Snow (and Ice) Storm 2011...Take 1, 2, 3, 4, 5....

We were really excited to have a white Christmas this past year, it is the first time that I remember having one in Georgia.  It was a lot of fun (other than Chad having the flu) playing in the snow with the kids.  When the second snow of the winter rolled around we were excited as well.  "Plan for 8 inches of snow," the weather people warned on television.  Chad and I rolled our eyes and thought that we would get a couple inches if even that much.  Well, here we sat with snow over our ankles and right at 10 inches, not the 8 that was in the forecast.  So, we bundled up the kids and went out to play.  We had fun running around, making snow angels, watching Mack and Molly hop around and loved having Daddy home for an extra day.  Then the ice started.  On top of the 10 inches of snow came 1 or 2 inches of ice.

Day 2 we were excited having Daddy home for an extra day but I did not think that we would all survive another day of confinement so we shoveled the driveway and braved the roads in the speedy car (AWD) and went to Wal-Mart.  It was wonderful and took us 10 times as long to get there as it normally would but it was okay - we were out of the house.  We got some new movies, toys and snack foods and were pretty happy the rest of the day.

Day 3.....seriously.  Daddy went back to work and we went to visit Nana & Pop.  A 17 minute ride on a normal day took me one hour and fifteen minutes.  It was worth every minute.  The ice had created the perfect track for sledding in Mom & Dad's yard.  We slicked up the bottom of a dog crate and slid down the hill for an hour.  It was the most fun that we had all week.

Day 4....OVER IT.  I was so sick of looking out the door and seeing white.  I want to see all of the brown grass and what is soon to be mud in the backyard.  We decided to go to the mall (the kids, Mom and I).  I let the kids just run and run through the corridors.  I was the mom that I typically despise and it felt great.  We were gone the entire day and it was just what we needed.

Day 5....not really anything to say.  It was the fifth day of crappy ice in Atlanta.

I was so excited to see the snow and ice melt this week - there are still a few patches here and there but by and large the snow and ice are gone.  Now they are forecasting a wintry mix this week and I think that I heard all the viewers of the newscast scream in unison, "UNCLE!"

Hello 2011....Goodbye 2010.

I recently compiled a scrapbook of all our happenings in 2010 and realized how truly blessed our family has been.  2010 was a great year for the Lackey's, a year of growing, a year of change and a year of fun with family and good friends.  With all sections of the CPA behind him, Chad returned to work at Beacon Financial to pursue his passion of helping people reach their long and short term financial goals, saving, planning, and investing all things that he is wonderful at doing.  The firm has increased since he has been there and I know there is only one way to go from here.  I resigned from Google in October and have been having so much fun with Tyler and Sarah.  I am doing some consulting on the side but I have more than enough free time to spend with the kiddos.  With all of the changes that we embraced in 2010, I think that we are ready for the challenges of 2011.

Of course you cannot enter a new year without resolutions so we have a few.  We are going to focus on family this year in different aspects.  We want our family to be healthier by moving more, watching less television, eating healthier and maybe even planting a garden now that I am home to care for the fruits and veggies.  We are also focusing on spending more quality time together both with the children and without.  2010 was so busy that oftentimes we looked up and realized it was weeks since Chad and I had any 1:1 time, it is our promise to have at least one date night per month with more if we can swing it.  We are working on the kids routines and sleeping in their own beds (doing pretty good already).  And I am sure that there will be more as the year progresses.  But most of all, Chad put it the best when he said, "Babe, this is going to be our year.  I just know it."

Here's to 2011 and the joy that it brings.  Happy New Year, People!