...and just like that. The heat wave is gone.

Well, the snow hit as expected, and Andrew and Jez went out on Saturday to check out the white stuff. The sled didn't really work out as planned, as poor Andrew just kept sliding downwards. I ended up just taking him out into the snow, which I think he really liked.

The snow started falling at about 7:30 Thursday morning, and we probably got about 5 or 6 inches, so not toooo bad.

Friday morning was a little more exciting than Thursday morning, as that is garbage day.

So what do you do with a cold and snowy weekend (besides dream of warm places)? All sorts of fun stuff! We certainly got quite a bit of use out of Andrew's musical instruments. Man, does he loves these drum sticks. You can also just play them as sticks. Notice him holding them to look out the window. Right now we are missing one of them, which has got be down, because I love to play the sticks, too. It reminds me of elementary school. Even though the uncool kids always got the sticks (that would be me), I still loved to play them. I currently play a mean version of ABC's on them, which Andrew sometimes bounces up and down to.

The instrument set also came with 2 shakers shaped like eggs.

On Sunday, we broke out the tent and tunnel that Grandma and Grandpa bought him for Christmas.

 

That same day, he had a small incident with his cardboard Elmo. There is picture of Elmo on his mac and cheese that I cut out for him, and he has been carrying it around for the past week. He even takes it in his car with him. Well, I hear him choking on something, and it turns out that he took a big bite out of Elmo and swallowed it. He made it through, but there will be no more cardboard Elmo. I bought him a stuffed one for Valentine's Day. :)

Yesterday he made me laugh, because he looked so tired, but wouldn't nap. He had his morning nap, but after being in his crib for 45 minutes in the afternoon, I took him out when he started screeching. Do you think he is tired? :)

Nonetheless, here is where I find him when I step away to go to the bathroom for 30 seconds. He STILL loves this plant.

So, all in all, a very relaxing and peaceful weekend. I started teaching two classes last week, so my evenings got a little busier, but nothing too bad. Mike and I have been a little Dexter obsessed lately, but that always gives me something to forward to in the evenings. So addicting! On a positive note, we probably only have less than 2 months left of winter, because we got a late start. Spring and fall are my favorite seasons. Not too much longer!

It's a heat wave!

Wow, what a great week! We have been hitting records with temperatures in the 50's (I know my Phoenix friends and family may be rolling their eyes at this). I can't remember a time where the weather was like this in the middle of January. Kids out playing and people driving with their car windows down. I even saw some crazy girl at the grocery store wearing sandals. We tried to enjoy today as much as possible since a cold front is coming in tonight, and it sounds like we are going to get our first blizzard! So bizarre (notice the warning next to the 51 degrees--the snow is coming!)

I have been taking Jez to the park a lot, and Andrew has been out riding his new bike he got for Christmas.

This afternoon I took him out for a final walk, as the blizzard makes its way here. :( Before heading outside, he watches Lauren drive away (he does this every day).

This past weekend, we went over to visit both my parents and Mike's parents again. Andrew loves to get out of the house. He is quite the curious little guy (as are all toddlers).

When he got home from my parents' house, he was exhausted. This gave Mike and I a chance to watch more Dexter episodes. LOVE!

Every Sunday morning, Mike and Andrew fight over the ads. This kid seriously loves the ads.

I also bought Andrew's new car seat this week, which makes me want to cry looking at the directions. He has just about finally outgrown the baby one. He loved the big box!

One of things he has been loving this week is hanging out in the laundry room and opening the doors to the washer and dryer. He also loves to take everybody's shoes and carry them around. It took me a minute to find one of shoes in the other room today. It cracks me up when he carries around Mike's work shoes, because they are so huge.

Here are few other favorites from this week...

Here's to a new year!

Well, we rang in the new year by going to bed before midnight! We're quite the exciting couple!  It doesn't help that there is a certain someone that goes to bed at 7 every night. :) We saw the ball drop at midnight Eastern Time, which was good enough.

Of course, like most people, we have been trying to eat better since the new year started. That is never easy, especially if you can do things like eat a foot long burrito and a giant shells and cheese meal in one day like I did last Friday. I think the hardest thing to eliminate is Diet Coke. While I did a good job of that last year, I'm struggling this week. I caved and bought a pack of Caffeine Free Diet Coke this week. My other resolution besides living a healthier lifestyle is to learn more about photography. I've always loved photography, and I bought a nicer camera back in October, but I'm not sure how to use a lot of the functions. I'm hoping I can take some classes this year. Mike's resolution is to be on time, which I will believe it when I see it! :)

One nice thing about Christmas Break is we got to spend a lot more time with Andrew. He's so much help around the house lately. :) Here is he "helping" me take down the Christmas decorations.

For some reason, he kept trying to escape later that day. Maybe he is just as tired as the rest of us at being cooped up all the time.

He certainly cannot get enough of his new car! Any time you need to get something done, you can put him in the car and push him around. For instance, if I need to eat lunch, and he is hanging on my legs, I just put him in the car and take a bite of food every round we make into the kitchen. Sounds practical, right?

Due to parental exhaustion, Andrew's break consisted of things he normally wouldn't get away with, such as splashing dog water all over the floor and his clothes...

Digging through the recycle bin and partying with Mountain Dew...

He started a band....

He went cruising in his sexy boots....

He hung out with a pillow from the bedroom...

He stole the dog's toys again (he actually plays with the dog's toys more than his own)...

Yesterday I decided to take him outside for a few minutes just to switch things up a bit.

He had so much fun, but got really mad at me when when we came in and I wouldn't let him play with some cords behind the TV. I shut the door to the bedroom and brought him out into the hallway. It was very dramatic. He takes after me.

It just amazes me how many things he can find to get in to every day! Tonight he got mad because I threw away a popcorn kernel he found on the floor. He figured out how to open the garbage can and started throwing garbage on the floor. He has really started getting worked up if he can't have something. Poor guy has been having a rough week, though. He has been battling a problem with milk for about 6 weeks now. I finally just bought some toddler formula a couple of days ago, which has helped tremendously. I cut back on the milk or mix it with the milk, and he has been much happier. We thought he had the flu last week because he was throwing up, but we figured it out it was because he had too much milk. He has also been cutting two teeth on the top, which have been bothering him.  He was in a chipper mood today, which made me happy, as the last few have been rough on him.

Before I tie this one up, I wanted to add some bath pictures of him I took a few nights ago. I put up his new basketball hoop and balls in the tub, which he loves!