lazy friday

my mom left this morning after being here since Sunday. I think, maybe, it was the best six-day visit we've ever had in our lives. It was really great to have her in our new house, and she helped us recover the chairs we had gotten from Tom's parents. They're awesome chairs, really, but we should have thought to take a before and after picture, honestly. Oh well. Our other adventures while she was here consisted of buying Big Lots out of all the Pomegranate Izze they had, which numbered around 25 or so; also we made a lot of good food, and we tried baking salmon in the oven, which was a first for me. We didn't end up going to Denver, prefering instead to hang out at home or go shopping for Izze. Oh, we also got our hair cut, which was a big deal for mom, and I think it turned out really well. I tried dying it, which didn't turn out so good, I guess I just don't have the same touch that april has . . . we watched this crazy phycic lady Syliva on Montel while we were dying it, to test out the new bunny ears on the tv. We get two channels now - fox and public access - which is better than "just static" but not by much. What other trouble did we get ourselves into? We played a lot of Cribbage, kind of a change from our normal pinochle tournements, but there are only three of us, and three handed pinochle just isn't the same. So we all re-learned Cribbage. And that was pretty much it. it was a really good visit. I wish i would have taken some pictures . . .

snoooooow good!

I've been really bad about updating this blog (or any blog for that matter), so I thought today was as good a day as any to catch you all up on what's been happing here in alaska ... um, I mean Colorado.

We are in the middle of what I guess you would call my first real snow. I'm sure it snowed at some point when I was visiting my gradparents, but I don't ever remember having to drive in it, and I think that's the real test.

So it's snowing. A lot. This morning, npr said it was five degrees outside. That was around 8 or so when I was taking Tom to class. I've been in a baking/cooking frenzy since it started snowing yesterday. I just want the house to be warm and smell yummy. Though I've never experienced it, those are the sensations I associate with snow. So here I am. A little miles davis, a little death cab for cutie, something roasting in the oven.

This is probaby pretty silly, but I never realized that it could be so bright in the middle of a storm. I mean, the house has never been so bright before. All the shades are open, and the house is just drinking in the whiteness. Granted, it's not a warm brightness. But still. I just never realized. It's, like, blinding. Very weird.

My baking frenzy has also forced me out more than I would normally venture in such weather. I've been to the grocery store three times in the last 24 hours. Granted, the grocery store is practically accross the street, but I dare say that I'm getting decent at driving in this sludge. Thank goodness we have an attached garage. Giant pools of melting snow are dripping off Penelope as we speak.

So that's the weather. In other news, our Aunt Betty and her family threw us a fantastic six month anniversary party for all the family who couldn't come to the wedding. Tom's mom came out from northern california to spend the weekend with us, and it was really nice to have people in the house (hint, hint) . My mom couldn't make it out for the party, but hopefully she will come out on Sunday to spend the week with us. Hopefully it will stop snowing enough for her to come out.

I better leave to go pick Tom up so he doesn't have to wait out in the insane cold for longer than necessary. Until later, you all know how to reach me.

Love ya!

mel

unpacking in progress

the living room is less "unpacked" and more "full of stuff that goes elsewhere"

=) 

the laundry room . . . temporarily my center for fixing all the scuffs on the furniture we brought with us. 

the kitchen, after unpacking. one room down, the rest to go. yay! 

i pose for the maditory tired face picture, a tradition that goes back to my sister and my days in china. I'll have to see if I can find the origional tired face picture to post here. we're at the forbidden city or some temple or the great wall or something. it's been a rule to do one ever since . . . =) 

looking down to the living room from the loft. 

from the stairs . . . this is the loft that is to become my office, and on the other side of that wall is our bedroom. 

a look up the stairs into the guest room . . . yes, your room. come see us already! =) 

the living room . . .

the couch is still right there because we still haven't had the energy to move it anywhere else . . . although there are significantly more boxes laying about now... 

the kitchen - before unpacking 

everything from the trailer decompressed in the garage 

king of packers

tom being triumphant. we arrived! 

unpacking . . .

can you believe everything fit? it was a miracle. can you tell how packed the trailer is? 

we arrive!

 

and now a word from our sponsors . . .

this trip made possible by Jesus . . .

the mother carinie shrine (which i horribly missspelled) outside of denver 

layover in gj

every year we play monopoly to stay awake on new year's eve. this year was no different, except tom and april tied for the win. my mom, against all odds, ended her twenty year winning streak. . . 

on the road

filling up in utah (maybe).

i'm pretty sure this counts as a manditory tired face picture. 

the closet has never been so clean . . . 

the almost empty apartment 

cooties!

after presents we played an old-school version of "cooties" so much fun!! 

 

 

brandon and april surveying all the presents he got for his birthday 

christmas is also brandon's birthday, so april made him this . . . cake/ cupcake thing. she got the ladies at the bakery to sell her the good frosting, so it was super yummy. 

april made asperagus for the first time. yummy. 

here's a great pic of my mom, april, and "the boy"