Seriously???

Today the email came in at 2 pm, no school AGAIN! We haven't been out oft he house since mass on Saturday night. The walls are starting to close in. I am contemplating and escape in the truck when jake gets home, when he calls to see if Danny can join him in a gaming session at mikes tonight. Poor Danny, stuck in here with his sisters and me...of course I have to say yes. So another long night for us girls, watching sports and staring at each other. And t hen the pictures start arriving from Jerry. Smiling faces, apron clad bodies, pictures of food, the team building night at his meeting is make your own dinner. The place looks adorable, I can practically smell the food and hear the adult conversation, which is not " can we play the Wii?)!

Gosh, I should have gotten a real college degree like mom told me to and kept working!

Danny and I did take the dog out for a loop around the neighborhood, it was minus 4 by lunchtime so plenty warm enough! Harry can't get enough of the snow, and it was a nice break from the unrelenting polar plunge work and laundry.

Tomorrow we are stuck here again, I am hoping they plow the streets and we can make a break for it in the caddy, but we'll see!

This is the vacation that never ends....

Yes it goes on and on my friends...."due to extreme weather conditions brighton area schools will be closed on Tuesday jan7 " !!  Luckily the library is closed as well, since I was supposed to work my big shift of the month from 10-5.

 We spent the day making those bead creations that you iron, it had been a while since we pulled that out, so the kids were excited. I cooked and cleaned and drank coffee. And when it was time for Jerry to leave for the airport, I shoveled and pushed and shoveled and pushed! It was crazy, we haven't been plowed since last Wednesday and as soon as he left the driveway the traverse got stuck. We had to dig tire tracks and push and rock and he finally got out. Made it to Lansing, and after several hours his flight was cancelled. But he couldn't come home because he wouldn't make it back to the house! He is in a hotel in Lansing awaiting a flight out tomorrow afternoon. 

So tomorrow we will see, baking is on the horizon, and breaking out the rainbow looms the girls got for  Christmas. Movies and indoor work outs are on the list also.

And for me, Polar plunge work! It is coming up on Saturday. 

Check out Danny's igloo!

Happiness is new pillows!

Is it just me or does taking down the Christmas decorations feel just as good as putting them up? It is a different good, a "wow, my room looks bigger and cleaner" kind of good, with a slight touch of melancoly over the passing of the festive season. It has taken about four days, and I still have a bit more, but it am basically de-decorated! And to celebrate I got some new pillows for my couch. As they say on HGTV, pillows are the quickest update for your room( actually I think they say knocking out a wall and painting, but please...!) have a look and see what you think!

Snow day!!

Well snowmaggedon did arrive, all the predictions were more than accurate. It has been snowing for 24 hours now and boy do we have inches...probably at least 15! Before heading out for our first shoveling session this morning Danny and I made eggnog and regular pancakes  with sausage and served up a hearty breakfast. Then we all headed out to shovel and play.

We made a huge pile so that we can construct an igloo, smoothed out the luge track on the side of the house and got the driveway done. We all took rides on the hill, and our neighbor Bryn joined us. Harry loves to chase us down the hill  and my last run he basically landed on top of me and we both got snow all over us...of course  it was a bit more uncomfortable for me! Jake arrived safely home from his Viking feast and brought Alex and Steve Koza and Sarah along with him.

Jake, Steve,Alex and sarah

They hung around for a while and had pancakes and coffee and chatted. It was such a nice visit. We were only inside for about an hour and we had at least 2 more inches of snow on the driveway! Jerry and I had to make a Home Depot run because we broke a shovel with our efforts! As we pulled up to the store the few people that exiting were all carrying shovels...oh no! But we did score 2 and were able to shovel off the deck and more on the driveway. Jake and Danny did a 5 mile snowshoe trek with Harry. And the girls? Well they pretty much hunkered down for the afternoon, working out on the elliptical and enjoying basketball and football on TV. I made African peanut soup for dinner and Danny made a pan of cornbread and we all had a great meal together.  The kids were very excited when we got word that a snow day had been called...the girls already had their PJ's on inside out, so they were happy to take credit for the day off. We finished the evening with a Mr. Magoo film fest( did you know that mr. Magoo went to Rutgers ??!) it was a wonderful, chilly,snow covered Sunday. Tomorrow Jerry is heading to Saint Paul, were the temps are supposed to be -40 on Tuesday! Have fun Jerry !

Luge run!!

Movie review

We went those The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty today. What a  lovely picture! Ben stiller starred in,produced and directed it, to great affect. Jerry asked if it was a comedy, adventure or romance, and we told him it was actually all three! The filming was done in New York, British Columbia and Iceland, and was quite breathtaking. We give it four stars!

We also at e lunch at Leo's after the show, cleaned Danny's closet and gave away some old toys, played Molly's new Beat the Parents game from Aunt Susan, and danced the Chicken dance in the kitchen. Happy Friday!

Baby it's cold outside!

Brrr, we tried to snow shoe today! no dice! It was too chilly even for the hearty Hinckas, never mind this wimpy Gallagher! We did get out to boxing and to the shops. We enjoyed buying new church shoes for our 13 year old with the man size feet ,9 1/2 at the moment, and new snowshoe boots for Charlotte and I. Charlotte proudly wore her sparty sweatshirt all around today and enjoyed chatting with all the other green clad folk. Jake made it home from work and we all had a spaghetti dinner together, with garlic bread made from jersey rolls-yum! I planted myself by the fire at around 8, and I am hp

Y to say I am still there now, sleeping on the couch to stay cozy! 

Stay warm out there!

Happy new year!

We had a wonderful morning to kick off 2014...mass at 9 in honor of Mary our mother, singing all my favourite Mary songs, home and changed and grabbed the girls and we headed to boxing at 11. John,our train or, was in rare form, full of optimistic chatter throughout he workout ( today is the first day of the rest of your life!! Make a new start! You are setting the tone for your whole year!) it was inspirational and hilarious! Then home to a. It jersey breakfast! Jerry played short order cook and put together Taylor ham,egg and cheese sandwiches on fresh jersey bagels and the kids were so happy. Tasty and satisfied an d ready to make resolutions.

I made one for the family when I hung up my new poster, proclaiming " if you don't have anything nice to say..."

I wish you all a very happy new year, filled with smiles and everything bagels and lots of other surprises!