I love electricity!

We finally lost our power. It went off Wednesday evening about 5:30 as Danny was going to work. He went out to the garage and came back, saying he couldn't leave us alone with no electricity in the bad weather. He ended up taking off the rest of the week. Our power just came back on this afternoon. We only had school on Monday. Nothing has melted, it is still snow and ice everywhere. We'll get out this weekend to stock back up because another snowstorm is predicted for the beginning of next week. The electric came back on about 2:00 this afternoon (Fri).

We used our gas heater (normally we heat with an electric heat pump) and blocked off the kids rooms and the back room with our computer. The kids had fun sleeping in their sleeping bags in the living room. I cooked on a campstove. Thankfully we have a small generator that we used to keep the refrigerator running, watched tv, and used one lamp. We don't have any water when our electricity is out, so we used water we had in jugs in anticipation of the storm, and Danny got water from a spring in the woods to flush the toilet. I warmed up water to wash everyone off with. As soon as the electricity came back on today I took a bath and washed my hair. I did dishes and laundry very happily. There are still thousands without power and it's going to be in the teens tonight.

Chloe and I worked puzzles and we played games. The kids played with their Nintendo DSs and we charged them using the generator's power. They got a little wild in the evenings, but were good over all. Owen worked Legos and they could still watch cartoons. Phoebe played with Chloe and Owen and we read books and played with her toys. She couldn't quite understand it all. The first night around 9:00, she went over to the lamp to turn it on. When I took her to the bathroom, she'd say "I can't see anything in here!". She tried to watch a movie and kept saying "I can't push play!".

It's easy to take it for granted, but I am so happy about the electricity tonight!

Snow, Ice, and Rain

I still have electricity, hooray! Mom and Dad don't, and I hope we can keep ours on. Almost half of our county is without power. Danny is making it to and from work okay, but he worries me to death. Thank goodness for his four wheel drive, but he had a hard time getting up our hill this morning. I've been saying lots of prayers and Owen says that God is listening because we still have power.

Here are a few pics of the ice this morning but this is when it was pouring the rain so some of the ice had melted off. It's still icy and the snow has started now, and I guess the temperature is supposed to drop and give us snow and a refreeze tonight. At least the kids haven't had to go to school. If Danny didn't have to go to work, I'd be happy.








Updating with pictures a few hours later, with the snow on top of the ice.

Winter Storm

Much to the kids delight, we are in the middle of a winter storm. We have 6 inches of snow right now, and are getting freezing rain now with more ice to come, and then more snow tomorrow. I like the snow, but ice is scary. I hope we don't lose our electricity. In 2003 we had a terrible ice storm and didn't have power for 10 days. We could hear trees snapping everywhere. It was so surreal. I was pregnant with Owen and ended up in the hospital (with what turned out to be a urinary tract infection) one night. They hooked me up to the non stress test where I laid in a warm bed watching tv. I so wanted to be admitted. :) We stayed most of those ten days with my parents, who had no power, but at least had water and a couple gas heaters. Danny had to use a chain saw and cut trees out of our road just to get us to Mom and Dad's a couple miles away. The whole time trees and limbs and power lines were just snapping. Dad warmed us water on the grill outside and we cooked on the grill and a campstove. We had plenty of food and ate lots because we had to eat what was in the fridge or freezers, or lose it all. We worked several puzzles. Chloe had a blast and said she was like Laura from Little House on the Praire. We've since put in a small gas heater but haven't had to use it. We have a small generator now too, or if all else fails we could stay in the camper until it's gas ran out. But, hopefully it won't come to that!

Here are some pictures from this morning.

Who needs a sled?

We had a snow day today and school was closed. Not a whole lot of snow, but it snowed early this morning and made the roads slick. We had fun playing outside.

Here are a few videos. One of Owen flying through the air, and a couple of Phoebe sliding down the hill. (Sorry the videos are sideways, I forgot I shouldn't turn the camera while taking a video.)

Ice, Ice, Baby

Yesterday Chloe and I went into town to help decorate, and take food, for a party. On the way it started snowing. It got slick fast. I am terrified of driving in the snow. I had Chloe with me because she had piano lessons in the afternoon. Mom kept Owen and Phoebe while Danny hunted. We slid once on the way and couldn't get stopped. While we were at the party site, with my sister Betsy, it kept snowing. As we both tried to leave we realized it was nothing but ice. I slid once and went very slowly, and prayed a lot. Luckily, our aunt has a store in town and we all went there. Betsy tried three times to get home (but had to come back to the store). I, being the chicken that I am, called Danny. He came and picked us up in his four wheel drive. No way we could have made it home in my van. We had to leave it in town, and Betsy's car too. There were wrecks everywhere, roads and bridges closed, cars in ditches to drive around, and the roads completely covered in ice and snow. We went to Mom and Dad's to get the little ones and to drop off Betsy. She couldn't get home and had to stay there. We couldn't get back to the party. We did play a tiny bit outside before it got completely dark. It was so cold we didn't last long. I wasn't very prepared for the snow, Phoebe and Owen need snow boots. Chloe needs snow pants. Owen is wearing the same snowsuit he's had for three years. Phoebe's snowsuit is too short. They love the snow! Next trip to the store I'll get them some snow duds.

In this first pic, Phoebe is hugging Chloe as they go down on the sled. She isn't afraid, but I told Chloe to hold Phoebe as they went down, and Phoebe thought it meant to assume the hug position.





Church is cancelled today, so we're all in together for a cozy day. It snowed more last night. It's windy and cold. A good day to be stuck inside! And drink hot chocolate.