It's Beginning to Look a lot like Ice-mas

Sorry we've been out of the blogging loop for a few days - we're in finals, our computer crashed yesterday, and we've been hit by multiple ice storms over the past few days. No power loss and no accidents here, but it has meant we've stayed inside more than is probably healthy.

But being stuck inside means that we get to start our great painting project for Sam's new room. We got the first coat on today after painting the ceiling and priming the walls. Hopefully one more coat and then trim and we'll be finished. I'll have pictures to post by next week.

In the meantime, you can warm yourself with this image of Granade stubborness: Sam has entered the "what is this?" phase instead of the "why" phase since turning two. He'll pick things up, cock his head to examine them, and then ask in a sing-song voice - "Dada, what's this?" Most of the time he knows exactly what it is, which leads to interesting exchanges at the supper table:

Sam - Dada, what is this?
Me - A piece of sausage.
Sam - Dada, what is this?
Me - A piece of onion. You should eat it. It's good.
Sam - Dada, what is this?
Me - The piece of onion you just put in your mouth and took back out.
Sam - Dada, what is this?
Me - what is this?
Sam - Dada, what is this?
Me - what is this?
SSam - Dada, what is this?
Me - what is this?
Sam - Dada, what is this?
Me - what is this?
Sam - Dada, what is this?
Me - what is this?
Sam - A piece of sausage.

Joy says she loves watching the battles of Granade stubborness that happen daily. You know my response - what is Granade stubborness?