here on the East coast we are trying to do and see as many things as possible. So in a spur of the moment decision we decided on a Saturday that we were going to head to D.C. on Sunday!! We headed out the Sunday before Christmas. It was about a five hour drive. Our first stop was the Washington D.C. LDS temple. We went for the Festival of Lights. It was so beautiful. We got there in time for the 7 pm show at the visitors center. It was a beautiful concert. I was amazed by how many people there were from all over the country and from all different backgrounds. We made it to our hotel around 9:30 pm, just in time to cuddle up in bed and go to sleep. We started out bright and early the next morning. We realized that we forgot the stroller for Lindy, and looked around for a store that would sell one as we walked toward the National Mall, with no luck. Poor girl was such a trooper all day, even with her cold getting worse as the day went on she walked almost as much as we did(we did 8 miles throughout the day). It was cold and cloudy all day but thankfully we got to see most of the out door monuments before it started to rain. We made it to the Museum of American History and the Museum of Natural History, before it was closing time. It was dark and rainy so we took the bus home(no place can beat NYC's public mass transit). We ordered a pizza and watched some tv, before we all fell asleep. The next morning it was time to check out. Before we left D.C. we went to George Town Cupcakes (TLC's DC Cupcakes). They were delicious, I can see why they are on tv. Our last stop was the same as our very first stop, the Temple. This time we had it all to ourselves. We were able to look around the visitors center and try the exhibits. Our drive home was uneventful but an hour longer because of traffic.
      It was funny how as soon as we came through the Lincoln Tunnel into NYC I felt like we were home. It has always surprised me how fast we adapt and become part of the communities we have lived. I don't feel that we can declare ourselves "New Yorkers" yet but we are certainly no longer tourist. While we were in Manhattan doing the tourist thing, like see the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, and the window displays, I could point out the tourist, by the annoying things they did. Who would have guessed that people make NYC there winter vacation spot. I for one would pick some where warm. Nonetheless we did the decent New Yorker thing and helped people that were lost, and told them a few insider secrets.
     We had a wonderful Christmas. We did our traditional Christmas Eve, minus the tamales (oh how we missed the tamales).  Christmas morning was just as you would imagine, excited kids and tired parents. We do 3 gifts for each kids, from dad and mom(Jesus got 3), something off their want list, something they need, and something we want to get them. The kids also get things from their grandparents. Over all it was a good day. We love that the kids are off playing together all day.

Until next time. I love you C,M,B,C,E and L.

The White house. We all thought it looked much smaller in person.

From the top of the stairs at the Lincoln Memorial.

Malayna made a fist because she said "We have to fight for our freedom!"

On the bus in DC

Line for cupcakes was out the door and down the street.

This was inside in Temple visitors center. I told Colt I want a porch like this one day.

Waiting for our pizza.

The tree.

Window Displays