When I was in DC, it was always the people who lived closest who said they "couldn't make it in" in bad weather. Annoying.

I could never get away with that now that I only live five miles from work. When I was commuting 70 miles a day, I could call in on bad snow days, but I have to suck it up and drive now. Since I'm so close, they took away my laptop so I couldn't work from home if I wanted to. Everyone else in my department has one and works from home quite often.

megan walker has a nice nativity procession and usually gives you a play by play when you see it.

French toast....mmmm. I do love it with a little rum or brandy in the batter. The best I ever made was with cinnamon challah. Orange zest helps.

We went to Emma's birthday party. Emma and Diego were Matilda's two peers at daycare and they've both graduated to preschool. This is probably the last time they'll see each other unless we run into them randomly on the street. That's a little weird and strange. But they're a sweet little triad. They never had biting issue or anything and always got along well. They hugged each other goodbye.

Emmett earned his keep by playing with all the toddlers for two solid hours. He's just so good with little kids.

I could never get away with that now that I only live five miles from work.

Hilariously, I just went and looked it up, and I was 1.6 miles away -- and not one of the closest people!

So I went out front to check out the scene and ran into my hot-but-taken next door neighbor. Fun convo. And he's gonna shovel my balcony when he does his tomorrow! SCORE. Apparently, it's advisable and OMG I HAVE NEIGHBORS LOOKING OUT FOR ME!!!!

I need to do him a favor (though I am, by accepting a package for him while he's gone.)

That's bullshit, Kathy.

I'm watching Happy Feet. This is a very odd little movie.

Aww, your neighborhood is love, sara. Also had to laugh at your mom's "when it clears out," because that's the way I think of snow, too! It's perfectly clear and everything's passable the next day, or maybe in a few days tops. There's still snow up the mountain from us, but ours is completely dry by this point. No more predicted for a while, more's the pity.

Dancing Grace is supercute!

Nurturing Emmett is also supercute!

My shortest commute day is padding in my pjs from my bedroom to my office. That never gets snowed out. But my longest one is just under an hour and a half on a good day. Fortunately, the marvels of technology mean I can now check the roadside weather station cameras to decide if I'm going in or not. And then tell the teacher on Facebook I won't be there. Very handy.

However, I am now on winter break, so after church tomorrow morning, there is nowhere I must be until Thursday. Bliss.

Grace is such a cutie.

Emmett is a sweetie.

I'm watching Happy Feet, too. It's quite the animation marathon here. But OMG those Santa Baby promos make me want to stab someone. Preferably Jenny McCarthy.

Liese, my lizard brain still operates on the wait it out. But nsm reality. I DRIVE to snow, and then leave it, damnit. I've had to reframe.

Hee. It's funny for me, because growing up just off Lake Erie in northern Ohio, I believe fundamentally that it snows in fall and stays there until spring. But at this point I've lived out here long enough that I just assume it's going to be clear soon and all I have to do is tuck in for a bit. I don't even check the forecast, really. It's so lovely and sunny even when it's cold.

So the nfl.com "live" showing of the game is at least 3 minutes behind live.

omg Paula Dean on Iron Chef and that woman just does not do FAST.