December 2009

	We're still getting used to the house post-remodeling. The busy wallpaper is gone from the dining room, but now we need to add something to the walls. For now, the tree is standing in well. We picked up our tree Friday night, and set it up Saturday, while the first snow was falling. Even though it snowed all day, there as nothing left on the ground -- just a couple degrees too warm.

The "real" snow started the evening of December 18th and didn't stop until early morning the 20th. The 19th was a very snowy day. Robert and his dad shoveled the walkway, sidewalk and a bit of the driveway three times during the day. We had 15 inches on our backyard table when it was time to head to a surprise birthday party for one of Sarah's Moms Group moms. We had no trouble staying on main roads and decided to walk the last couple of blocks rather than trying the hilly side streets.

	This was on our short walk to the Tot Lot. Shortly after this, the snow managed to take Robert's boots off. By the time we got home (about 5 minutes later), as all the snow in his boots melted into his cotton socks, his feet were really cold.
We woke up the morning of Sunday the 20th to 17 and a half inches of snow on our backyard table and a bright, sunny (though still cold) day. Time to head to Castle Roberto (the Masonic Memorial).

	The snow was so deep and powdery that most of the early sledders were going down the front stairs. After a couple runs, we headed over to the main hill and made a couple runs there as well. But Robert became very interested in building a snow fort. Since we already had the beginnings of that at home, we headed back to the house to turn our shoveling pile into...
...Fort Ivy (named for the strand of Ivy unintentionally shoveled off the driveway and into the pile. The fort is strategically located on the outside curve of Sunset Drive (but we warned Robert against throwing snow balls at cars). Robert enlisted the help of Megan and Jonathan from across the street and they did a great job turning our pile of snow into a most excellent fort. (With some help from Sarah.)



	Even at about 5 feet high, the top of Fort Ivy is just a bit below driver level of one of the big tree trimming trucks that came by. But it's a bit above driver level for normal cars... And with a 5 foot pile of snow and temperatures in the low 30s, I expect it will be around for a while.
The next day we had a visit from Evan and he and Robert decorated Gingerbread cookies. We also took him up to the Masonic Memorial for some sledding and did more sledding and less picture taking. We designated Tuesday snow man day. Robert and Sarah built one near the Blue Park before lunch and then a second one in our front yard after we came back from lunch. For our front yard snow man, we had access to carrots (no coal though -- maybe we'll have to wait and see if Santa leaves any for Christmas).

	Clearly we are still not hurting for snow. The Blue Park snow man was completed (including Mohawk hairdo) with pine cones.

Wednesday we headed in to check out the Botanic Garden Christmas trains. They were cool, as they have been in years past. This year (for reasons which seem obvious) there was no outdoor display.


	I don't remember seeing the fairies last year; I think that's proof that they keep adding new pieces each year. The famous buildings of DC were back as spectacular as ever. This year, however, I was taken by the acorn cap mushrooms. After the trains, we took a turn around the Capitol Christmas tree; the tree surrounded by snow just seemed to beckon us. It really is a pretty site, especially on such a bright, sunny day. And I have to give credit to Sarah for the ornament photo -- if you squint just right, you can make us out in front of the capitol.


Christmas continues on the next page.