First Time on Skis!

We had another little dusting of snow today, so it was a perfect day to try out my new skis! Daddy bundled me up in my snowsuit, strapped on my new skis, and we headed out into the backyard with the puppies! We happily snapped photos as I hung onto daddy and glided down the hill in our backyard. I am getting much better at standing with assistance, so daddy's goal of skiing before I walk is really within reach!

It was nice to have daddy back home- he had been at a meeting in Dallas the last two days. But Granmimi stepped in to help mommy pick me up from daycare. Best of all, we had Beth Cambell, Uncle Steve's friend, come and visit for her OB-Gyne interview. She is really nice- I like her. But Skye really liked her- she wanted to cuddle with Beth all the time. Skye really goes for blond women for some reason. Just ask Gran!

sorry about the sidways video- just watch with computer tilted!

The Ice Storm, part 2

We had another big ice storm on Tuesday. This one wasn't quite as bad, since we had a constant light freezing rain and no wind. As a result, there were only a few downed power lines and almost no downed trees. Our friends to the south like Oklahoma got it a lot worse. But it was still bad enough to knock out our power for an hour and close local businesses, including my day care and the medical school. Therefore, daddy and I got to stay home and play all day! Best of all, mommy had just finished a 24 hr surgical case (yes, you read that right!), so she was home too, recovering.



At Mimi's farm, her hippo statue grew some really long icicle teeth! It looks like an ice-age palentology discovery! But the St Benard's are pretty happy with the weather- they feel right at home. Skye and Denali weren't so pleased with the freezing rain. They really avoided going outside and stuck close to the house. The backyard is really slippery!



After the storm, all the trees were coated with a beautiful, crystalline coating of ice about a half inch thick. As the light streamed through the coated branches, it was like God had hung a million prisms throughout the forest.



Wow- nature is cool.

Happy Birthday, Sisters!

We celebrated Skye and Denali's 6th birthday this week. We had angel food cake - plain for the doggies and with chocolate frosting for mommy and daddy. Denal really loves the cake- she was so excited when she saw daddy bring it out of the grocery bag.

It is very cool that Skye and Denali were only born a week apart (Skye is slightly older, born on 12/3/01 and Denali was 12/10/01). It is very fitting that behave like littermates- they may as well be!

Laundry Day

Daddy is catching up on postings because we missed a few this week. So here's the first of several today. I like to go for rides in the laundry basket becuase the clothes are all warm and soft. Besides, mommy can't carry the laundry with one hand and me in the other!

Trimming the Tree

For once, daddy and mommy were both home and I was actually awake! That's been a rare event the last two weeks. So we took the opportunity to have a tree decorating party. We lit a roaring fire, scented it with the wilting roses from daddy's BCS party last weekend, and brewed a pot of tea for mommy and daddy.

While Skye and 'Nali watched intently, we hung ornaments throughout our little Sophie-sized tree. In honor of my first Christmas, mommy and daddy broke with their decorating tradition and did not adorn the tree with all glass and crystal. Instead, we hung every animal and family ornament we had.

Let's take a tour of the tree:

Here's Piglet with his candy cane present from the Santa Frog in the moon!

We put some lovely ornaments on the tree that we had gotten as gifts for special moments in mommy and daddy's life

There's ornaments celebrating our old home in Newport Beach and from family in State College

Mommy and daddy got these beautiful gold ornaments for surviving medical school.

Angels of Commander Cody and the lovely Chelsea Anne watch down over us from up high. Finally, my beloved owl got placed last- at the top of the tree!

St Benard's Snowy Day

The snow is beautiful! I am so lucky: we have had the snowiest December in years. The chances of a white Christmas are looking really good! The snow blanketing the lawn and hugging the forest impart a sense of peace and timelessness. It is so much better than ugly brown leaves and soggy mud.

On Thursday, daddy picked me up from daycare early becuase it was starting to snow very hard. We layed on the bed in the upstairs master bedroom and opened all the shades on the windows. As Skye and Nali played, we stared out the window at the magical crystals falling everywhere. It was wonderful!

Today, we went to Granmimi's farm to meet her new St Bernard puppies: Zermatt, Mattie (for Matterhorn), and Blanc. I was a little frightened at first, becuase they were nothing like my sisters. But I got used to the idea and touched they very new, very soft fur. Outside in snow, Denali played with Marilyn, one of the adult Saints. St Bernards really like snow, so they are especially happy now!

My First Christmas Tree

Yesterday mommy and daddy and I went to the local Optimist club christmas tree lot and picked out the perfect little tree. I didn't spend too much time doing it- it was really cold with a bitter west wind. But we got the little (Sophie-sized) tree home safe and set it up in the living room. I'll write more about it when we get a chance to decorate.

I am just so excited that I actually have a real live tree inside my house! I love trees so much- I am always calmed by their towering presence. Now I can get to touch and see a tree without going out into the cold. And best of all, green is back! Not the boring brown that dominates what remains of my forest these days. I suppose this is why our ancestors started the tradition of bringing green into the home in the winter- good plan!