Day Forty

Views from the inside...

So it's currently day five of being shut in because of snow.  We are actually awaiting the beginning of the next snow storm which was supposed to appear anytime after 2pm.  We are looking at a possible foot of snow but I think everyone is hoping for less. 

I did not end up baking today because I got my cooking fix making a big pot of vegetable beef soup from scratch.  We had leftover roast and corn so I added that with some more veggies and seasonings.  It smells yummy and has been cooking away since before lunch time.  I got my chocolate fix by having a big ole cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows while Ava took her nap.  Our days have been pretty boring seeing as we haven't had much to do but I did get a good amount of laundry done.  That's a never ending battle that I absolutely hate.

Today I bring you a little glimpse of what it looks like being shut in on a snow day.

 

 

 

Day Thirty-Nine

Tummy aches and cabin fever...

I did not feel like taking more pictures of snow today.  In fact the views haven't changed because nothing has melted and it's still a mess.  If fact they are calling for up to another foot of snow to start tomorrow evening sometime.  I am hoping we only get six or so inches because really there is so much snow that there is no where to put more. 

So today I was feeling kind of blah.   Well to be more exact I am pretty sure cabin fever is sinking in and to add to it my stomach just hasn't felt well for a few days now.  So tonight I decided a simple salad was in order.  I knew that wouldn't give me that "full" feeling so I blended up a smoothie with strawberry's, banana, and oats. 

 

Tomorrow I will be doing a little baking.  I bake when I am bored and since tomorrow will be another day with no where to go I will have to bake.  Not sure what I plan to bake just yet...I always decide last minute.  Hopefully my stomach is feeling better by then so that I can enjoy whatever I make.

Day Thirty-Eight

The sunsets on another snowy day...

I seriously can't remember ever having so much snow on the ground.  There is so much snow that it's hard to even try to play in it.  Although that means that it remains beautiful and picturesque because there are no foot prints in it.  We did get Ava all dressed up and let her run up and down the driveway and pat the walls of snow that line it.  Here is what it looked like as the sun began to set.

 

 

Day Thirty-Seven

White Out...

We were hit again by a major snow storm and it's been out of hand.  We have an ungodly amount of snow laying on the ground now.  Typically as a child this would mean the world would have come to a halt for days.  I remember being out of school for at least a week when a blizzard hit.  I remember the whole family being shut in and having soup, hot chocolate, and just enjoying the snow.

Now, I realize that I am an adult now and that being said there are responsibilities that a child does not have to think about.  Responsibilities like shoveling, power going out, having food and water, and getting back to work and normal life.  I guess adults don't get to enjoy snow days in quite the same manner a child would but what I don't understand is why adults don't try to enjoy them at least a little.

We only go around once, we only get to have this day one time and then it's gone.  There may not be another snow day, this may be it, you really have no way of knowing.  I think we should all take these snow days as blessings and see them as the worlds way of reminding us to slow down, relax, and just stop for a while.  Whatever you are worried about or concerned with will be there when the snow melts.  We often move too fast through our days and burn ourselves out for what reason.  To die quicker??

I keep hearing the news talk about the Monday morning rush, really people, really.  Oh, even better is them pleading with people to stay off the roads until at least tomorrow night so they can get them clear.  Ok, if you are out there driving let me just find my stupid stick and beat you with it because short of an emergency you are a moron for being out.

Ok, so anyways back to the snow, and the snow on top of the snow, that sits on top of more snow.  Did I mention snow.  Well, we ventured out today sticking close to the house because the drifts were ridiculous.  At times I found myself in snow up to my hips and had to lay down on top on the snow to pull them out.  A girl must do what a girl must do to get her photo of the day (short of getting in a car and driving...morons).  Here was what it looked like around the house today.

 

  

 

 

 

Enough of the landscape photos...check out the driveway...our like car isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Day Thirty-Six

A First Attempt...

Today was a major first for me and I will say I think it went pretty well.  Today for the first time I did a shoot with a subject that wasn't Ava, a pet, or a random household object.  My cousin brought her daughter over today to get some head-shots taken for a pageant she is entering.

My original plan was to take her outside and get some pictures using the scenery around the yard.  I don't have professional backdrops or studio lighting so I was unsure about how an indoor shoot would go.  The weather however had other plans for us because it started to snow about two hours before they got here.  So I grabbed my bag of backdrops and had my cousin hold them up while I took the pictures.  All in all I am pretty happy with how they came out.

Here are a few samples from today's shoot.  I still have some editing to do but these are a few favorites.

 

 

Day Thirty-Five

To Bake or not to Bake...

Certain days, okay more like once a week, I get this overwhelming urge to bake something.  Today we ate leftovers which was nice because I got a break from cooking.  While I was getting everything out of the fridge I saw an extra pie crust that needed to be used.  I wasn't in the mood for a fruit filled pie so I got online and searched for a chocolate pie.  Yum Chocolate!!! 

I  found a recipe for an old fashioned chocolate meringue pie and since I had the ingredients I figured I would give it a shot.  I have never made meringue and I'm not really a meringue person but we didn't have cool whip or heavy cream which would have been my alternative.  

All in all the pie tastes great and the meringue actually turned out well which I really didn't expect.  The thing I didn't know about meringue is how quickly it burns.  Ugh, so much for walking away to get all the dishes put in the sink and the ingredients put away.  The top of the meringue was pretty much black and I had to peel it off.  There was still meringue left but it wasn't nearly as pretty. I would probably make the pie again but if I make it again I will top it with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or chopped nuts for some texture. 

 

 

Day Thirty- Four...a bonus post.

Look closely..

Today I set out with my camera to find pictures of small objects.  I feel like we all tend to forget to see those small things.  That's the wonderful part about having a small child around.  I now find myself on the floor, on her level, seeing my world from a new perspective.

This next set of photos is one of those sets that shows you to look at the whole thing to see the real story.  Like I had said before I set out with the intent of photographing the small things.  So here is a set that I took of cheerios earlier today.  Watch the true story unfold...

Yup that's right I have a climber.  She loves to climb anything and everything.  She was watching cartoons but saw me on the other side of the table and instead of coming around she came over.  That was my last picture because the little stinker grabbed up all of the cheerios and ate them.