WHEN LIFE HANDS US LEMONS...

...we make lemonade...or SNOW CREAM, to be exact.

So, to those of you that haven't indulged in this wintry treat...

First, collect some fresh, CLEAN snow. Those of you that really know me, are probably falling off of your seats. It's true - I ate snow :)

So, here's our bowl of CLEAN snow:



The following measurements are based on the amount of snow I used (approximately a gallon), but all of the measurements are really just based on taste.

Next, stir in some sugar (approximately 1 cup), sweet condensed milk (1/2 can), and 1-2 tablespoons of vanilla.








And there you have it - SNOW CREAM.



To make it creamier, add a bit of milk. For best results, put it in the freezer for a half an hour before eating.



The verdict? Mmm...YUM. Seriously.

Don't knock it until you try it!

There are a few more versions - one of which includes chocolate milk. And judging from how much snow we've been getting...stay tuned!

2 YEARS OLDER AND WISER "TOO"...

Exactly two years ago Little b came into this world to hang out with his crazy parents.

From the first moments of life, he has never been one to cry. He has always had such a meek, mild and very happy personality.

And he has been a daddy's boy since day one.

He's a good little boy and has kept us very entertained, to say the least.

Happy Birthday Little b!
We love you!
XOXO


Happy Birthday - 1 Day Old:



2 Years Old:




He's a big boy now!

"EAST SIDE!"

One of the reasons we were excited about moving out this way, is that it's just a quick jump over to any of the East Coast states. So, earlier this month, we were able to attend the wedding of one of Brian's cousin's in D.C. And we had an awesome time!

Since most of Brian's extended family came for the wedding, we got to see everyone (including his folks) which was a rare opportunity. We had so much fun hanging out with his cousins. Little b loved the attention from them!

And for the record - D.C. is definitely one of our favorite vacation spots. Besides the billions of FREE museums and attractions - they have the BEST selection of Asian food we have ever seen. And they were excellent. One night it was Japanese, the next Korean, then Chinese, Vietnamese...and list goes on. Not to mention that Bri's aunt is an awesome chef and cooked up a storm for us - does it get any better than that?

We made it to all the usual D.C. stops including the White House, the National Archives, and 4 of the Smithsonian Museums: Natural History, American History, National Zoo and Air and Space.

Little b did great on the trip. His obsession with airplanes made for smooth flying and carrying him around in our backpack carrier definitely made the museums enjoyable. And he loved playing with his grandma and grandpa again. But his new best friend is his Auntie Pauline. For those of you that don't know - he is obsessed with stairs. And I mean OBSESSED. The minute he sees them he immediately starts chanting "up and down," "up and down!" And so, poor Aunty Pauline was kind enough to indulge him for hours on end.

Ahh....good times.

BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE...

And apparently inside as well. I think the high today was something like 5 degrees with a windchill of -10.

We went out for a quick errand and we returned to find the INSIDE of our windshield had frozen over.

Yikes.

And to give you a visual of just how cold it is here...



And what perfect timing for my friend Emily to call me, just to tell me that it was in the 70's in AZ and that she had her AIR CONDITIONER on! Thanks Em!

FREE ICE CREAM FOR THE PHYSICALLY FIT!

Just a bit ironic, don't cha think?


Check out the details here.

Enjoy!

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES...

Grandma and Grandpa from TX came and stayed with us for Christmas this year. And even though it was FREEZING we had a lot of fun. Especially Little b. It only took him 20 minutes to warm up and then he was ATTACHED.

And so it begins...

More to come...

YET ANOTHER REASON NOT TO FLY...

We just got back from our trip today and while I have a ton of photos to post I just have to share this quick story.

Let me just start out by saying how much I dread flying. Even though, statistically, flying is supposed to be safer than driving, I can't help but think about the what ifs.

Anyhow, on the last leg of our trip back home, we encounter a little turbulence. As usual, Brian is having a laugh as I cringe at each bump. Finally we land safely - despite having to de-ice our plane and land on a snow-covered runway. Our airport here is very small so it's usually not crowded. But today as we were waiting for our luggage, we noticed a news crew filming two of the people on our plane. There was some commotion as they left the building and were escorted away by the police. After much speculation, Bri and I decided to check out the news tonight to see exactly what the big hoopla was about.

And you wouldn't believe it:

http://www.amw.com/captures/brief.cfm?id=45899

*SIGH* Seriously, what are the chances? And I was worried about the turbulence.