A Lot Can Happen in Four Days!

Wow, what a crazy four days.  I finally got to publish the post I wrote while the snow was falling Monday afternoon.  Soon after I started writing it, the power went off, and the phone lines and internet went down.  Four days later, I think everything is finally back to normal.

The snow kept falling Monday.  Ben got home from school (the bus was only about 20 mins. late) and immediately went out to play.  We built a defense wall for a snowball fight he was imagining would happen when Nate, Kylie, and Jillian got home.  Poor Ben had to wait three hours, because their bus was two hours late!  By 3:45, the time they usually get home, the highway was gridlocked.  Cars were skidding all over the place, traffic was at a standstill, and people were actually abandoning their cars to walk home.  Right before they got home, the power went out.  Kylie and Jillian were good sports, even after being on a school bus for over 2 hours, and went out to play with Ben.  By then it was so dark and cold that they didn't stay out long.

 

But Ben and Kylie did convince Jillian to let them bury her in the snow. Brrr!

Tuesday morning the kids were so excited school was cancelled.  But we ended up at school anyway!  Wilkes has a great sledding hill, so Brad drove us over in the truck.  The roads were very icy and I didn't trust myself to drive the van.  We spent about two hours sledding and visiting with our friends who live right behind Wilkes.  They graciously warmed us up with hot cocoa.

When the power still wasn't on by Tuesday afternoon, we were joined by our neighbor and her two kids, and Tifanie and Mariko.  We all huddled around the fireplace visiting and making paper snowflakes.  Tuesday night Brad's parents decided to give up trying to keep warm in their house (it was only 40 degrees inside!) and came over to spend the next few nights, along with Brad's 90 year-old grandma who was in town from San Diego.  Ben also got to have his first sleep over with a friend since our house was warmer than theirs. 

By Wednesday, it was getting a little old.  We used the generator for a few hours each morning, and then several hours in the evening between dark and bed time, so we didn't really have anything to complain about.  We played lots of games, mostly "Settlers of Catan" and "Monopoly Deal."  And we started our Thanksgiving preparations, still unsure where we would hold the actual dinner.  Originally it was planned for my house, but then Brad's local cousins wanted to see grandma, so the party grew too large for our house.  We switched it to Brad's parents', but weren't sure when the power would return.  It finally came back on Wednesday night about 9:30 at our house, but still wasn't on at Brad's parents'.

Thanksgiving morning we woke up to freezing temperatures, a little more snow, and the prospect of Bainbridge Island's first annual Turkey Trot.  I wasn't sure I wanted to run in the ice and snow, but I had already registered myself for the 5k run and Kylie, Jill, and Ben for the 1 mile run.  Plus we had friends who weren't chickening out (thanks, Brooke!) so Kylie, Ben, and I decided to go for it.  Brad came along to cheer us on and make sure Ben didn't freeze while they were waiting for me to finish.  I'm glad we went.  The path wasn't as slippery as I thought it would be.  Ben and Kylie ran a 9 minute mile.  I was so proud of Ben for running the whole way!  Although it was probably easier to just keep running and stay warm instead of stopping to walk and getting cold!  I don't know my time, but I know I was slower than my normal slow pace. 

Love the costumes!

Giving Kylie a high-five at the finish line

Thanksgiving day was full of family, friends,cooking, eating, and laughing.  We cooked three turkeys in electric roasters:  one on the counter, one on the floor, and one out on the back porch.  Jillian and I made an apple pie, two chocolate cream pies, and one banana cream pie.  Ben helped me make two pumpkin pies. (Katie B., if you're still reading...I'd love to teach you how to make a pie!)  We mashed 20 lbs. of potatoes, and made at least a gallon of gravy, and Brad's mom made several salads.  I guess we didn't change the quantity of food even though we had fewer people coming.  We ended up with a great group: my family, my parents, Brad's parents and grandma, Ashley, Brandon, and Jane, Jimmy, Mariann, and Izaac.  So 17 total!  And Brad's parents' power went back on an hour before dinner, something more to be thankful for. 

We played a rousing game of Balderdash after dinner where we learned the real definitions of words like mizzler, bathycolpian, and beeves.  Several times we were laughing so hard we couldn't talk.  I love times like that!  The things I'm thankful for might sound cliche, but it doesn't diminish my thankfulness!  Family, friends, love, laughter, a warm home, good health, an abundance of good things, and electricity!

Today we woke up to rain and much warmer temperatures.  The snow is gone for now, but we're going up to the mountains tomorrow to cut our Christmas tree. And I'm sure we'll be getting a lot more snow in the low-lands this winter!