The Palmers: January 2011

Monday, January 17, 2011

Snow Day--well actually Snow week!

The threat of snow in Atlanta is always a really big deal...people rush to the grocery store days before and stock up like they are going to be snowed in for days...well, it snows and then by lunchtime it melts off and we all make fun of those people who panicked...last week was definitely nothing to make fun of...we got REAL snow and really scary ice! Sunday night it started snowing hard and within an hour we had multiple inches of snow...then, by the time we woke up the next morning, we had about 6-8 inches of really beautiful snow! (I know 6-8 inches sounds like nothing to you northerners, but it was a huge deal here!) We got all of our snow gear on and went outside to sled, throw snowballs, etc. It was SO much fun!!! By lunchtime on Monday, it had started to sleet. The top layer of snow started to get really crunchy, the sledding became quite a bit faster, and there was ice everywhere!! Thanks to the freezing rain and sleet,we were officially snowed/iced in! I thought we were going to be in the house for just a couple of days, but it ended up being 5 days! We were able to get out for few hours on Thursday and Friday, but just in the afternoon when the sun melted the roads just enough to make them driveable (even though a lot of the roads were still really bad!) at night everything would re-freeze since the temperatures never went above freezing during the day! Finally, by Saturday the highs were in the 40s and 50s and the snow was starting to melt. We still have snow on the ground, but the roads are finally clear! The problem with Atlanta is that we have about 4.5 million people in the city and surrounding suburbs, but only a handful of snowplows!!! The city literally shuts down! Even the Atlanta airport was closed for 2 days!!

One huge perk of the snow days was that Zizzie decided to come on Sunday and get snowed in with us! I don't think she thought that she wouldn't go home till Saturday, but she did have fun and we loved having her here! Thanks Zizzie for getting snowed in with us!!! The kids are seriously going through Zizzie withdraw!

I took lots of pictures the first few days and then,honestly, I was over it...I got cabin fever and the pictures stopped, so these are all from the first few days of the snow...it really was fun and beautiful, I just wish we owned a snowplow!!! hehe!!:) Enjoy the pictures!

Here are some pictures before all the kids were out making tracks!

Our treehouse!

Our street!

Our driveway was the best hill for sledding...not too steep and not too flat...all the kids ended up sledding at our house...it was super fun! :) We luckily had a boogie board from the beach, so that worked well until our neighbor came witha real sled...that is when things got a bit faster and even more fun!!! :)

Walking the"sled" up the hill...

Ansley even walked her sled up the hill...

and down...

Go Ansley Go!!

Then Sully got to ride down on a real sled...

Go Zizzie!!!

Loved this picture of our neighbor

This wasa creative sled made out of a plastic box...those Klockers are very creative...

Sully ran into a bush...

he was so cute, I had to snap a picture...

Matt and Sully going down the hill...

buddies!

Go Daddy and Sully!!!

Daddy and Ansley!

Zizzie!

Enjoy the pictures!!!

xxoo Tracy, Brett, Sullivan, and Ansley xxoo

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Ansley's Birthday Party!

I am a bad Mom...I have never had a birthday party for Ansley. With her birthday being 2 days after Christmas, her friends are never around and then I always say, "We will do a party in January." Well, I never did it...so, finally, for her 3rd birthday, I made it a priority to have a birthday party for my sweet girl. It is always so grey and cold in January here, so we thought a party at the mall would be great! We got everyone a Chick-fil-A kids meal, carousel ticket, and the kids had a great time!!! Yeah for Ansley having a birthday party! Thanks to all of her friends who came to help her celebrate!

Ready for the party!!!

not Tinkerbell like requested...Ansley wasn't blessed with a cake decorator for a Mommy...there were NO complaints about these... hehe :)

Post lunch carousel ride!!!!

Everyone quiet and calm...until the nuggets and fruit were gone!! :)

Ansley and"Nurner"

"Happy Birthday to You..."

So happy!!!

yummy cupcake!

Waiting for the carousel ride...

Coin slot!!!

giving tickets

Time to ride!!

kisses!

Happy Birthday sweet girl!! So glad you had a party with your friends!!!

xxoo Tracy, Brett, Sullivan, and Ansley xxoo

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Happy 3rd Birthday, Ansley!!

I cannot believe my baby girl is three...I know everyone says this, but I really can't believe three years has gone by so fast!!! Ansley was so excited that her birthday was finally here!!! For her birthday, Brett and I gave her a room make-over...new paint, new bed, bedding, dresser (Zizzie's childhood dresser)...the works...we did the big reveal on the morning of her birthday with balloons and some small presents to open...it was great and she was SO excited. After presents we did breakfast with Kathy and Carl at J. Christophers before they headed back to KY, and then we had our first annual Mommy/Ansley birthday mani/pedi and Starbucks....that was super fun and Ansley chose purple, of course for her nail polish color. After our mani/pedis, we went to Pwetty and Pip's house for a special birthday dinner and brownies...it was the perfect day for sweet Ansley!!!

So, because I use this blog as my journal, I must write some things about Ansley so I can look back and remember...Ansley is full of personality...she can be super high and super cute giving out kisses, hugs, and playing very sweetly....then, there is the Ansley that gets super low...HUGE tantrums, stubbornness, whining, and just plain naughty...she is somehow super girly even though Mommy is NOT girly at all...she loves the color purple, LOVES to eat raw veggies and fruit...she seriously could be a vegan...she always goes for her veggies and fruit first on her plate...good for her! haha! Ansley is very social and LOVES playing with friends...most of her friends are boys, but if you ask her who her boyfriend is, she says "James"--the 8 year old who lives 2 doors down...so, as of right now, she likes an older man. hehe :) Ansley LOVES to cuddle---she comes in our bed every morning and says, "cuddle me, Mommy!" and if I am not cuddling her tightly enough she says, "cuddle harder" My face is literally smashed up against hers. She has the most beautiful smile, but the worst whiny voice that isVERY hard to handle at times. When she has to go poo, she says, "I need some privacy"---I mean, she is only three, right? hehe She LOVES her "Pwetty" and talks to her a lot on her cell phone (pretend one, of course). Her favorite princess is Belle, her favorite show is Backyardigans and she can sing the theme song perfectly. She LOVES to sing and often sings while she is playing with her princesses...She LOVES school. She is a dare devil and likes riding things fast---I have to keep a close eye on her with the scooter...she sucks on a disgusting doll named "Zita" and she hates it when I wash her because she smells clean...I told you it was disgusting! She is the cutest, sweetest, most lovable little girl I have ever met---I know I am biased, but I just love this girl so much...I can't wait to see what I write about 3 years from now...I know I have a lot to look forward to with my little spit fire... :)

Here are some pictures of her special day...

The room before the reveal!

So happy!!

Time for presents!!!

Princesses!!!

I'm three!!!

Birthday breakfast at J. Christophers! After her LARGE breakfast, our server brought her a birthday crepe...she had no trouble eating that too!!! yummy!