This...is not good

We have had a casualty of the recent snowstorms: the awning above our front porch. We had noticed that it was bowing a bit in the middle, then this morning we saw that the metal railings were starting to bend. The sun came out this afternoon, though, and I was hopeful that enough would melt to stop the impending disaster. Nope. We had no idea that there was quite so much ice up there--the sheet that came off was about four inches thick.

Zach has never liked this awning much, although he told me this afternoon (after it came down) that it had grown on him. We are already planning to replace our back porch railings this summer, so I guess we'll just expand that project a bit. But in the meantime, what exactly do you do with a collapsed awning? Any ideas?

UPDATE: Here's what you do: you call your insurance agent who says (good news) this will be covered by our homeowners' insurance but (bad news) we have to wait until at least Monday for someone to come take pictures before the awning can be taken down.

Ten and Counting

I realized as I was writing Zach's Valentine's Day card that this is our tenth V-Day! One dating, one engaged, eight married. I think all but twice we have made a special meal at home instead of going out. Strangely, I can remember what we made two years ago but not last year. I looked back at old blog posts to try to jog my memory and got a good laugh out of last year's cupcakes. Still no idea what we cooked, but dessert wasn't pretty. Thankfully, this year's meal came out much more successfully. We made shells stuffed with pancetta, spinach, and lots of cheese, drenched in a creamy asiago cheese sauce. (It is one of Giada's recipes, so you can find it online.) Oh my. So good. Possibly in the top five meals I've ever eaten, certainly one of the tastiest we've made. And you know what? It looked pretty, too.

Snow Days

Perhaps you've heard on the news...the eastern part of the country is getting a bit of snow this month. Our share: around two feet. That is not so normal. Normally we get a lot of snow, an inch or two at a time. Not two feet within a week. IUP, which hardly ever cancels classes, has canceled the past two days. Bonus time with Daddy! Here's what we've been up to while the snow falls outside.

Enjoying some blueberry chocolate chip pancakes; definitely not a normal Wednesday breakfast!



Playing with trucks...Austin is such a boy!

"Helping" Daddy.

Playing outside while Daddy shoveled the driveway, again. Notice the relative heights of Austin and the snow mounds!

Playing with snow in the kitchen.

Enjoying a warm bath at the end of a chilly day. Having already drawn on the wall with his Tub Tadoodles, Austin attempted to draw on his tummy. Didn't work so well.