When the Weather Outside is Frightful Blizzard of 09

This past week we celebrated my 25th Birthday and it just so happened that the worst blizzard the Cedar Valley has seen in over 20 years rolls in the same day. When Dan and I moved here, the one constant thing that comes up in conversation when meeting people are the winters here and how dreadful they are. Everyone around here has been talking about how fortunate we have been because we had not received a snow yet. They say there is usually a good snow in November. Well the snow held off for a BIG one. For a whole week before the storm came people were talking about it. The days leading up to Tuesday, the weather channel was flashing blizzard warning alerts. This of course got Dan and I excited but also a little nervous. We went and purchased a week worth of groceries and rented some movies. They were telling people it was safer to stay inside by Tuesday afternoon. Well when the snow started...it kept coming and coming and coming for hours and hours and even days. The winds reached up to 45 mph and the temperature down to -20 wind chill factor. The snow fall accumulation topped out at 18 inches and plus in some places. There were snow drifts 8 feet high. What a way to have our first Iowa winter snow. We were stuck inside on Wednesday, my birthday. But it was a wonderful, beautiful day spent at home with my two favorite people. Our street was plowed by late Wednesday night and we were able to get out Thursday morning. If this would have happened in Georgia, I think everything would have been shut down for a week or even more. Wow it is way different and something to get used to to drive in the snow. It was a beautiful storm.

Here is a picture of our street late Tuesday afternoon.

One of our awesome friends Jeff surprised us with pizza on Wednesday when everyone else was stuck inside. We were blown away at how kind and thoughtful he was to think of us Georgians.
Halle decide it was too cold for her to attempt to walk out the door.
This is our back yard on Wednesday.
This is the same shot as above of our street just the next day.
Yep, that snow is really up to my knees.
Here is our driveway after being snow blown. Look how deep that snow is.
This is our front yard.
And we finally got out in it, Halle actually loves it. She helps us find all her snow gear in the house when we are headed out. We have to hold her back from falling out the door she is sooo excited to go out.
Dan had built a ramp or slide for our new sled in the front yard. It is REALLY pretty cool. Halle likes it.
Daddy does too!
Here is a short video of the flight down the ramp, slide, or trail thingy.

It has really been a beautiful winter wonderland. I'm pretty sure we are going to be getting tired of the snow soon. But as for right now, we are just giddy over going outside to play in it.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Halle loved helping put up the Christmas Tree this year and she also likes taking it apart too...everyday. She's a good little helper.

This picture is of Halle helping us at the church with the Christmas decorations.
Here is a short little video of Dan chopping down the Christmas tree for the church. Wasn't quite as easy as he thought it would be.

I just love this time of year!

Thanksgiving in Minneapolis 09

We were not able to go and visit family this year. But Dan's brother was able to fly up and spend a whole week with us. We REALLY enjoyed Mike's being home with us. It was an awesome week. On Thanksgiving day we drove to Minneapolis and stayed the night in a hotel with the largest indoor water park. We all had a blast that day in the water. The next day we drove across the street to the Mall of America...and on BLACK FRIDAY. This was pretty crazy and bold of of us to do. The mall was packed of crazed inpatient shoppers and the lines were ridiculously long. But it was a great day. It was fun to watch Dan and MIke go at the pranks and competitiveness and bonding all week. Halle loved having Uncle Mike here. She followed him everywhere. And she loved to lift up his shirt and show him where his belly was over and over and over again. We really really loved having Mike here over the break. It was sad having to take him back to catch his flight. Uncle Mike you are welcome to come and see us anytime!!!! We love you.

Oreos, Milks Favorite Cookie

So I couldn't go too long without showing Halle a woman's delicacy. We enjoyed nearly a third of a package of oreo cookies together dipped in milk...the best and only way. By the looks of it Halle really enjoyed it...head to toe!

Corn, Corn, and more Corn

There is one thing that is not lacking here in the great state of Iowa and that's corn. A couple of friends, Alli and Scott went along with Dan, Halle and I to a corn maze an hour south of here. It was a super COLD day but we ended up having a really great time.

This thing was so much fun. It was a huge bouncy "thing" coming up out of the ground. Halle loves to jump.

Halle is mining for gold...and mommy is rooting her on!
This is go cart racing in the country, miles and miles away from anything.
This is something Halle has become very familiar with.
Yes, they had a "corn on the cob gun"!
The pig races were soooo cute! Actually this was the highlight of the trip for me.

They had a petting zoo with llamas, pigs, goats, chickens, rabbits, and more probably. This llama looked like he was going to spit on me any second.
Is Halle going to be a animal lover like mom?
This contraption may look a little crewel but it was pretty cute to see the goat hall tail up to the top when he saw us coming.

Halle was scared of the corn at first and unsure what to do until she saw Scott take a dive in and make corn angels. Then she was all game.
Dan lassoed the bull on the first try. I am so Proud. LOL

Can't wait til next year when we get to go back.

The Crunching of Leaves in the Fall

Okay I realize it had been way too long since I have posted and I am incredibly sorry. With a new baby in the oven I have been sick, extremely tired, and BUSY! But I wanted to make sure and not miss out on sharing some sweet moments we have had this past fall.

After supper Dan, Halle, and I took walks around the neighborhood. The weather was perfect and the fresh air always feels nice.

Halle loves her Daddy. She is growing up soooo fast! She looks like such a big girl here.
How could you not enjoy leave pile jumping in the fall? We were able to hang out with our sweet friends Katrina and Zion and do just that.


Halle loved playing in the leaves right away. I think all the excitement from everyone around her was just too much for her to take in.

sweet sweet sweet!
Dan is being the prankster Daddy again.

Pumpkins, Leaves, and Apple Cider.....I love Fall

I absolutely love fall. I could hardly wait to get to a pumpkin patch. Because of the weather steadily growing colder here, when we found the weather Friday sunny and nice we jumped on the opportunity to go. We asked our sweet friends Ashley and Denver to come along. Here are the pictures to help tell the story of the day.

Halleis looking so BIG and turning into a little girl!
The farm had animals you could just look at.
This one is for you Grandma Debbie!


Peekaboo!
This is definitely one of Halle's favorite things to do! As she slides down she says, "WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Buds forever! They had a hay ride that took us around the fields.

Being surrounded by TONS of corn here in Iowa, there are plenty of corn mazes. We finally got to venture out in one. This one was quite interesting and not really a maze at all. It was more like a pretty path with periodic breaks that had some freaky "children of the corn" displays.
Halle did not like venturing out in the corn.

Yes, this is exactly what you are thinking. They shot off pumpkins from this "pumpkinator" into an old school bus.
For those of you who have never visited Iowa, there is CORN and SOY BEAN fields ALL over. You can even see corn in the middle of town, ON the golf course, and in your back yard. We've been able to watch the corn stalks grow and mature over the summer. Now it's harvest time!

An afternoon spent with Halle, the Nelsons', hay rides and the pumpkinator is an afternoon well spent for sure.