Something has frozen over...

So this week brought the weather I so hated growing up in Iowa in January. Damn cold is the only way to explain it. When the high is below zero, that's just ridiculous.

All week on the weather, they've been talking about we haven't had cold weather for this long of a period since 1996. I remember that cold snap. I holed up in my room the entire week (we had no school because it was too damn cold). My room had a floorboard heater, which I had cranked, and this made my room the warmest in the house. I'd stick my head out every once in a while, yell for some food and listen to my dad gripe that I was going to set the house on fire by dropping something onto the heater (he was paranoid about fire).


Anyway, I decided that I was going to get equipment to help beat the cold that manages to freeze your nostrils together in a matter of seconds (it hurts, trust me). So, while walking through my favorite store here - Scheels (it's a sporting goods store filled with all manner of cold-weather fighting gear) - I found this hat. It may look dorky, but it makes my head sweat. I kid you not. I can go out in this weather, and my head and hands (woo hoo for my fancy gloves) will be sweating. It's a lovely, lovely feeling.

Part of the reason that I got all of this gear was that one of the munchkins turned 8 this week, and we were supposed to go sledding this weekend for her party. Sadly, the stupid weather has postponed it, but my hat, gloves, snow pants (the boy even got some of those this week), and boots will be waiting.

I also gave into fashion and decided I needed a pair of Uggs. Now, I always thought they were ridiculous when the anorexics of La-La Land wore them in summer, and I didn't understand why they were needed in Florida. Here, though, they make sense. I have been coveting a pair since going back to work after Christmas break. I see all the girls with them on and all their fleecy goodness as my feet freeze in my cute flats or heels. So, I searched online and found these:


They aren't as ugly as the typical Uggs, but they're just as warm. However, the problem is no one here has the grey ones. And they weren't much easier to find online, thanks to Oprah making them one of her favorites of 2008. So, they got ordered directly from Ugg central, and I should have them by the end of next week.

The saddest story of the week was Sam Puppy. He had some issues with having to go outside to potty in the frigid weather. He'd submerge himself into drifts so his little belly wouldn't get hit by the wind. Of course, he still managed to look like an idiot because he hops around when his paws get too cold. He was thrilled today that it got up to a balmy 18.

Yes, I used balmy to describe 18.

A bit late

So these photos are from October. Oops.

It started with Emily, pictured below, deciding that everyone had to go to the pumpkin patch on the same day.



So, everyone went because it makes life easier if you just agree with Emily.

If you look closely at Sam's shirt (baby on the left), you can see a small bulge toward the top. He decided that his shirt made a good storage spot for his binky. Everyone thought it was missing, but he had just stuffed it down his shirt.

The pumpkin patch has a play area as well as a hayrack ride down to the patch. They even had a fire pit to roast marshmallows. Jeremy, as you can see, decided to join in on the trike races. I attempted to throw a football; I'm still not good at it, nor should I try to catch it.


All the kids picked out pumpkins. Emily took my advice and got what I said was the most perfect pumpkin in the patch. However, it was a bit too big for her to carry, so she held on to Sam's. Taylor chose to not carry hers at all, which is why she's the only one without one.





And of course, the kids seemed to be most excited about the farm cat that was hanging around.