One gloomy day

What happened to the sun? The whole day has just been gloomy, cold and wet. I never expected this kind of weather during the summer. The kids and I were suppose to go on a walk to the dollar store with a side trip to my Walgreens, I'm not about to forget about that. The day started out sunny but it got gloomy quickly and it stayed like that the rst of the day. I don't know when the kids will be back in the pool. I'm positive the water temp has gone down drastically. 

At least the kids have their tablet, IPhone or the Wii to occupy them. As much as I hate them playing with it the whole day, it is a great babysitter. Keeps the kids occupy. I do give time limits on how long they can play with electronics. But, when I am to busy doing things around the house I just let them be. It's easier for everyone.    I just want the sun and the warm weather to come back. I want it back in full force before Autumn heads her way into our part of the world.

WHITE BLOOMS

I took the photo a week before we officially welcomE spring. This is the side walk leading outside of our cul de sac. Every spring time we are showered with white bloom from these trees. I never asked our neighbors what kind of tree's they are. It is not cherry blossoms. We always pass under the canopy of white blooms in the morning when I walk my oldest Kayla to the bus stop and in the afternoon on my way to picking her up at the bus stop. Sure the trees are a menace to my nose but the beauty of the blooms are just breathtaking. I makes me feel like I am literally walking in Wonderland. However, the blooms don't last long. Eventually they will start falling down to make way for the new leaves. Spring is such a magical time! Although Summer is my favorite Season, Spring is my second favorite season. How about you?

I SMELL SPRING

Spring is just a few days ahead. I can literally smell and feel Spring in the air. Everyday is a battle with my allergy, spring allergy that is. Last year my Allergies were so bad that I could not breathe through my nose at all. Eating was like a matter of life and death. Chewing and swallowing was like a death sentence. Breathing is was hard. A few brain cells must have died while I was oxygen deprived. I kid you not, my nose would drip like a leaky faucet! Rudolph and I looked like we were related due to my red nose from blowing all the time. I am hoping that my allergies won't be as bad this year. And even if its going to be as bad as last year, I would gladly bear through it one tissue box at a time rather than suffer through winter. It's still early to tell but I seems like the allergens in the air is not as bad as last year. Who knows, that may all change in a month when Spring is in full bloom!

ARE YOU SURE ITS WINTER?

Can you believe the weather we've been having lately? I must say, this has been the mildest winter I have seen and experience in my 5 years in the US. As soon as Summer ended last year I was in dread. Winter and I don't mix. It's to be expected when I am from a tropical country where we are warm all year round,except for a few months of monsoon. The weather has allowed me and my coupon buddy Allison to walk to our nearest Walgreens almost everyday, well its safe to say everyday,lol.

Even thought the groundhog has declared we will get a few more weeks of winter, I am certain though that we are close to welcoming spring. And I for one cannot wait until it gets really really warm. The kids haven't really gotten very sick this winter season. Sure they have he sniffles and cough but no fever so far. I hope i don't jinx myself when I say that. Having a sick child is not easy and it pains every parents heart to see their child not feeling good. Hopefully the weather stay like this so we can walk to Walgreens everyday,lol

WARM,COLD, WARM,COLD???

The weather has been crazy lately. One minutes its nice outside and the next its bone freezing cold. Winter and I are sworn enemies and will continue to be so. It's not even officially winter yet, here I am looking forward to warmer weather. A weather where I no longer have to bundle up and wear my granny coat which is down to my ankles. I must admit though, I am looking forward to the snow. Not a lot mind you but just enough for the kids to play. Winter is going to put a damper on my couponing. My walks to Walgreens will be very limited once its hits under 32. Oh well, I guess I will just have to content with looking at those great deals online and drooling over them, lol.

WHAT'S AHEAD

Summer has been officially over last Friday Sept.23, 2011. I felt like I was saying goodbye to the more relaxed me. Growing up in tropical country my body is used to warm-hot weather. My body is not build for Fall/Autumn and Winter. I have been in this country close to 5 years now but I am still not friends with the colder season. In fact, I am mostly miserable when it gets cold, lol. The thought about putting on more layers of clothes makes me depress. I had to take out all our winter that was in the basement and wash them and sorted them in the hallway closet. Will we be having a mild or brutal winter this season? With my luck we will probably have a cold cold winter with lots of snow. Don't get me wrong, I love snow but sometimes its too much. For certain my kids will be having a blast this winter season. With that said, I stocked up on cold and cough medication for the kids as well as for me. I have already set up an appointment for them to get their flu shots on Oct. Are you ready for the colder months ahead?

IRENE AND US

I never did get the chance to write about the hurricane we just had. With me recovering from surgery still its hard to really sit down in front of the computer while my stomach area is still tender.

Hurricane Irene decided to hit the East Coast last August 27-28. I just has surgery a couple of days before that so Ralph did most of the running around buying emergency stuff that we may need like, water, batteries and just little snacks for the kids. For some reason I was not in pain, just a little sore inside and from my incision. I invited our friend Krista to stay with us and brave the storm at our house. The kids had fun playing with their respective Nintendo DS games and just basically left us adults by ourselves. I was worried about my husband, he had to work a 12 hour shift or longer depending on the orders from the Captain. I was so glad that Hurricane Irene didn't really hit us full on. We did get water in our basement about 3 inches. I was not really bothered about the flooding in the basement. I was more worried about the water reaching the outlet and the refrigerator, air conditioning unit and the hot water unit. Other than that I was not worried about the other stuff in the basement. Our sub-pump wasn't working. Even though it was just been a couple of days after my surgery I still had to do my part. Ralph got home after midnight and had to be up again at 7 a.m. With our sub-pump not working we decided to use the pool pump to get the water out and it worked.

We are just thankful that after all the weather reports Irene decided to slow down a bit. I am just glad its over and we are all safe. My heart goes out to all the family who have lost houses, properties and even loved ones.

ALREADY?

Its September already? Half the year is already over. We have officially stepped into the what we call BER months. When the calendar hits the BER month people in my country will start the countdown to Christmas and have Christmas songs blasting in the air specially in Malls.

For me, I don't particularly get happy when its after August. You know why? That only means the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall/Autumn season. And I for one am not a cold/winter person. My mind is going on overdrive thinking about how cold will it be this season. Hopefully it won't be as bad as I think it will.

WET WET SUNDAY!

Rain, rain go away come again another day!

What a wet wet Sunday were having. It hasn't stopped raining since around ten this morning. Rain and I don't really mix well together. I hate getting wet and my feet getting plashed with puddle water. Rain gives me additional work around the house. How come? When you have a dog you will know. The backyard gets all muddy and the dog is playing outside, running and getting mud all on his paws and his underbelly. If my area rug could talk it would probably beg me to take him off the floor so the dog won't track dirt all over him, lol.

Today's drive to Baltimore to pick up Kayla was a little scary. I hate going out in the rain. The roads are slippery, visibility is poor and its just plain scary. Luckily Ralph picked up Kayla because he knows that his mom will never be able to drive in the heavy rain and at night. We finally got home safe and sound. I just want the rain to end before our basement floods. So I sing again:

"Rain , Rain Go Away! Come Again Another Day!"

WELCOMING MARCH

March is finally here! A few more weeks to go then its finally going to be Spring. Well, I am looking forward to warmer weather but not so with the pollen situation. Every Spring I suffer from severe allergy due to the pollen in the air. My nose would be so stuffy that I have to breathe through my mouth instead of my nose. My eyes would get so watery and itchy that its get very irritated from rubbing my hands on it. Medication helps but it can only do so much. Still, I am looking forward to hearing the birds chirps and the trees start to bloom. I think everybody has had enough of winter and just want a change of pace from wearing to much to wearing something that doesn't require a winter coat going out. I am so looking forward to Spring because I know that Summer will be hot its tail. I love it when it snows winter but I can't take the cold anymore so don't dilly dally and just let your brother Spring come early..

AND SO IT BEGINS

I took this yesterday night at beginning of the winter storm we were going to get. This was around 10 p.m. when I let our dog Sunny out for the night. As soon as I saw the snow I knew that the kids would have no school the next day. I just stood by the door going to the backyard and just let the sight sink in. I love when it snows, it is seems so peaceful, clean and quiet. Until now I am amaze about the snow, the changing of the weather. When we woke up the kids immediately went to look out the window to check how much snow we got. A lot of screaming with oohhhs and ahhhhs and asking me when they could go out and play. Knowing me, they knew that they had to be extra behave so they can go out to play. Even though it was cold I ventured out and played with my kids.

S-SLUSHY

Have you been out today? Let me tell you its a slushy, slushy day today. School opening were delayed 2 hours due to the icy road condition early in the morning. I got to sleep in a little bit, let me rephrase that. I got to lay in bed a little bit and move a little slower, lol. The snow that was left from last week is slowly melting into slush and may turn into ice. At least it wasn't that cold out when I finally walked my eldest daughter to the bus stop, just wet. I don't like, getting wet and the mud that goes with it. To those who had to work and commute early this morning I hope you arrived safely at your destination.. Drive safe and pay attention to the road!

A SEA OF SNOW

Bbbrrrrggggghhhhhh! As you may well know Washington, Baltimore Maryland, Delaware, Pittsburgh, New Jersey and New York was hit by a big snow storm that started last Friday Feb. 5 and went on until the next day Feb 6,2010. Most schools in the Northern part had early dismissal in case the storm started early. The first snow flakes didn't start falling until around 3:30 in the afternoon and it was so small that you could barely see it. Around 4 was when it stated coming down fast but not as hard. I was so worried with hubby at work with the slippery road there is bound to be a lot of accidents.

The very next day we were all greeted by a sea of snow all around us. Our front porch was covered by about 2-5 inches of snow. Even though the storm hasn't stopped I hurriedly bundled up the kids so they could play outside.

My poor princess bruiser got buried and stuck so many times that she just wanted to be carried. She could not walk in the deep snow for fear of getting her feet stuck.

That is how deep the snow is in front of the house. It's over Kayla's knee but that didn't stop her from walking around and exploring the stark vast area covered with snow.
Amazingly a bald patch of ground was left underneath this tree beside our house. The wind and drift of snow skipped this area and left it with not even half and inch of snow. I tell you this was the only spot outside that didn't get buried with snow.

The whole family minus me of course since I am the photographer. Our dog is even present beside Kaitlyn enjoying the cool snow on his body. Like the good daddy that he is, he woke up to play with his kids even if he had to go to work a few hours after.

FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON

Saturday we got our first ever snow for this Winter season. It rained the whole day and by afternoon it started to snow. It was still a mix of snow and rain so the snow didn't really get a chance to stick to the ground. Kaitlyn was so excited to see the snow and wanted so bad to get out. Even if it was freezing cold I had to oblige when she gave me one of her goofy smile and said " I'm a go out mama,peeeessss?". She was in her nightgown so I just put her jacket on and threw her blanket over her legs and we went outside. We just stood by the porch and watched the snow while it was falling. After a long nap we woke up to our front yard and back covered in snow, it was still falling. But I knew that It was going to stop soon. I'm excited for my kids but I am so miserable for me. Luckily I have a very long warm coat to keep me warm when I walk and pick up Kayla at the bus stop. Its getting colder and colder and according to the farmers almanac this is going to be the coldest winter yet in 10 years for my place.