{snowmageddon 2014}

Well, I can't say we weren't warned.  

We knew that the Buffalo area got a lot of snow-average snowfall for the year is about 8 feet.  What we didn't expect, is that it would all come within four days. It's being touted as "Snowmageddon", or "Snowpocalypse".  Either one would be appropriate.  

What's so interesting about lake effect snow, at least in this area, is that it doesn't hit everywhere at the same time.  It comes off the lake in a "snow band", and where that band hits, snow comes in droves. Even crazier--it literally looks like a sheet of snow, and one street can get 8 feet, while the very next street over just gets a few inches.  Talk about luck of the draw!

We literally missed the snow band by a few miles, and ended up with just over a foot, but it affected the whole entire area.  Schools were shut down everywhere for a week (we maxed out all of our built in snow days before Thanksgiving!!), major roads were closed, and the 180 miles of the thruway (Interstate 90) was shut down.  The National Guard was called in, a state of emergency declared, and a travel ban was placed on more than 30 cities. People were trapped in their cars for almost 40 hours.

A few days later I went to the grocery store, and there were still empty shelves with notes on them that explained that the trucks hadn't been able to get through to deliver the food.  It was the first time that's ever happened to me, and it was a huge lesson in being prepared and having food storage. The principle has been taught to me my whole life, but having an actual natural disaster occur was not something I would have ever thought would happen.  No one ever does.

A couple of days after the snow stopped, the temperatures soared to around 60 degrees over the weekend, which caused major flooding. A few days after that, high winds and freezing temperatures, which caused ice.  Three winter warnings in a week, all for different things--it was quite the week!

I'm so grateful that we weren't in the path this time--Rick was out of town, and I would have been all alone in an apartment that's not equipped the way our houses have been.  Our food storage had to be sold when we moved, along with our water barrels.  We have no fireplace, no secondary source of heat, no generator.  It really made me think about what we COULD do, both to our apartment, and to our vehicles, so just in case the worst happened, we would be as ready as we could be.  Fortunately we do have good friends that are close, and I could walk there with all the kids if I had to, lol!

Buffalo is known as the "City of Good Neighbors", and that's all I've experienced here--both personally, and what I've witnessed. This massive storm was no exception---neighbors based together, medicine was delivered to shut-ins by snowmobile, those that couldn't shovel their own driveways had help, and everyone went out of their way to do everything they could to assist. 

Here are a few pictures that don't really do it justice, but I wanted to document them:

This was from the weather app on my phone...

You can visibly see the "sheet of snow" in this picture, and how vastly it can differ just one block over!

This is the thruway--Highway 90.  That's why cars were stuck.

I saw this picture, and was stunned once again by the massive wall of snow. Eight feet over a few days in the worst spots, 

The kids LOVED the snow. They've been waiting a long time!  Every single day that school was out, they would head out to play in the snow, and stay out there for hours. Their noses would be red, their hats pulled off, and snow forts built.  Caroline experienced her first snow, and it was so fun to watch her expressions.

People were so funny when they found out we came from Texas, they were so worried about us adapting to the winters here.  They were less worried when I told them we were from Michigan, but even living there didn't really prepare me for what was in store here.

The funny part? I've actually enjoyed all the snow! My years in Texas definitely really affected me.

This winter is off to quite a start...we'll see what the rest of the season brings!

{saturday morning donuts}

The boys have soccer on Saturday mornings, and it has now been deemed "Donut Day" too.  

There is a darling old-fashioned donut shop in town, with cute little stools at the counter and yummy donuts.  It's been Rick favorite since before we joined him here, and he couldn't wait to introduce all of us to it.  As you can imagine, everyone loves it there!

It's now become the place that Rick takes the kids on Saturday mornings, on special occasions, when he's home from work, and pretty much any time he wants to.  I'm glad I'm not a donut fan, because I would have probably eaten way too many by now.  

I just love that the boys have a fun tradition with their dad--and so do they!

{goodbye fall, hello winter}

Is it weird to say that I can't wait for snow?  Probably.  And I know that I never would have believed I would say that, if you had asked me two years ago. But, it's true.  I have enjoyed every single day of this gorgeous fall, and it's made me happy every single day. Now that the weather has turned colder, and the holidays are upon us, I'm ready for snow!

Mother Nature gave us a little good-bye gift on Tuesday. It was an absolutely perfect 70 degree, sunny day, and we spent almost all of it outside.  Not only was the weather beautiful, but it was Veteran's Day, and the kids didn't have any school. So, we took our lunch to one of our favorite parks, and spent the entire afternoon there.  The kids were in heaven, and so was I.  

Two days later it snowed, and dropped 40 degrees.  Winter is here!

{my floor hockey girl}

Kate played floor hockey for the first time over the last couple of months, and has LOVED it.  The teams are made entirely of boys (about twenty of them)...and three girls. That hasn't intimidated or stopped her--she just gets in there and goes for it!  Most of the kids there have played for several years, and so even though she didn't have the same skill set or experience, she worked hard and improved.  Last night was her playoff game, and they WON!  Way to go, Kate-bug!

{a ballerina}

Usually I just drop Emma off at ballet, because parents aren't allowed in while they're  dancing--too many distractions.  This week, though, was one of their "parent watch" weeks, so I was able to stay the whole time!  The teacher set up chairs in front of the mirror, so they were looking straight at us while dancing.  I totally loved it.  I secretly wanted to be a ballerina. :)  I love watching her enjoy it so much, get so much pleasure from it, and continue to improve. I love the beauty, determination, and dedication it takes, and it's been so good for her.  This particular school is run by two dancers, a husband and wife, and their technique is superb.  Already, Emma has made amazing progress in just the past couple of months, compared to the last couple of years.  

{october randomness}

Here they are...those random pictures over the last few weeks that show our crazy life!

There is an amazing grocery store that focuses on produce, and appropriately named Niagara Produce.  Yes, yummy fruits and vegetables, but look at the darling baskets!!! Makes me want to buy everything.  :)

Jack and Henry started Indoor Soccer, and they LOVE it.  They missed the regular season when we moved, so they couldn't wait to play again.  Jack wears his shin guards around the house all day, and it's a constant battle to get them to take the soccer balls downstairs to play, but secretly I love it.

Snow has been tempting to fall for a few days, and this is the first day that flakes actually came down. This Texas-born girl didn't know what to think!  She better get used to it...she's a New Yorker now!

We have the best dentist.  EVER.  The waiting room is like heaven to little kids...a small movie theatre, video game room, and an area for the tiny ones.  I love it because they can do all five kids (even Caroline got her teeth cleaned this time!) at the same time!  They have a big room all lined with beds, and they can all be done together.  It is FABULOUS.  Makes taking them to the dentist so much more manageable.  And the best part??  No cavities!  

We had to save Ryan from his near-death lollipop experience.  

That is my foot up against Henry's snow boot.  I wear a size 9.

The girls' elementary school had an activity a couple of weeks ago, and instead of the usual stale nachos I was expecting?  Food trucks!  I could really get used to this...

Face painting at the school activity...

Our local grocery store has THE best bakery, and adorable cookies. I'm such a sucker for frosted sugar cookies, so I had to stop walking by the case. :)

 She's had to be cooped up so much, that when she finally gets out of the house, all she wants to do is RUN!

My bookends.

I don't think I've ever shared pictures of our little apartment, and we are certainly going to want these to look back on one day.  We went from about 4000 sq. feet to around 1200 sq. feet, so it's been quite the adjustment for everyone involved.  But honestly, it hasn't been as bad as I thought it might be, and I've learned a lot.  It only takes 45 minutes to clean from top to bottom, there is no yard to take care of so we have a lot of extra time on Saturdays, and it lets us save a lot of money while were building a house.  It's created more "together" time, which has also been good.  Crazy, but good.

I just noticed one of the cushions is on sideways. I need to go fix that.  

There's no place like home!  :)

{a midland halloween}

Yes, that's right...a MIDLAND Halloween!  My kids were beside themselves with excitement at the prospect of going back to see their friends...and so was I.  It's still "home" to us in many ways, and probably always will. We spent so many years there, four of our kids were born there, and it's the only home that Ryan knew until he was almost 14 years old.  It's a good place to be.

We left on Thursday night, so we would have plenty of time on Friday to get settled before trick-or-treating.  It only takes 5 hours, door-to-door!  We were able to see good friends, spend time talking and chatting and catching up, and really just looking into their faces! I know that sounds funny, but I missed just seeing them in person.

We went to the Jones' house on Friday night for trick-or-treating, and it was cold!  The boys don't really remember cold weather, so they were trying to adjust to having to wear actual shoes. (It's snowing in NY now, and Henry still doesn't want to wear them...I guess he comes by it honestly. :) They were all in heaven, and it was just like we never left.

I got to spend some much needed girl time with my friends later that night, and the guys had one of their infamous game nights.  It was the best.  Saturday brought lunch with some of our favorite people ever, and play time with friends, and family pictures!  It was SO cold.  Steph did her best, but trying to wrangle six kids (five of them little, and one of them a stubborn teenager) and eight people at the same time is no easy feat.  

That night we attended an annual Halloween party that we had attended for years before we moved, and it was SO fun to go again! We were able to connect with so many friends, and honestly, it felt like we had never left. I think that's how it is when you get to know people so well, and I love it, and so grateful to be a part of it. I didn't get to talk to everyone, and I'm sad about that, but now that we are closer, hopefully we will be able to visit more often.

We spent Saturday night at the Carns, and loved spending that time with them.  We woke up bright and early to get to church, and once again, it felt like coming home.  We still knew the vast majority of people there, I just wish we had an extra six hours to talk to everyone. I just wanted to reach out and give a giant group hug--I was smiling ear-to-ear the whole time.  And I got sit by my favorite baby...Miss Kennedy, and snuggle her for a whole hour.  It was perfection!!  

We already can't wait to go back!

Sara always does such a fantastic job--amazing attention to detail, yummy food, and great company!

The ICE girls.  Isla, Caroline, and Elle.  Future Besties.

Batman, the Wicked Witch, Incredible Hulk, Tinman, and a Black Cat who didn't want to get her picture taken.

Happy Halloween! 

{our home away from home}

I feel like it's a full-time job writing about the times Caroline goes in the hospital, and it's a sad commentary on her little life right now.  

Once again, she ended up in the hospital exactly thirty days after her last discharge, and we were there for five days. Thankfully, we were given meds to start at the first sign of sickness, so it lessened the severity this time around. She still required critical care, and was in the PICU, but she didn't have to be intubated, which was huge.

We talked to lots of doctors, and they all left, calling her a "puzzle".  We are now spending the month of November visiting several different specialists, hoping they can pinpoint her triggers and the cause.  The Lung Center, Allergy & Immunology, Cardiology, Hematology, and ENT are all on our list for varying reasons.  An echocardiogram was done in the hospital, looking for possible issues that could be affecting her respiratory problems.  None were found, but a separate issue was discovered, and she will now be seeing a cardiologist to address it.

This girl.  She gets five meds, twice a day (including two shots), all in the hopes that she can stay out of the hospital through the winter.  It's a huge task, but we're doing everything we can, and so are the doctors.  They are working hard for her! Every day she is happy and healthy--it's just preparing for that moment out of the blue that she gets a little bug, and it goes straight to her lungs.

P.S. That is a diaper on her foot! Her IV is in her foot, and the diaper is protecting it...from her.  :)  

{darn that murphy}

I have started bracing myself for the inevitable.  When Rick goes out-of-town, something is inevitably going to happen, and usually it's not just one thing.  This time was no exception. And...the farther away he goes, the worse it usually is.  Go figure.

He left on Saturday morning for a business trip to China. 

Our washer has broken down (leaked water all over the basement), and the appliance repair service didn't show up when they were supposed to. Then they told me it was MY fault. After a (rather stern) phone call and a supervisor later, they are coming today.  After five days, I have loads of dirty laundry piled up and ready to go.   I have to do laundry every single day to stay on top of it, so five days is an eternity with no washer. My girls might have to wear their pajamas to school if it's not fixed by tomorrow!

A broken window was taken out of our house, and replaced with plastic sheeting.  In 30 degree night weather.  They told me it would take four days or more to replace---they're bringing it back today. Broken.

Henry got sick.  I ran out of diapers and had to use swim diapers because I couldn't get to the store with a sick child.

I threw my back out, and couldn't even pick up Caroline without wanting to scream. I've never done that before, so of course it would happen now.

The truck is acting up--I think it' the battery.  It has refused to start right away the last two mornings, but I hate to take it in, because it will leave me with no way to get anywhere.  Hopefully it will be okay until Rick gets home.

Caroline started showing signs of getting sick.  After a bout of mild panic, I called the doctor as instructed and she's on about a million different medicines. So far, so good.

I know.  I will be fine. We will be fine. None of these things are the end of the world.

But DARN that Murphy and his Law! They would sure be a lot easier if Rick was here to help!

{this is the place}

We've been on a major property search over the past couple of weeks.  Really, it started when we first moved here, but then Caroline got sick, and our attention was turned elsewhere. Once we were able to start looking again, and once our house sold, we were on a mission to find the perfect property to build on.

It's been quite the process, and more difficult than I originally thought.  We want to stay in Clarence, because we love it here,  and because we don't want the kids to change school districts, and we want Ryan to stay at the same high school. Clarence isn't very big, and it's rural, which is what we want--a quiet, country life that's close to a city. However, there's a large creek that goes through the area, which means you have to be careful of the flood plain, and even wetlands on some pieces of property.    I also want lots of trees, and a totally wooded lot, and since this area has been farmland for many years, that isn't always easy to find. Taxes are high in general in NY, and Clarence is no exception.  Originally we were looking at 5+ acres, but after MAJOR sticker shock at what the taxes would be after a home was built, we decided to look for two-ish acres.

We drove up and down every road in the town, more than once, and scoured listed properties online, and somehow (we don't think it was a coincidence), we stumbled onto a piece of land that we think is going to be perfect.

It's two acres of beautiful woods at a great price, totally quiet, and on a street that dead ends--which means only people that live on that street drive on it.  There are neighbors, but we will still have a lot of privacy.  We met the owner, our realtor, and the builder there yesterday, and it just sealed the deal. We didn't want to leave!  We are in love--it's seriously perfect. We're hoping to have our house built by late spring, and already we're planning a tree fort, tire swings, and more.  

Really, it just feels like home. 

{eighteen months}

I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.

Caroline is 18 months, and I'm pretty much in a state of denial. Knowing she was our last baby, I've tried so hard to really soak up every single moment, but it seems to have made it go by even faster.  She is so delightful, and such an integral part of our family...we love her to bits.  She has quite the personality, and it's been so fun to see it come out more and more.  

*She LOVES music, but she's very particular.  It has to be fast, with a good beat, or she will have no part of it.  When music comes on anywhere--in the car, in the store, on the tv--she immediately starts dancing, moving her head to the beat, and grins from ear to ear.  She won't let me listen to talk radio in the car...as soon as I try and turn on NPR, she starts squealing, until I turn on the music.  It can't be slow, either--she takes after her Auntie Erica, and her music is her favorite.  :)

*She doesn't say many words yet.  I think it's because she doesn't have to...everyone gets anything and everything that she wants, all she has to do is point! Right now she says mom, dad, and go.  She actually talks a lot, I just can't understand what she's saying!

*She adores books.  I could read to her every minute of the day, and she would be happy.  She has her favorites...including Skip to My Lou, The Hungry Caterpillar, and Barnyard Dance.  I can't tell you how many times I've read those books this past week alone.  

*She is a mama's girl, through and through. She pretty much always has been, but it's exacerbated since she's been in the hospital.  She actually gets anxious when I'm not close by, and even Rick can't calm her down when she gets upset. I think this will eventually lessen, and go back to normal, but she's still recovering.

*She's such a trooper!  With twice daily Lovenox shots to treat her blood clot, she's doing amazingly well. A nurse comes once a week to change the port, but it usually doesn't last that long, which means injections for a few days.  I thought it was hard to give shots to Ryan as a six year old, and it was, but at least I could talk to him, and he could talk back.  It's so much harder when they're this small.  I can't wait for her to be finished!

*She's finally old enough for nursery, but we won't be sending her until after the winter is over.   People have a tendency to take sick kids to church, and not keep them home, so we can't take any chances. So...lots of hall walking.

*What a happy, smiley girl!  She laughs, smiles, grins, twirls, and loves life.  And I love watching her love it.

*She's truly the queen bee at our house, and the most popular member of our family.  :)  Everyone loves her to pieces (sometimes a little bit too much), and I can't even imagine life without her.

*She's carrying on the Wade family tradition...tall and skinny.  

*She LOVES to eat.  In fact, we call her Henrietta. :) This girl has got a good appetite!  There is no picking at her food--she cleans her plate and asks for more. Tonight we had pizza for dinner, and she had three pieces, no problem.  

*I've had to ground her from the iPad.  And my iPhone. And the computer.  Seriously, this girl is 

obsessed! 

*She has a million nicknames:  Liney Lou, Petey Pants, Petey Pie, Chubbers (the kids made this one up, which is hysterical, because she's not chubby at all!), and Bubbs are the most common. If you know Rick, you know he is king of nicknames, and there's pretty much a new one every week. She answers to them all!

She's adorable.  We love her guts.  :)

{fall}

I am in heaven.

Fall has always been my most favorite season, and I can't tell you how HAPPY I am that I'm enjoying  it once again.  The cliche is true...you don't know what you have until it's gone. When we moved to Texas, I was truly in a state of mourning for months, as I realized that there was no such thing as fall. No leaves changing colors, no crisp mornings, no cooling of temperatures at all, no sweaters, no cozy night, no pumpkin patches or cider mills...nothing.  I always knew I loved this time of year, but I REALLY knew how much once it was gone.  I know I took it for granted, but no more.

Now, every single time I go outside, or open a window, I'm happy.  I'm soaking in every single moment, and I don't even care that winter is coming! Actually, I'm excited for something other than HOT.   

I love...

*cider mills
*pumpkin patches
*falling leaves
*red, yellow and orange leaves
*crisp mornings and nights, with cooler days
*sweaters
*hot chocolate
*cozy nights
*snuggling up with blankets on the couch
*soup
*baking

Pretty much everything.