This is the snow that never ends....

it just goes on and on my friend....  Seriously.  Cincinnati has now broken a record for the most snowfall ever in the month of February (a record in place since 1914) and it is still coming down outside.  We are all getting cabin fever.  I have no memory of ever seeing this much snow on the ground at one time in Cincinnati, ever.  I haven't been out to measure today, but I'm guessing we're at about 14 inches on the ground currently.

Here is what it looks like out our front & back windows, as of this morning (another 3-4 inches have accumulated since then)

We have been trying to stay busy and have been doing crafts and playing baby dolls, but this afternoon we busted out a fort in the living room.  We re-arranged the furniture on Saturday and shifted our couch and loveseat over to one side of the living room (I was inspired by my friend Tiffany who has a very similar house layout to ours - thanks Tiffany!).  I'm not sure I love the section where the couch and loveseat are, but I love having the open space by the toys for things like this fort.  

I am hoping that tomorrow by lunchtime the roads clear up and maybe we can hit IKEA for lunch (it's just 2 miles down the road from us) or something to keep us from being cooped up all day.  The problem with this much snow outside is that it is too deep for Claire to get around in, so it's hard for us to go outside even!

I am really excited to get crafty tonight with a tool that has been sitting in my closet gathering dust for a while - I will post some photos tomorrow and maybe it will inspire you too....

The Snowpocalypse that almost was...

I swear meteorologists are just guessing half the time. At least half the time. Over the past 72 hours, Northern Cincinnati went from getting 3-5 inches of snow to 8-12 inches of snow and back to 5-6 inches of snow.  I think we have about 4 inches on the ground.  The girls of course wanted to go out and play in it this morning - so Mark and I got all dressed and took the girls out.  Claire is still a challenge in the snow as it is hard for her to walk around and her hands don't stay in her mittens well, etc.  But she loves it and big sister was going out, so out she went too.

This evening Mark shoveled the drive and Kate went out to help.  I don't know what happened, but Mark came in and said "I need the camera" and when he handed it back there was this photo on it. Something about staring at the stars and being buried in snow.  Who knows.

Claire is turning two a week from today - which is unbelievable.  She seems like she has grown up so much in the past month.  I discovered last Sunday that her hair is long enough for one single ponytail in back.  It makes her look about 6 months older.

Off to build a fire and have some family time this evening (perhaps the Curious George movie - Claire adores Curious George right now), and finish my Valentine's Tote/Bag (using the Quilts Illustrated Charm Party Tote pattern - one of my favorites).  Pictures tomorrow.  Plus tomorrow is one more run to Kroger for the end of the Mega Sale event - gotta get my free goldfish if there are some left, and use my coupon for free Oreos that came in the mail today.  Yay!  So far I've done pretty well - saved about 60% on both trips during the sale.  This one might not be quite as high, as I'm going to buy a few things for the donations to Haiti that Kate's preschool is doing.  I got a letter Friday that they are parterning with the awesome organization that my sister Erin went on 3 mission trips with in high school Northwest Haiti Christian Mission.  So I'm going to be giving a bunch of stuff there - mostly medical related things like Tylenol, Advil, vitamins, first aid items, etc.  If you haven't given anything yet to Haiti relief, please consider NWHCM.  Their need is increasing as people leave Port-Au-Prince and head to NW Haiti which has much less earthquake damage.