Playing in the Snow

Well, the good news is that there is at least six inches on the ground and it's still coming down. The bad news is that it is the wrong kind of snow for building snowmen. But, all the same, we had a great time this morning. We may make another trek outside this evening or tomorrow. Perhaps the snow will be wetter and better suited for snowmen tomorrow. This is skiing snow. Not that any of us are going to do any of that.

Snow Falling on Sadieville

Finally, after winter was supposed to be over, there is finally snow. Lots and lots of snow. Up to a foot of snow, apparently. I can't wait until it quits coming down so I can go play in it (um, I mean, take Brynna to go play in it).

We are actually on the border of a blizzard warning tonight. For those of you reading out of state, we don't have blizzards in Kentucky. We are the sort of kind of natural disaster capital of the world. We have snowstorms, but not blizzards, we have tornados, but not the big Kansas kind, we have earthquakes, but not the earth opening up kind.

A blizzard is big news here. Tomorrow, hopefully, there will post blizzard pictures to post. In the meantime, grab a cup of hot cocoa, cozy down in the blankets and sleep tight tonight. Tomorrow will be white.

There are No Pictures of Me

I know at least 20 moms who say the same the thing. There are just no pictures of me. I have 2 actually, the one that is on this page and the one that is on my facebook and myspace profiles. That's it, just the 2 and the other one won't work on this page. That picture you see there is from 2005. It's the best and most recent I can do. Why is that?

The first reason is that I don't jump at having my picture taken in the first place. I don't like myself in photographs. And when people want to take my picture, it is usually when I am trying to get people to take Brynna's picture and I am running around like an idiot and my hair is everywhere and my face is red and I just don't appreciate it. I actually do have 1 picture of me from Brynna's last birthday party, but I am not claiming it. That is someone else looking all frazzled and crazy-woman in that picture, not me.

The second reason is that I always have the camera. I bet other people have pictures of me, but have chosen not to share them with me and that's fine. But in my house, I'm the camera person. Therefore, there are 6 million pictures of Brynna, 20 pictures of my husband and 2 of me. And one was taken by a professional. Why do I always have the camera, you ask. Is my husband incompetent at photography. Quite the contrary, some of our best pictures were taken by him. Case in point to the left.

I don't know the answer. Maybe I don't trust him to take enough pictures, or to capture the right moments, mabye it's my control-freak self going into overdrive. But I really think that it's so there won't be any pictures of me. Which means, (drumroll please) that I can't complain when there aren't any pictures of me.

I hereby resolve to post pictures of me early next week at the latest. I will have a picture-a-thon with Brynna and we will take pictures until our smiles hurt. It'll be fun and I won't regret it. I hope.

Judging my Parenting Skills

So, I have discovered a new matrix to use when judging your parenting skills. Watching those of your child. Parents of boys, this may not apply to you.
I have been watching Brynna play mommy. Understand that this is a new development in our house. Brynna plays dress-up, she plays big sister, she plays ponies and the big ponies are mommies and the little ponies are kids, but until a couple of weeks ago, she never played mommy.

After a rough day last week, she was playing mommy in the tub and fussing at Dora for getting dirty. At first, I felt pretty good about myself. Instead of yelling or whining at Dora, she laughed and said, "Oh, little Dora, what HAVE you done?" It was kind of cute and mostly how I handle those situations. I have always thought it was a good idea to find the humor. But then she went on and on and on. She nagged and cajoled Dora for 15 minutes as she washed her up and every few minutes made little jokes to me about messy, messy Dora. By the end of it, I felt like maybe I wasn't so great in those situations after all.

Then last night, was my moment of glory. Brynna very carefully fed and changed her babies. (Note to self, the poor child needs doll diapers. It's pathetic watching her try to make dishrags stay in place while she gets their pants pulled up.) Then she quietly tucked them into bed. As she was covering each one, she gently kissed them, leaned down and said, "I love you and I'm so glad you ended up with me." I rock! I'm the best mom ever! I should give classes, I'm so good at this stuff!

Then this morning, she was playing with her ponies. Baby pony: But Mommy Pony, I don't want to wear that silly hat.Mommy pony: I don't care what you want to wear, it's time for school and you'll put on these silly, boring clothes and wear them to school or I'll throw you down the hill.

I swear I've never said that. But the classes are cancelled.