Fair weather

So it snowed .... again.

It was pretty.

It went away fairly quickly.

It was not as chaotic as the one a couple of weeks earlier.

The south ... or well Atlanta was more prepared.

The kids were out for three days.... wait, they had a four day

holiday weekend already so make that a week off.

They finally went back on Tuesday.

All covered in ice

The words catastrophic, record breaking and others were thrown around

a lot.

Covered in ice

It was worse south and east of us.

We never lost power. Many did. That is what i was most stressed about.

A friend said she was officially a hoarder and a doomsday prepper.

I laughed ... then I realized I too had become one ;)

We had food stacked in the kitchen.

This was about 3 in the morning as the snow just started to fall.

Stormy and her smiley self enjoying the snow.

Stoney being his sweet, crazy self.

Little bit of an idea of what we got here.

We were to expect sleet and freezing rain. We got it.

A whole day of it then the temp dropped and the slush froze.

The snow started the next morning. It came down pretty good too.

Base of our little snowman.

Bless him ... It was their first try. The snow was perfect for it.

Then the sun came out.

For two days it melted and it sounded like little waterfalls

everywhere.

That is the way I like it.

Oohhh... that's pretty.

Ahh ... the sun and it's dry ;)

I hope that was it for this year.

But alas, I am told that we may get more before the month is out.

As for today ... well today my windows are open.

My heat is turned off.

It is in the 70's for a second day.

I have walked Stoney to school for the past two mornings

and walked to pick him up too.

I have been able to run/walk in a tshirt without a coat, 

gloves or cap.

The sun is in and out.

I love it.

I wish it would stay.

It is still February.

I girl can hope right?

#Atlantartic

We are in the middle of Snowpocalypse Part II

This is for the birds.

It has been sleeting since 6am.

It stopped for a a little bit but it really didn't matter.

It is slushy and icy and I don't like walking the great Pipponie out

there. I worry about breaking both our necks. Ha!

I will write more later on what happens tonight.

All the trees and power lines are coated in ice now.

There are trees down all over town.

Last I heard over 100,000 had no power.

Matt-Daddy had to trudge through it to get to 

get to the train to work.

He made it in safely (praise!) but won't be back here before

tomorrow night at the earliest.

He has food and an air mattress.

But we still wish he was here with us.

Boo.

Anyway, more later...

I am off to walk the Great One ;)

Here is a collage from the Snowpocalypse Part I

from two weeks ago.

Y'all be safe wherever you are!

Who names the fronts?

I am over the cold.

I said it.

I live in the South

One of the biggest reasons I live

in the South is the weather.

Summers where it is as hot as 

Georgia asphalt.

Humidity that makes your hair kink if you even look

 at the window.

Winters .....

well winters that aren't really winters by most

folks standards.

The older I have gotten the more I have learned to 

appreciate the warm weather and not long for snow 

days and cold.

I think my bones may be speaking out loud a bit there ;)

I know, I know, it is supposed to be cold at Christmas.

You're out shopping and you want to wear your

favorite scarves and coats and sweaters and

of course your favorite boots and skinny jeans.

I get it ... me too.

I understand having cold in January.

It is the South y'all.

Temps for 60 hours plus in the single digits

with a wind chill too??

No.

I refuse to like it.

You folks up north, good for ya.

Have at it.

We don't usually get pretty snow that you can look at.

Drive around, go on with a normal day. 

We usually get freezing rain. Sleet. and the worst?

Ice. for days. 

It shuts. this. place. down.

Not a fan.

So with that being said.

And the next polar vortex headed this way tomorrow.

This time with the freezing rain and junk included

Without further ado

Some photos to help keep you warm ;)

I think swimming pools, cookouts, road races, friends,

Ahhh .... Crashing waves, the breeze, looking for shells, friends,
flip flops and pony tails.

I think how hot it was that day... It was beautiful in SC.

Baseball ... I mean baseball screams summer. Hotdogs, the crack of the bat,
peanuts, and sweet sweet sunshine.

And another beach shot ... just because I can ;)



Y'all stay warm.
Make sure your animals are inside not outside.
Spring is coming. I promise.
Brr ... not soon enough for me ;)
I have to run, literally.
List is too long today and I have to get my five
miles in so I can eat ;) LOL
Yes,
I run to eat.
ciao ;)

#Laterblogged Is that even a thing?

I know that #latergram is a thing so I just

assumed .... ha ;)

The main reason I started blogging a hundred years ago

was to create a place that family could come to keep up with 

our little minions as they grew.

(I know my Sister reads it so 

"Hey Sister!"

xoxoxoxo)

Well in the past year that has turned into, as my 12 going on 18

likes to say, an epic fail.

So I will start trying to make amends ;)

With Thanksgiving.

My bff from the ice age and I have made a pact to see each
other if at all possible every time I am back home.
(Thanks Matt-Daddy for the photo)
She came over for a visit on Thanksgiving.
She is Stormy's Godmother.
Part of Stormy's name is hers.
 I love her and can barely remember
a time when she wasn't in my life.
I taught this girl to drive a straight shift.
I mean I took her to take her driver's test.
back in the ice age ;)
Geez...

My brother passing football with our minions. In Mom's front yard.
It was a cold day. A little colder than usual for AL but I will take it every time
over a muggy warm Thanksgiving.
Everyone else was inside getting the food ready.
It was all so yummy.
I wait all year for some of those delicious dishes.
Why do we do that? Only make them on that day ..
I guess if we had them more often we wouldn't love them as much?
I don't know..
Try me ;)
I made broccoli casserole, hash brown casserole and brought
 a HUGE pumpkin pie from Costco. I heart Costco btw ...
HEART.
My sister (hey Z!) always makes deviled eggs. Love them.
Since forever.
And her homemade carrot cake?
Shut your mouth.
Amazeballs.
My brother's asparagus. I mean I could go on and on.
Suffice it to say it was all Yum-O.

Le minion
We received these awesome sweatshirts from my bff.
The AU UA game was that weekend so she made sure we
were ready ;)
Yes we are truly a house divided.
Boys Bama
Girls Auburn
WDE!

My nephew and his nephew.
Still hard to believe I have FIVE greats... five. Wow. 

My nephew and this doll he is seeing.
She is a keeper.
What a sweetie :)

Ahhh... there is his Daddy.
I do love these two :)

My sweet Shcrumpalumpskus :)

I guess the most important reason to blog Thanksgiving is that this
was most likely the last one we will celebrate in my Mom's house.
Boo.
But it is not a bad thing.
She has decided to move to an assisted living facility.
She will have her own apartment and wonderful people to check on her.
It is a blessing. For all of us.
We decorated her tree while there so she
could enjoy it a bit longer this year.
That is my nieceinlawalmostnurse Mom of of my Shcrumpalumpskus using her
climbing skills to hang garland ;)
And my Sister. She drives from her home in southern GA every other weekend
to help Mom and make sure things are running smoothly.
Love my Big Sister! :)
(hey again ;) xo)

Oh that crazy nieceinlawalmostnurse
I love her :)


I hope that wherever you are you are warm and cozy.
The Polar vortex Part Deux is here.
 so bundle up!
Where is Summer. This is is the South. I know it's January
but come on. I am not built for single digits and wind chill below zero.

Ciao.

Squeeze The Day

This child...

Drives me crazy..

crazy

He is so smart and cute 

and so full of himself

and has this wonderful sense of humor

and these blue eyes that make me melt

I mean they own me.

and

he

Cracks me up.

He can be so sweet.

Say the funniest things when you least expect it.

One of, if not my most favorite thing he has ever said

he said when he was about four.. maybe five

The saying, as you know is seize the day

He thought it was  Squeeze the day!

I loved it.

It means get everything you can out of the day

Use it for all it's worth.

Squeeze. The. Day.

We say it on a regular basis

and try to live by it.

He still falls asleep in our bed and then Matt-Daddy

will haul him and his favorite pillow to his bed when we head to bed.

Will do his best to work both of us in very subtle

ways to get the answer to his math homework problems

Every.

Single.

Day.

And grin the entire time.

He still loves Power Rangers

Green is his favorite color

He cried when Optimus Prime 'died' in the second movie.

He hugs me when I am sad

and still tries to curl up in my lap like a little guy

He reminds me each night that I need to

say prayers with him when I tuck him in

MY bed.

He has a tender heart

and he will stand up for his sister and himself if he needs to 

without hesitation

and I love that about him

He has been so 
very 
S L O W 
To lose his baby teeth.
He lost the two middle bottom two about a year ago.
Then nothing.
His last cleaning they took x-rays and we saw that his front two
top teeth were only hanging on by the
gums.
Yep, not a root to be had.
They would just not let go.
They told him to work it or in a month they would have to help them.
Well, Viola! 
He lost them and right before Christmas at that.

So, I was singing
All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth during the holidays. :)

He and his sister are the center of my universe.
We each connect with each other in very different ways.
He loves me and never hesitates to say it in return when I say it to him.
I know that one day.. some day... He might not do that.
I may be kidding myself... But honestly, I don't think so.
We are pretty solid
No matter how mad he may get at my parenting decisions
he and I always talk it out and are OK.

I always thought I wanted two girls
that she needed a sister
I cried when I found out he was a boy
"What am I going to do with a boy!" I cried
God knew better
HE knew so much better.
I am so glad HE did.

I have watched him enjoy every day to the fullest 
since the beginning
and always with a smile
toothless or not ;)

As much as we teach him
He teaches us as much or more.

Don't forget to squeeze that day...



 Train up a child in
the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6

Wrestling 5K | Oxford AL

Last Fall Matt-Daddy started running again.

He had been a pretty regular runner for several years then have to have his 

tonsils out and just sort of stopped.

My broski, Zach is a runner too.. I mean he runs but he 

is an all around healthy guy.

We try to be..

We need to try harder ;) 

Zach is an excellent role model

and he really enjoys running with Matt-daddy.

So last November...um yes I am still catching up.

Don't Judge.

They ran a 5K back in our home town at our old high school.

Not only did we all three graduate from there

But our Mom taught there for many, many years.

It was the Wrestling 5K, with proceeds to go to OHS wrestling.
Matt-Daddy didn't wrestle but Zach did back in high school.
That was not prerequisite for running but Zach thought it was kind of cool.

Stormy ran it with them. This is before...
She is totally zoned out.
In preparation ;)

Here they are headed to the finish.

They weren't enjoying themselves much at all ;) 

Of all the photos I took that day...
THIS has to be my favorite.
Stoney LOVES his Uncle Zach.

After the 5K it was time for the One mile fun run.
He was ready.

His two favorite guys went the first lap with him.

He did the rest all by himself and
finished 2nd in his age group!
Go Stoney!!

He got a little trophy and a way cool OHS ball cap.

Stormy finished FIRST in her age group!!
Way to go Stormy!

There were lots of snacks to be had after the race including bananas.
Waffle House was even set up to make hash browns for the runners.
Smothered, covered, chunked... you know the rest ;)
I was so proud of my crew!
Team Ponds
and
the favorite Broski  :)

What are you guys doing to stay or try to stay
in shape this year?


BTW....
It is freezing here..
Not my favorite weather..
Just saying.

Stay warm where ever you are!

Father Daughter dance

Playing catch up...

One of my biggest ... resolutions if you will, this year was to be a much better blogger.

I am determined to do it.

So we are playing catch up

starting today.

Stormy had a Father daughter dance last month.

Her last one..

Her last one in Elementary school

Her last one at her old school

Yes we moved too.

I have been a bit preoccupied 

Much much going on.

More on that later..

Without further ado...

Let me get to blogging.

The night of the dance Matt-Daddy had a scheduled test

at school.

No way to reschedule

had to take it then.

Dance starts at 6:30

Test starts at 6:00

He said maybe an hourish for the test and it was 30 minutesish 

driving time one way.

I was skeptical they would make it all much less

in time for a photo.

I offered a couple weeks ahead to ask her Uncle to come step in

and take her.

No, It is my last one I want to go with my Daddy.

I said no problem.

So she got dressed

and we waited.

My girl...
We waited some more...

Then he arrived!
Hahaha...
He got to school early and they let him go ahead
and take the test so he finished much sooner than expected.
Yay!
Everyone was happy :)

Not completely in focus but I love it anyway.
He couldn't wait to get home to go with Stormy
That by far, is the best part ...

Oh and btw....
He aced that test :)


I hope that your year is off to a brilliant start.

I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity ... 

1 Chronicles 29:17 

The ocean...finally..

We finally got to go to the coast. We have planned these few days for months.

It ended up not being as long as we first planned...

But who cares...

Three days at the beach is better than three days at home ;)

The minions had never seen the ocean..
save when Stormy was one we lived in Charleston for a few months.
But of course she doesn't remember.

The look on their faces was absolutely worth the drive and the short stay and
too much sun that we dealt with after..

When we came across the marsh on the bridge and topped the ridge
so you can see the ocean ...
The size of their eyes ... They were amazed.
It was awesome to see it.

They never wanted to do anything else the entire time.
Of course that was fine with me..
I love the ocean, the salt, the breeze, the sounds...
As a matter of fact..
the night we returned we booked a long weekend
in October ;)

This one...
98% of the photos of her...and I took over 700 the first day ;)
Were of her profile or the back of her head. haha
She looked for shells the entire time. Or was on her belly
in the surf.

This one loved building and playing in the sand..
Loved it.
I loved watching him too...
from my chair, underneath my umbrella with my cool drink next to me
 and my camera in my hand ;)

We have one more week until school begins...

*heavy sigh*

We still aren't ready...

Still in Summer vacay mode.

But alas..

Next week is open house 

then a few days of fun stuff planned

then it is back on that schedule.

Part of me is ready..

Part of me will go kicking and screaming ;)