It might be unpacked, but it won't be used . . . yet

This week I finally got around to unpacking the boxes that -- almost four years ago -- we'd left in storage when we departed Kentucky for Hawaii. The boxes were delivered ages ago, but they've been neglected, untouched, in our (over-packed) garage since they arrived.

In a flurry of activity this week, the Salvation Army came and hauled away much of what we didn't need (like those blue Ikea sofas from Germany -- ah, the memories!), Nan and Grandpa came to assemble shelves organizing what was left, and Mama finally broke down the last of the storage boxes.

One of those storage boxes was filled with winter clothes (we didn't need those in Hawaii!). The girls were fascinated by our collection of hats, scarves, gloves, and hats. They put them to good use, and quickly! Kathleen piled on two hats, even. I'm not sure how she managed it in the warm fall weather.

The best part? The girls' fascination with the windshield scraper... (That's what Kathleen's holding in her right hand, there.) After they'd toted it around all morning, I finally asked, "Do you know what that is, girls?" And when they said no, I explained its use.

"Oh," said Kathleen right away, "For ice. We should take that with us to South Dakona (South Dakota)!"

Or to New York. The winter of 2011 should be a bit of a shock for all us...