Icemaggedan

So, this winter has been a crazy one.  Aside from being much colder than normal, we have had temperature mood swings, with one day feeling nice and 60's to the next freezing and 20.  Apparently there is a Polar Vortex which we have affectionately started calling the Bi-Polar Vortex.  Anywho, here are some pics from our first experience with the Polar Vortex.

 Many, many, many people lost power during this storm.  Our friends the Pacheco's were one of those.  We tried to get them to come over and stay in the warm.  We tried to bribe them with warm cookies or homemade cinnamon rolls and nothing.  So we tried this video.

 Then the next morning after the Polar Vortex hit, Santa came a little early with some nice surprises.  Mostly because the Germans would soon be leaving and he had some surprises for them too.

 Then Uncle Alfons decided he would go out and single-handedly break up all the ice on our walk way.  If you can see the street it is a solid sheet of ice.  That is what our walk way looked like before Uncle Alfons go to it!

 And while Uncle Alfons took care of the outside, Tante Monika made some cowboy cookies with the girls inside.  Because what else do you do when it's freezing outside - BAKE COOKIES!

 Juliana loved this!

 Yummy!

 And as a sort of last dinner in Texas, and also because we were getting cabin fever, we decided to go out and brave the icy roads for some Chuy's.  They could not believe the amount of food they got for the fajitas.

 Also much more used to eating with a fork and knife than a tortilla.

 Photo Bomb!

 All bundled up!

 Enjoying our warm house and some tv

 Chloe is a great back rest

 But the best cuddled

 Monika getting her last Chloe cuddles

Sassy

So after a four day weekend, I take the girls to school. I'm waiting for my visitor badge and a sweet teacher comes over and says good morning to Juliana, to which she responds, "Leave me alone". I tell her that's not very nice and then she tells me on her "Buzz off", "leave me alone", "don't touch me". I come home and tell her daddy what she said to me, to which he responded, "Isn't that so cool that she can say that!" It's true. Sometimes it's the little things. Thank God she can still sass her mom.

Oh Holy Night

So we decided to go out for a night of painting.  This was a couples class which means you and your partners paintings should match up and go together.  The theme for the night was HolyNight.

 A Babybell on your nose and some wine instantly make you a better painter

 

 Monika decided to try out the Babybel trick

 Then when Alfons saw the results, he joined in

 The finished product

 And all four together

Deck the Halls

So now that we were back from our cruise and we were finally settled back in it was time to decorate the house!  And these were my little elves!

 Task number 1 - Stair Rail Garland.  Okay, let's just say that they are are slightly perfectionist and this took awhile.

Then, on to the tree.  This was very special because it was the first year that Juliana actually enjoyed it.  She looked at each ornament we put on with amazement and smiled at all the lights.  This is what it's all about!