Earlier last week, Anna and I heard about the possibility of snow on Friday, which seemed unlikely to me, as it was only October. Friday came and went, with no snow. Saturday started like any other day, however, by noontime, it had started to snow. 

It accumulated quickly and by the time Eliza woke up from her afternoon nap, we were ready to play outside. Anna had to make do with her rain boots, since we hadn't bought her new boots yet. 

An October snowman!

The snow continued. During dinner, the lights flickered a few times. Anna felt compelled to get her dragonfly-flashlight, just in case. And at 6:30, just as we were getting girls ready for bed, the lights went out. Luckily I had a stash of flashlights and head-lamps. 

Reading a bedtime story.

After the girls went to bed (without a hitch), Steve stoked the fire until it was roaring and throwing off tons of heat. I was a little worried about the girls not being warm enough during the night, but I felt confident that the power would return soon. 

Ahhh, the wood stove.

Playing chess by candlelight.

Sunday morning we woke up to a pitch black but warm-enough house, and the girls and I fumbled our way into the end room, finding Steve asleep on the futon, after being up until 2:30 tending to the fire so no one would be cold. 

Toasting a bagel. (Note the aluminum-foil wrapped object perched on the corner).

We acquired a cold 15-month-old to warm up. She was toasty in no time.

An odd scene: a tree, full with yellowed-leaves, surrounded by an expanse of snow.

The second night spent without power.

 Monday morning we woke up, again in the pitch black, but still with warm hands, toes, and noses. I was ready at this point to have power. The thrill, the novelty, was gone. And to top it off, it was Halloween. We wondered what the day would bring. 

Enjoying a breakfast of oatmeal and eggs. The milk hadn't spoiled yet, as we had stuck it in the snow.

Warming Lizie by the fire after a bath. (Yes, we had hot water throughout this experience!)

Anna requested a photo-shoot. 

Trick-or-treating around the neighborhood would be cancelled that evening, due to all the downed power lines. But we knew costumed kids would be descending on Main Street in the afternoon for their treats and to show themselves off, so we brought ourselves there.

That would be a cow and as astronaut.

Monday night we went to sleep, exhausted and so ready (READY!!!) for power. Tuesday morning came, and with it, the pitch black that comes with waking at 6. I groaned and wanted to hide under the covers. We would not be waking up to lights in the kitchen and fresh food in the fridge. But this day was Eliza's birthday, and it was a day to be celebrated somehow. 

Opening her presents.

Lovely friends had us over and baked Eliza chocolate cupcakes. She loved the frosting.

Happy 2nd Birthday, my lovely little love!!

After dinner at our friends', we returned home, resigned to another night of candles and flashlights, and the girls went to bed quickly.

And at 8:30, the power returned. 

We survived, and survived well, 74 hours of life without electricity. Of course, the wood-stove, the hot showers, and the gas range helped and made it possible. Had we been cold, we would have packed up and left. But we knew we could do it. And we did. 

And I am so very glad, so thoroughly elated, to have the power restored. To listen to the background noise of the television while I type on the laptop. To hear the hum of the fridge, awaiting fresh groceries to be bought tomorrow. 

But for those 74 hours, it felt like it was just the four of us. It felt like we were all we had. There was actually something lonely about it, about not knowing what was happening "on the outside," about looking outside at night and not seeing house lights. But there was also something magical about the situation, about seeing an infinite amount of starts in the night sky when I usually don't even notice them, and about seeing the strength and cooperation of our little family as we navigated this new, brief life.

Most of the time, my little Eliza feels like a baby still. She's tiny, and fits so snugly in my arms, she still nurses, and probably because she is my youngest, I tend to view her as still a baby. But there are moments when I see crystal clear the toddler she has become and the person she is becoming. I am amazed at her growth and her sturdiness and her lovely personality. 

The leaves are changing, the sweaters are out, my little one still likes snuggling in the ergo, and my big one has found her bike riding muscles. We are ready for Fall.

Fall has arrived, as the massive pine trees in our yard shed their needles, 

turning our yard into an ocean of gold.

This morning the little one said to the big one, as we were getting ready for school: "I am a 'tudent (student) and you are a yucky hippo."

I see no yucky hippos in this photo. Just impossibly cute little girls.

My little girl now. . .

and exactly one year ago today. . .

Love Love Love!

My hopes for this blog seem to have gone the way of my hopes for organizing my desk, my counters, and my car. But amidst general disorganization and the controlled chaos of raising two young children, we certainly have some fun. 

This past weekend we took our family to an apple orchard, as we always do in October. We look forward to that crisp fall day, cozy in our warm clothes, even with cold noses, and pulling off sweet red apples from laden trees.

But this past weekend was different. It was hot, as the temperature reached the mid-80's! But we went anyway, clad in our summer clothes and wiping the sweat off our brows. 

My latest pair of sunglasses are lost. Things just. . . disappear at my house!

Enjoying a fantastic cider slushie. . . and each other.

All of us, plus Tweety.

Enjoying the hot day as only a 4-year-old can.

Happy 47th Anniversary to the Neals, the best neighbors our family could have. . . 

What Little Said. . .

"Got for" = forgot

As in:  "Got for I to bring Lucy!" She wailed these words as I was trying to hustle and bustle both kids out the door and into the car to get to church before the service began. I hurriedly went through her statement over and over again, trying to figure out what she could possibly mean, while grabbing the diaper bag with the hand that wasn't holding her, giving the dog a treat, watching Anna climb into her car seat, and almost shutting the door behind me.  I stopped and looked at her, asking, "Did you forget to bring Lucy?"

She nodded vehemently and repeated sadly: "Got for I to bring Lucy!"

Ahhh. I love hearing language development. It is simply the neatest thing. 

As was the smile I received when I went back and grabbed the nearly-forgotten precious doll.

Lizie and Lucy in a quiet moment.

Week #3 of Preschool Soccer

Two little girls drawn to side-by-side water play

Just like their sisters before them

Harper: Eliza:: Ada: Anna

So excited to start her second year of preschool! 

You'd think the Little One was starting her first year of preschool, from the looks of the photo.

And one year ago. . . 

Looking like such a baby still. . .

Is that really the same child?!

Oh, I love her.

A little early morning Lucy-love

(and yes, that is Lucy. She had a recent hair-cut after I melted it in the dryer).

One sign that summer's end is drawing close is that Tumble and Play has started again at the Y.  Twice a week, the lovely staff at the Y fill the large gymnasium with a variety of brightly colored mats of all shapes and sizes for the children, ages 12 months to 4 years, to run up, roll on, slide down, jump over and have fun with. They also stock the room with several balls, hula hoops, and a very low balance beam. For an hour, the kids can run, yell, dance to the fun music pumping from the 80's style boom-box, and generally get their energy out. 

The two sets of sisters (Anna & Ada, Eliza & Harper) had a blast. It was fun for the moms too. 

This was the only picture I could capture of the big girls

since they were barely in the same place for more than a few seconds.