A Girl Named Timi

Marriage Test 2008 Continues

Picture taken out the kitchen window looking on to the sunroom roof. This was just Sunday nights accumulation.

It's been a week of snow, ice, snow, The Hubs trying to work from home, me fighting a cold , and trying to get ready for Christmas all without leaving the house, and the power going on and off.

I can't even begin to tell you how much fun we are having!

Monday morning we awoke to MORE snow. The Hubs went out and measured the snow and ice layers at 5 am only to find that we had 14 inches of snow. It kept snowing most of the morning so we probably have at least another inch or 2.

The weather person says it's going to stop snowing Tuesday. On Wednesday it starts all over again. Rain starts on Saturday which should start some nice flooding!

FanFreakintastic!

Snow on the deck that has drifted up to the sunroom windows

The icicles hanging off the roof Poor Charlie has no place to pee.

He tried to go out in the snow but it's up past his manhood. Buuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrr.

Looking out the dining room window at the deck.

Do you see the stairs down the deck? Yeah, me neither.

The trees between us and our neighbors.

These tree branches are usually high enough to walk under and between. Not now, they are hanging clear to the ground. They look like huge white palm trees.

Well that's what I keep telling myself when I go to my happy place.

Front of the house

The Hubs aka The Snow Bitch has been shoveling for 3 days to keep us clear for walking and getting out of the drive way.

Sunday night............all his hard work gone.

Deck pictures

can you see the patio furniture? Yeah, me neither!

The deck railing

The snow drift on the deck up to the doors. We couldn't get these doors open if we wanted to.

So what have you been doing to get through the snow days?

I saw on the news this morning that it's like this across the whole Northern part of the United States. I was talking with WSU Laura and we were trying to think of reasons why we are thankful that we have all this snow.

It's what we do to keep from going insane. This isn't normal weather for this part of the world.

Here are my reasons;

1. I've done no Christmas shopping so the stress of spending too much money is gone. My family is all in the same boat with not being able to get shopping done so we decided the kids were the only ones who get gifts.

I'm done with my shopping!

2. There has been a lot of baking and cooking going on here. I've got to try several recipes I had been meaning to make. Some good, some not so good.

Also.........we have ate at home for a week.

This is a huge accomplishment at The House of B's.

3. I have my house all cleaned up which means I can sit and read guilt free. I'm now on book 3 Eclipse of the Stephenie Meyer books.

4. I have spent some time with my 6 year old niece, Princess Spoiled Brat who came to visit last week and hasn't been able to go back home. It's been fun to have a 6 year old here.

With all the snow not going any where soon, I finally just decided I couldn't stress out about all the stuff that wasn't getting done before Christmas. Places I wanted to get to before Christmas, people I wanted to see during the holidays, gifts I wanted to buy, and well.............once again we won't be having a perfect Martha Stewart/Norman Rockwell Christmas.

You know what we are having?

Some time together that we normally wouldn't take. My Grandmother isn't coming up because of the weather so I'll take the time for a long chat on the phone with her. I got no where I have to go or no where I have to be. My niece is always busy with school, gymnastics, friends, and whatever it is that 6 year olds do. It's been nice to hang out with her with nothing else to do. Made me feel good that she didn't want to go home.

Do you think this weather is Mother Natures way of saying "hey why don't you just slow down and remember what is important fool!"

EXAMPLE

Saturday The Hubs and I took Princess Spoiled Brat over to WSU Laura's to decorate Christmas cookies. Now last week when planning this event we had lots of other activities planned the same day. We were going to squeeze a months worth of stuff in to one day. With the snow and bad roads cookie decorating is all we did. We spent all day decorating cookies, laughing, visiting, and just having a good time. That would have never happen with all the usual rushing around.

It was so fun, and watching the kids decorate was an even bigger treat. It meant so much to us that I'm having a hard time giving up the cookies for eating.

Even The Hubs got in on the act. His "lets get physical" gingerbread man and this U of O gingerbread man.

Thank you WSU Family!

Another thing I have gotten to enjoy that I normally wouldn't because I would never be home. I would normally be running around like a crazy person.

My paper whites are blooming. They smell wonderful! These were a hostess gift from my friend Suzy from our Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. I love the old drawer they were planted in.

Love love love them!

She got these from Folly's in Centralia when she was down there visiting. I tried to find a website for them but couldn't. I need to go visit this place. I bet they have fabulous stuff.

Some other things I've done because I had the time...............

I had a bunch of cheery tomatoes left over from our party that needed to be used.

I dried themTakes all day. I sliced them, salted them, and bake them at 250 all day.

These are really good on pizza, in rice or salads. It's just a little something different.
I got to make pancakes for Princess Spoiled Brat. The only one who will eat pancakes with me.

Then witness the mauling of The Hubs by Charlie and Princess Spoiled Brat.

Then it was time to venture out and see if we could get Princess Spoiled Brat home.

There was a Grammy and Papa that were anxious to have her back home.

Down our road.

Lots of trees down from the weight of the snow this trip down the road.

The drive up to my folks house to drop off Princess Spoiled Brat wasn't too bad. It's about an hour north from our house. It took about an hour and 45 minutes this time.

The roads were bad once we got of the highways and main roads to my folks house but The Hubs aka Snow Bitch this week, drove us girls around like a pro!

Here are a few pictures I snapped while at their house and on the way home. They had a lot more snow then we did. Probably 12- 15 inches more than we got.

The sunset was beautiful.

Snow hanging off the barn

Snow snow snow .................as far as the eye can see!