Penn State Chics Dig Nerds

Today it was warmer (40 degrees!).  It was still snowing nearly the entire day, but it was too warm to stick around.  Since it was warm enough to melt the snow a bit, we were able to build our first snowman of the year.  Up until this point all of our snow had been too dry and powdery to pack together.  Natalee has been asking (pestering) to build a snowman all winter! Putting on the stick arms. Attaching the carrot nose (the carrot from our pretend food). Placing on the stone "buttons". Ta-da!

We waited for Jesse to come home from work so that we could all do a snow jump together.  After getting several more inches of snow yesterday, we had a decent pile to jump into at the side of the driveway. Natalee was looking forward to this moment ALL DAY long! It's a bit blurry-- I did not have the camera on the right setting.  But, it is still fun! Both kids thought it was great fun.  We had to jump a few more times after this.

We received just a little bit more snow this morning.   Enough to cancel play day at the Community Center--AGAIN.  And, enough that we went outside to clear off the driveway.    However, that appears to have been in vain because it is now snowing again! My helper.  Don't you love her shoveling path methods? I think my kids are ready for spring. Mowing the snow.  Well, our college professor neighbors tried this last year and it failed miserably. Making Pumpkin Pie in the little house.  Ingredients: stones, leaves, dirt. Meg:  "If only all this white stuff would melt so that I could just lay down in the sunshine." I found a cardinal. We did go sled riding for a little bit again.  As you can see from her mittens, scarf, coat, and face, she got quite muddy outside this morning.  These were immediately thrown in the washer! One night last week, Natalee's imagination was going wild, as usual.  She...

Natalee and I at one of the Penn State basketball games. After eating breakfast at a restaurant, the kids and I decided to drive up to Raystown Lake for a look.  Quite a lot of ice out there! Brady has really liked putting Legos together lately, but he still gets frustrated when they do not go on quite like he thinks they should. At the other Penn State basketball game, Natalee caught a Subway sub that the cheerleaders threw out.  This has renewed her hope of getting things when she cheers! Everything can be a telephone. Greenwood Furnace on Wednesday after a dusting of snow. This is a fun new game.  Put the pick up sticks in the afghan, then pick it up and shake it so that all of the sticks fly out! For some reason Meg is staring at me tonight even though all of her needs have been met.  Perhaps she feels that more snow is on the way tonight?

Today, we went to the Johnstown Flood Memorial to take advantage of the national park free entry day.  (It was a free entry day for all National Parks) We learned some interesting things at the memorial today.  I remember learning about the flood in school during Pennsylvania History, but that was so long ago.  It would be nice to go back sometime when there is not any snow on the ground so that we can explore some of the trails around (bike to the Staple Bend Tunnel) and enjoy a picnic.  Additionally, it would be nice to see the Sportsman's Clubhouse. Looking toward what remains of the dam. This building was built by the Pennsylvania Canal for the person that maintained the dam.  Later, this property and Lake Conemaugh were sold to a group of wealthy Pittsburghers-- including Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon.  The flood occurred 10 years after these guys took over the dam. Panorama of the former Lake Conemaugh lake bed.  I was standin...

We did sled some more today, but I just took pictures of us snow jumping today.  We got a few more inches of snow last night, so we were able to go out and enjoy a fresh coat of snow this morning.  We decided to do a bit of snow jumping even though we don't really have enough snow to do this.  It still was fun!  When I shoveled the driveway, a lot of the snow is shoveled to this one spot because of the porch being on the opposite side. Jump #1:  Natalee and I (with Brady)  Jump #2.2: Natalee  Jump #3: Natalee and Brady  Jump #4:  ALL of us!