January 2011

On Sunday, January 9, It started to snow.  It snowed more than I have ever seen here in Atlanta in the over 12 years we have lived here.  We usually get a dusting or a good sheet of ice, but not tonight.  We got about 4 inches of snow.  For most areas 4 inches is nothing, things still go on like normal, but not for the Atlanta area.  Everything was shut down on Monday.  No school, almost every office businesses were closed, and lots of retail stores were closed as well.  Ya know it was a tough 3 days back at school.  Yes we have been back to school for 3 days since Christmas break before getting off for the snow.  Since the weather for the rest of the week was below freezing and we don't have any snow plows probably in our whole state it meant that school was cancelled for the whole week.  Of course everyday by late afternoon we were all glued to the TV to see if school was cancelled for the next day.  Here are a few pictures of our first day out in the snow. 

Talmage

Brenton, Hayden, Kennedy

Hayden with spider man snow sculpture

Shrek (sand toy)

Talmage with icicle

Hayden and Talmage icicle

Kennedy sledding in our laundry basket since we don't have
any sleds this was the next best thing

Hayden and Talmage

Talmage



By the second day, the kids only went out like one time.  They were already getting sick of it.  Jon went back to work outside of the house that is on Wednesday.  Jon and his partner, Mike had to push a couple cars that were stuck on a patch of ice.  Jon told me Wednesday morning that there were still lots of patches of ice on the roads and was pretty sure school would be cancelled for the rest of the week.  So we did what everyone was thinking they wish they could do and we did it.  Once we heard school was cancelled for Thursday,we packed up the car followed the birds south down to Disney.  It took us a long time to get out of the city because it was dark which made it even harder to see the ice patches and everyone being extra cautious.  We drove half way to and stayed at a hotel.  The next morning we drove the rest of the way and Jon took a few kids to one of the Disney parks on Thursday while I stayed back with Payton because she was at the very last stages of being sick.  On Friday, we went to Hollywood Studios. 

Talmage and Hayden

Hayden

Kennedy and Payton

Saturday we went to Epcot.

Hayden

Talmage and Hayden

Hayden

Talmage

Kennedy

On Sunday, we went to Magic Kingdom. 

Hidden Mickey on top of the magic mirror Snow White ride

Hidden mickey outside of Mission to Mars

We thought the crowds would have been a little lighter than they were, but apparently Brazil has 2 months off in December and January (their summer) and 2 months off in July and August (their winter).  So there were lots of tour groups from Brazil there.  One of the days we had to wear coats, but the other days a jacket was just fine. 
On Monday, we drove home since it was Martin Luther King day and we didn't have any school.  When we got home all that was left of the snow was a melting snow man. 
So, I figured out that from Dec 23 (first day of Christmas Break) until January 17th (Martin Luther King Day off) 26 days in all my kids went to school 3 of those days.  Since we already took a snow day off earlier and then these 5 snow days, we have to make up 2 extra days.  So our kids have to go to school on the teacher work day in March and the day off they had in April on Good Friday. 

On Friday January 21, Brenton turned 14 years old.  He is now a teacher in the YM program at church. 
He picked Peachtree Diner for his birthday dinner place.  Jon made Brenton's cake.  After dinner, we had the Tady's and Bugee's over for cake and ice cream and presents.  Jon's parents came by on Saturday to drop off a present and to have some cake.  I can't believe I have a 14 year old.  Next year, he can get his learners permit and start to drive.  Time is going by way to fast.

Brenton

Brenton with his presents