ANOTHER snow day

Here we are, firmly in March, and we are all home from work and school in the DC area yet again.  A day off is kind of nice, but I do have a lot to do at work!

Over the weekend we knocked out a science fair project and a bunch of chores.  Today it was Legos, sledding, and movies!  Oh, and cooking ribs to warm the house up!

Finally! Back out on the water!

We are fortunate to have a few days with temps in the 50's this weekend so of course we had to get underway!  Besides, we're five days from the next polar vortex.

It's been almost two months, but no real issues getting out today.  The main was jammed in the mast, but we didn't need it and were able to work on it at anchor.  It was chilly on the bay, but a nice lunch of soup helped and now we are sipping cocktails while we watch the wildlife on the Rhode River.  We are also getting to watch little chunks of ice float down to us!

So, so nice to be out for the weekend!

A real winter!

I am actually a little amazed at just how "real" this winter has been on the Chesapeake Bay!  We've had to use the diesel heat and the bubbler, and the kids have been able to go sledding more than once!  The downside?  The pump-out boat and our boat have been separated from each other for quite some time by a big sheet of ice.  In fact it's been at least 2 weeks since the last pump.  That just means that we're getting a lot more practice getting the kids in and out of coats and life jackets this year!  Warmer temps are on the way...

See the pump out boat over there???

It's a Polar Vortex!!!

Based on the forecast we broke down and rigged the bubbler on the 2nd.  By the 3rd we had temps below 20F and winds just under 30kts and got enough snow to go sledding!

By the 6th the next round of crazy wind hit, with temps still below 20F and the boat "dipping to port" due to the constant push of the wind.

And the next morning the bubbler was churning hard!  6F!

Suffice to say we endured a few chilly days here in Maryland.  We "survived" with a combo of an electric heater and our diesel hydronic heat (each had its "moments," but overall kept us toasty) and good cooking!  The bubbler did a great job keeping the area around the boat ice-free, too.  And for those that are curious...we pretty much always wear life jackets on the dock during the winter since the water is so cold, but it's especially important when there is ice on the docks.

This weekend?  60F!  

Happy New Year!

We mixed it up a little this year by asking our friends Beth and David and their family to join us for our sail up to Annapolis for New Year's Eve.  Our dock neighbors on Nirvana also headed up on their boat.  We had a brisk sail up, and the chop got to one of the littlest passengers, but all in all it was a beautiful, cold day on the bay!

It was bitterly cold with the wind, but we still headed in to town for snacks, face painting, music, and a little time at the park.  But dang, it was cold!

Why do I love Annapolis so much for NYE?  Kid-friendly schedules!  The first round of fireworks went off at 7:30 and they were great!  All the kiddos got to enjoy them before getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

Somehow all four kids slept in one bed. Somehow we got back today in very choppy seas without anyone actually getting sick!  I had so much fun (did I mention it was cold?)!  I loved the craziness of having four adults and four kids under the age of 7 on a 39' boat!  I loved being one of only two boats in the entire mooring field.  I loved having all our Christmas lights glowing while we were hanging out in the harbor.  I loved having the hydronic heater humming away all night. I loved sharing one of our little family traditions with our very brave friends.  :)

Happy New Year, everyone.  Can't wait to see what 2014 brings!