Stardate 64988.2 - Fun in the Snow

Once the sun came out and the wind died down a little we all ventured out. We made one aborted effort earlier in the day (photo immediately below) but it was cloudy, windy, and cold and the girls didn't last. I don't have snow pants or boots, but I do have my foul weather boots and pants for sailing, and with enough layers on under them (they are for summer use) they worked out pretty well.

Once we saw other people out sledding in the street we went back out and this time the girls had a blast on their new sled. Target was out of them on Sunday, but Cheryl saw a guy returning this one so she went and got it from the return desk on our way out.

Yeah, I'm not getting the car out anytime soon. Especially since I broke the damn shovel almost as soon as I started shoveling. I did the entire path from the car to the deck using Loren's small sand shovel, which I had luckily taken from the garage on Sunday in anticipation of Loren wanting to help shovel. Because I'm not getting to the garage anytime soon, either.

I'm a little worried about the weight on the gutters.

Later, while Kate napped, Loren played Nickelodeon Fit on the Wii.

Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Stardate 64987.18 - Blizzard!

Pictures from the morning of December 27, 2010 at our beach house.

The wind has created drifts. The table is clear but the door is blocked.

Our front door.

The side door to the deck.

Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Stardate 64985.43 - Christmas in NJ

We spent Christmas 2010 in New Jersey. Cheryl's parents hosted Christmas Eve, and the girls wanted to get dressed up for the event.

There was some Wii playing going on with Cheryl's Dad, her brother Steve, and nephew Ethan.

Steve was in charge of handing out gifts after dinner.

Christmas morning was spent at our beach house, just Cheryl, me, and the kids.

Later Christmas Day Cheryl's parents, grandmother, aunt Marie, and brothers and their families all came over to our place for a late lunch/early dinner. The cousins all had fun playing together.

And on Sunday (before the snow started) Loren and Kate showed up their new shirts while standing on their new trampoline.

Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Stardate 64985.42 - Decorating for Christmas

As I sit an watch the blizzard dump 12+ inches of snow on us the day after Christmas, I thought I'd catch up on posting pictures. Here are three from early December as we decorated the tree for Christmas out at the beach house.

Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Stardate 64121.8 - Rockefeller Plaza

From our point-and-shoot camera, Cheryl took these photos back in December when she and Loren went to Rockefeller Plaza to look at the Christmas Tree. They ended up also going to the Top of The Rock while they were there.

Highlands, NJ

Stardate 64079.25 - Holiday Time Wraps Up

On Saturday we hung out with family for the day. There was a lot of family, and a lot of food.







In the afternoon we went over to Ginger's to see her new house and to have snacks and drinks. The "and drinks" part becomes important, as you will see as the pictures progress below. Here Kate sleeps with Aunt Susan holds her and all seems well with the world.


Then Loren decided to direct a play, and somehow I ended up with a gorilla mask.


But I wasn't the only one with a mask on...


Or a funny wig...


Or funny hats...

In fact, everyone got pretty silly while Loren tried to maintain order and do something vaguely resembling directing a play.


Finally, she gave up and a few of us went outside to test out Aidan's snowball blaster (a gift from us, by the way). Here I demonstrate the proper form for the device but apparently not the proper attire for being outside in the snow.


Cousin Hillary also give it a shot. (Pun intended).


The sky was pretty cool looking that evening.



Aidan and Loren played for a while in the snow in the back yard, long after I got too cold to stay outside with only a t-shirt on. Even if it was an awesome Jessica Stover t-shirt, which apparently gives you the power to be outside in the snow without any ill effects for a limited time.






Here Ginger poses in her backyard with me and Kate.

Then it was back over to Nana and Kracker's for the night. Sunday we had to get up very early and drive to NJ for Loren's ballet recital. But that is a topic for another post.

NYC