Snow!

If we do get snow here in Raleigh, it's almost always in January so I guess we're just sneaking in under the radar with this storm. Started around 7pm Friday night and snowed/sleeted pretty continuously for about 24 hours. I'd say we probably have 6" or 7" here at our house. The boys are in heaven. Devlyn wore a yellow and teal hand-me-down snowuit that screams 1982 and he couldn't be happier. Check out the slideshow! In the picture of Charles, Blake and I you can see Devlyn way at the bottom of the hill (just look for the teal!) where a nice neighbor is helping him put his hat and mittens back on after a sledding wipe out : ) Here he is kickin' it on our driveway - reminds me of the driveway I grew up on in Shelton!

My Little Ninja

This is how I was greeted this morning at approximately 8am in the kitchen. Nothing like rolling out of bed in your Power Ranger jammies, stepping directly into your cowboy boots that are 3 sizes too small, grabbing your nerf sword and heading downstairs for breakfast! Inevitably followed by, "What are we going to do today Mommy?" Nothing I think up is going to top that imagination!

Yele Haiti

So, wow, watching the news last night was heartwrenching. I fought the urge to turn it off several times. Changing the channel or simply turning off what I couldn't handle seemed even more cruel than watching in horror. Like any parent, the images of children suffering hit the hardest. Then the statistics came...don't quote me but I believe I heard that 39% of Haiti's population is under the age of 15. I can't deal with knowing that unless I try to help in some way. Wyclef Jean, (former Fugee) is Haitian born, Brooklyn bred. A song he wrote 8 or 9 years ago about Haiti, "Yele", has always been one of my favorites. He sings it in Creole and it is fantastic. He also started an organization a few years back called Yele Haiti. Its/his mission is to help lift Haitians up by infiltrating the smaller, most impoverished communities the larger aid organizations often can't or don't get to. This is not a fly by night operation but an established .org that is endorsed/approved by national media as one worth giving to. You can verify that by visiting http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/13/haiti.earthquake.how.to.help/index.html?hpt=T2 or by Googling etc.

If you can and/or are so inclined, consider making a donation at http://www.yele.org/

Randomly, here's a video I found of two white chicks singing their version of Clef's "Yele". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soE3yuBjbQU

Kick your volume up. It takes them a bit to warm up but they definitely do it justice. I say it 30x times a day but how fabulous is technology??!?

BLU with Long Hair Circa 1975 : )

Thumbs Down Internet Explorer 8

Has anyone else had severe problems browsing after upgraded to IE8? My computer wouldn't load 80%-90% of sites after I upgraded - it was driving me NUTS. Just removed that update and surfing has been smooth ever since. From what I've read, the new version is so far ahead of most websites' programming and security that the sites cannot be viewed. I can understand being ahead of the curve but geezu. Of course, IE8 could just totally suck and Microsoft doens't want to admit it - ha ha! Either way - my advice is DON'T upgrade.

Babies, Bars and Bathrooms

First things first. Connor graduates from bootcamp this weekend - yay! Mark, Susan, Haley, Nina and Roy will all be there in Chicago to bear witness and celebrate. The link to his graduation page where he is listed as an award recipient is: www.bootcamp.navy.mil/honor_grads.asp
I, for one, am looking forward to pictures of that boy in his Navy uniform!
Just uploaded a new slideshow. Beebs is so tall all of a sudden. Devlyn too, but I'm used to his long legs. Lots o' naked baby pictures - we were trying to get a good solid pic of that voluptuous baby bum before it's all grown up. We were striving for a shot where you could see that it still spills over on both sides from behind into those enormous thighs. Oh well, you get the idea! And, btw, Devlyn actually sits in his carseat with his legs crossed as shown. He seems as though he's about to whip out a pipe, an ascot and host Masterpiece Theatre at any moment. I'm quite sure it was my hysterical laughter at this very thought while taking those pics that prompted the protruding tongue.
Way to go North Carolina for finally adopting the indoor smoking ban for bars and restaurants! This helped tremendously as we dodged cabin fever over the weekend by playing pool, video golf and ping pong with the boys at a few local watering holes. This elongated cold spell had already sent us to the mall play area or McDonalds more than we could stand!
Lastly, as of today, the d'stairs bathroom is officially finished! Pics of the sink side are included.

Best Line Ever

Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox in Wes Anderson's The Fantastic Mr. Fox:

"If what I think is happening is happening - it better not be."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2igjYFojUo

Put a Ring On It

We've been in a pop hip hop phase around here lately. I was reliving the 90's last week playing Mo' Money Mo' Problems - man that song is good! But yesterday we were all watching the "Single Ladies" video in the kitchen on YouTube. Charles and I were discussing how good it is and making comments on the individual dancers when Devlyn quickly chimed in with his two cents, "I like the one in the middle!" That would be Beyonce. Smart kid.