Snow! Snow! Snow!

As 2011 came cruising in, so did the cold weather.  In the south, we usually drop into some cold temperatures but rarely get snow until this year!

Snow jam 2011 came to Georgia on Sunday, January 9 around 8:30 p.m. I have never seen snow come down so much, so quickly and I have lived here for 37 years. I went for a night time walk to take some pictures of the historic district in which we are so blessed to live in.  Here are some pictures for you to enjoy (yes! pictures! I used my SLR camera which has its USB cord!):

This is the home across the street from us.  I think their home is from the 1860s.

Our neighbors next door have a home that is similar in age to ours.  We think it is from 1905.

I am so glad I got these pictures at night.  I have some good ones from the next day but once the kids starting playing the untouched magic of new snow was gone in an instant!

This is a photograph of the home my grandmother and aunt live in down the street from us.  I'll have to find out from them the age.  I really should know this considering I grew up in it!

We are headed for a third day of iced over snow and school closings.  To break up cabin fever on day two, we were invited to a play date then we checked out the roads in our Explorer.  There is still plenty of thick ice on the back roads and in the subdivisions.  It has been dropping into the low 20s at night so anything that melts is turning right back into ice.  The last thing we accomplished today before sunset (we finally saw a bit of the sun today) was to make this "snow chick" on the back deck.  Enjoy!

A surprise present for the house!

Imagine my surprise when the mail arrived today and these little beauties were waiting for me!  I am still trying to figure out who sent them as there was no card with the box but I think I have narrowed it down to two people.  I am so happy to finally have some real picture hangers!  The first thing that I am going to put up is my convex mirror in the dining room!  What a great way to start off the new year!  Thank you, mystery giver!!!

Happy New Year!

It is hard to imagine that it is 2011.  Wasn't it just yesterday that we were preparing for the millennium and Y2K?  Our children will laugh at us when they are older and read about our paranoia and fears!

We've started to take down the Christmas decorations much to my three year-old's dismay.  It has been a great Christmas with her.  She is so inquisitive and we have had to explain why we do everything for the holiday to her.  She soaks it up like a sponge.  Today we discussed why some people still had their Christmas decorations up and others did not.  We discussed the 12 days of Christmas, the Epiphany and the Wise Men.  Let's see what sticks after that conversation!

On one of my message boards, a friend asked, "Do you have any resolutions for the New Year?"  I can't help but think about this new house and all the things we want to do to it in the days, weeks, months and years ahead.  I want to be more organized.  My husband and I both want to horde less.  We both want to find unique furniture pieces to go in the home as well as antiques to decorate it with.  As for my daughter, just trying to get her to donate some of her many toys that she no longer plays with will be a resolution challenge in itself! 

When spring arrives, I want to start to work on the back yard and side gardens.  There is so much debris and I know there is a magical place just waiting to be discovered.  My husband wants to get our daughter a sturdy swing set to last her for many years to come. 

I can't wait for spring and summer so we can have relaxing times on the front porch.  I cannot think of a better place to spend time catching up with friends or just simply reading a book as the sun begins to set.

We need to find a good patio set so we can make another living area on our back deck.  The grill is there and it will be a great place to sit and enjoy meals with family and friends.

It is going to be a great yet challenging year I can tell.  I have a list of resolutions and "to dos" ready to be tackled.  We are certainly up for the task!  I wish you and yours a happy and prosperous new year!