WARNING: Do NOT Get Your Hair Cut At Trade Secret In O'Fallon

first, a question - anyone decide to upgrade their blog to the new beta? what do you think about it?

whelp - just a quick post for now. today is my first day off! i hardly know what to do with myself. i decided to go to o'fallon (mall, haircut, borders, panera) and check on my car sometime in there (o yeah...my car's broken - the mechanic i took it to doesn't seem to know what he's doing and i just found out the "little bit expensive" electrical part he ordered for me didn't fix the problem and it can't be sold back to the parts store - and they still don't know what's wrong with the car - ugh! frustrating!) ...well...i made it to the mall and wasn't in a shopping mood - but no problem...i headed to get my haircut. i don't know what possesed me to do it, but i went to a new place...and it was bad. the girl cut my hair with a crooked part (didn't realize til she was done), it took REALLY long to cut (which never happens - it's not a hard style)...she just kept cutting and cutting and cutting trying to get both sides even - little bit of a disaster. so now my hair is ok but not great - little weird - and i have a TON of little hairs poking me (she didn't really have the smock on right). by this time i wanted to get out of the mall asap and out of o'fallon if possible. borders was skipped (sad day!) and i made it panera (yay free internet). so here i sit...trying to relax, trying to figure out what to do about my car, christmas, and the kiddos (relaxing and thinking don't mix) and it's not really helping. so - below is a pic update (pretty much all i'm up for) and a better one will come later. for now i guess i'm gonna cut out early...maybe i'll see if sue's at jo's or if lori gaffner is heading to a movie tonight (found out she goes to movies by herself a lot of fridays - met her there a couple weeks ago and had a blast sitting with her - maybe that's a good option for tonight?) anyways - hope you're having a fantastic break, day, whatever...
love, jenn

Baby Elijah - 1 Mo Old Tomorrow :)

despite his rough start on life - baby Elijah is doing really well...he's up to 6lbs6oz! so great :) he's changing everyday so i thought it was time for a pic update...though by the time i get the chance to post he has gone and changed again...that's ok - i'm continue to play catch-up.

wide awake!

i look like a giant

do i look like a "mom" yet?

ahhh...sleep...

The Big Freeze!!

the temp dropped from 60 something to 28 overnight...and this is what we ended up with. lots of knocked out power, bitter cold, and cranky people. i was staying with sam at the filby's when the storm hit and power went out...it was pretty freaky...did i ever tell you i'm afraid of the dark?! (ask me about the story of that night...it's a funny one) well, daylight revealed the beauty of the ice...and it almost made things better. these pics are from 3 days after the storm...a lot of ice for being the end of a 3 day thaw :)

tree branches

part of the tree infront of Snyder Hall down from the weight of the ice

the bridge on the way to my house...

grass - like suspended animation

The "Green" Park :)

one absolutely perfect "park-weather" day before the big freeze! we took full advantage of it and spent literally HOURS at Patriot's (a.k.a - the green park) - he was in a FABULOUS mood (i treasure these times :)

"look - i don't need any help" :)

"made it!"

"i'm ready"

seriously - could he be any cuter?! ......today.....