Sunday, January 24, 2016

Blizzard 2016

Yes, I know, the internet is flooded with pictures of snow, but this is my diary and an event this great should not be ignored.
The weather prophets were correct this time!
This was the storm that actually lived up to and exceeded the forecast.
I predict that the forecasters will be insufferable for the next two years. They will be riding high on the success of this prediction.

Friday night after it started snowing I took one last run to the grocery store for milk and baking supplies. I didn't get bread because we aren't into milk sandwiches--actually I baked bread on Saturday evening and made yogurt with the milk.
I sent a text to Ezekiel telling him it is snowing and he should head home from his quiz-team-shirt-shopping expedition. Received a text from Ben saying he successfully completed the first leg of his trip to the cabin. 

Then the bored people of the house settled into "doing-something-other-than-playing-mindless-computer games" The ones that don't appear on these pictures were playing mindless computer games.  Faith started on a cross-stitch piece.

Hope used up all my baking supplies. 


Shekinah tried her hand at sewing on buttons.
I worked on my quilt-that-is-taking-forever.
Until we got a call from Ben saying they were in an accident halfway to the cabin.
No one hurt, except for his car.
No other car involved. BUT his car is in a garage two hours away and they were waiting at a McDonald's until one of the youth advisers could come and rescue them. (Yes, "he" became "them" he has a girlfriend)
Talk about feeling helpless.
His phone of course had no coverage when they arrived at the cabin, but thankfully I found out that they did arrive safely at 2AM.

Saturday was a gray snowy day...it actually snowed for 24+hours.
It must have been the weather, but I couldn't settle down to do anything worthwhile.
Shekinah struggled to walk in the stuff.
The 24" ruler that Faith stuck in the yard disappeared and the drive needed to be snow-blown at least twice.

Toward evening we dug out the cars that were buried in the driveway.
Zeke could just pick up huge chunks off the roof. The snow is a strange consistency.


Sunday AM the world looked better with the addition of sunshine. Church was cancelled.
I was supposed to be on ambulance duty, but our street was not plowed until too late and then they closed our drive when they did plow. I worry about the lady who took my place tho...she is about 5', they might need rescue to dig her out of a snow drift!


All the snow angels were made at the edge of the drive, cause the girls were afraid of losing a boot if they ventured into the yard.


Sunday, January 3, 2016

Christmas and New Year

We have too many cameras in this house! I almost thought I didn't take pictures at Christmas, then I found another camera.
Ben handed out his gifts that he bought for the girls in Thailand.
I love the colors!


Shekinah finally got her much coveted Our Generation doll.
" Her name is Olivia"
Unfortunately, she decided that she needs to re-name Ben's girlfriend .
" I think I'll call her Olivia."

I gave the younger ones some fuzzy worms that I had picked up somewhere. Initially Parker was sure they were alive and wanted "bug outside!" Eventually they were his best friends, he ended up collecting most of them from uninterested aunties and took them home. 
Cheap pets.

We have limited the amount of computer time during Christmas vacation.
Faith was going through withdrawal.

My family decided to make layette bundles for Christian Aid Ministries.
It is so much fun to go shopping for new baby clothes and package all of it.
Thanks to mom for making all the blankets, and most of the diapers.
Another lady that mom met donated all the little hats that are included in the kits.


We watched the weather forecast and decided that we would try a trip to the Phila Zoo.
Thanks to the State-Wide-Adoption-Network for making that possible.

December is a very good time to visit the zoo.
Very few other people were there and the great apes were actually active.
The drawback was that the giraffes and other African animals were not on display because of the cold.

But the troops got tired out by the time we did see what was on display,so we ate our sandwiches in the car and headed home.  I did get a phone call asking where I was, I totally forgot about a CPR class I was supposed to teach. It was a re-cert for only one person, but still. I hate when I'm forgetful.
One night this week I was happy to have the chance to meet with my cousins. We hale from a large family and family get-togethers were  always a blast.  

Shekinah: Can I have tape rolled up like a sticky bun?

The other cool thing that happened this week. I wrote this on Facebook.
Well that was interesting.
Walked in to my 85 y.o. patient on an ambulance call and started asking questions.
She said "you've been here before."
Me: "Maybe our ambulance has been here before but I don't think I have.
She started answering my questions then said "yes you were here before, you were at a yard sale here."
Suddenly it clicked! "Yes I bought my pressure cooker from you!"
Turned out it had to be about 13 years ago.
Either she has an amazing memory or I made one crazy impression on her.