More snow shots ...

After a yummy breakfast of whole grain blueberry pancakes topped with sliced bananas, powdered sugar and whipped cream (yeah, I know) Cari, Matt and I suited up to venture outside with our cameras and see what trouble we could get into. None of us could believe the amount of snow we got. We walked around the neighborhood a bit and just took in the scenery. The roads were pretty much a thick sheet of ice, especially in the shaded areas. The wind was whipping and we were freezing but it was worth it. After about an hour we had to give up and go in. But I got some fun shots:

It's only December 27th - I wonder if this is a preview into what the rest of the winter's going to be like. As much as I enjoyed this, I wouldn't want to have it all winter. I'm really looking forward to some 60's & 70's in Florida next week ...

A White Christmas! (sort of ...)

We haven't had a white Christmas since 1948, and we barely had one this year ... but we sure had a white day after Christmas this year! Talk about the blizzard of Christmas 2010. I started taking pictures as soon as my feet hit the floor - and pretty much all day long. Cari, Matt and I went out once but the rest of my shots were taken from inside and open doors. Oh wait, I did go back out to get some of the Cardinal shots. It snowed all day long and was still snowing when we went to bed around midnight. Sometime in the afternoon I put a ruler in the snow on the deck (it's actually still there) and it measured about 7". By the time we went to bed it was up to 12" ... crazy!

As we watched the 11 o'clock news they said with the preliminary totals this is the third biggest snow on record for our area. No way was anyone expecting this. In fact, we were on the border for the 2"-4" area. Guess they missed that huh?

Christmas Day

Cari's last clue for her Treasure Hunt was at the bottom of her stocking. As she pulled it out, she sighed knowing she'd have to put her thinking cap on so early in the morning. She had time to think about where to start looking while we opened the rest of our gifts. It took a few tries but she finally figured out where to look. And here she is grinning with her new "baby" ...

Getting her to put it away and get ready for brunch was a challenge, but she managed.

We had a wonderful breakfast with the Troupes. Lots of food and alcohol (Mimosas, Poinsettias, Bloody Marys), conversation and general chaos. Later in the afternoon we drove to Mom and Dad's, ate again and visited. Zachary has a cold and wasn't feeling his best but was still too damn cute in his little Santa hat.

We headed home around 5pm since snow was predicted. We wanted to get home before it started and the roads got bad - plus we were tired. LOL While we were sitting around watching football and vegging out, I got up to look out the window around 9pm and freaked out ... HUGE flakes were falling and it was coming down fast!! Cari and I immediately grabbed our cameras and began shooting through open doors. It didn't take long for us to get shoes and coats on and head outside though. So exciting!!

No telling what we'll wake up to in the morning ...

Christmas Eve ...

I can't believe it's been over two months since I've blogged. Will definitely have to remedy that next year. Life has been busy as always - I guess more so as we moved into the holidays. I started Christmas knitting November 1st - I'm still Christmas knitting. I never get everything done I want or intend to complete, but that's just what I do. I love making things for people who I know really appreciate and love and effort behind the gift. As many as I have managed to make in the last two months, there are plenty more I wanted to get to that I didn't - time just runs out on me. So those projects will probably be completed some time during the year and just given to the recipient whenever it's done.

I've got lots to do today. There are a a couple of gifts not wrapped, only because I need bigger bags, but those are the only ones left "naked." Bob and I went out yesterday (yeah, I know) and managed to find some new dishes. Since we're hosting brunch Christmas morning it'll be nice to have pretty new plates to use. They're just white square plates and pretty boring, but are nice quality and hopefully they'll wear better than the last set we had. The old set was only about 6.5 years old but were pretty ragged looking. So in addition to all I had planned yesterday, we ended up out in the madness looking for dishes. THEN I had to come home and open everything, load the dishwasher and clean out the cabinets (trying to find a place to put the old stuff until I can get rid of them). So I didn't get started on my cooking yesterday like I had planned.

I still have to finish Cari's clues for her Treasure Hunt tonight. We started that tradition about eight years ago when she got her flute for Christmas in 7th grade. The next year the big gift at the end was her piccolo. I missed a couple of years in the middle there somewhere but, believe it or not even at 21 now, it's something she looks forward to and requests each year.  I only have about three clues written as of this morning. We'll do the Treasure Hunt tonight. I really need to be writing those clues instead of sitting here blogging because I have to do that when it's quiet. I'll get to that next. So for now I guess this will be it.

Oh, I wanted to mention Florida too!!! I am finally beginning to get a little excited about vacation! We've never taken a vacation this close to Christmas before. I'll tell you one thing, it certainly takes long term the excitement out of the equation. There simply isn't time to think about AFTER Christmas when you have so much to do FOR Christmas. But now that it's Christmas Eve and most of what's gonna get done is done, I'm allowing myself to start thinking past Christmas Day ... I am SO looking forward to not only vacation, but getting to spend an entire week with Mom.

OK, and am going to finish for now ... hopefully I'll get a chance to check in tomorrow after things settle down a bit. So,

tata for now

ETA - it's almost midnight, we've made it through the day. The packages are wrapped, the food is prepared. Gift are basking in the light of the tree for the last night before being ripped open and discovered. In 24 hours it will be all over for another year. An entire year sounds like it's so far away. Unbelievably is comes incredibly fast. So here I sit reflecting a bit. Probably won't reflect too long because I've already taken my Ambien. LOL You'll probably be able to tell when it starts kicking in - I'll make even less sense than usual. :) Cari started her treasure hunt before 10:00pm. I actually stumped her (temporarily) on a couple of clues. She really had to think a while before she got them. Bob helped on a couple of them, giving her a direct clue she'd never miss. I was ready to slap him! Then Cari was ready to slap me. She usually gets her big gift at the end of her treasure hunt. Well this year I took a detour. She got all but her big gift tonight. She'll get the clue for the last gift at the bottom of her stocking in the morning. She isn't too happy about that part. But it'll go fast in the morning so all will be well.

Midnight now so I'm heading to bed ...

Our tree ...

I should've gotten the tripod out to do these, but was in too much of a hurry. Anyway, just a few shots of our tree this year.

Snow!!

Less than two weeks before Christmas and my "to do" list is as long as ever. But as the flakes start to fall I am itching more and more to go out and play in it. After talking myself into, out of and into going out again I finally succumb and suited up with my camera. I got such a rush out of being out in my front yard in the cold and wind as the white flakes fell on the leaves and flowers. This was the perfect snow to photograph. It was so perfect it looked like that fake stuff you can buy in the store. I could see the crystals in the flakes! It's the first time in my life I've ever seen individual snowflakes! They really do look like those paper ones you cut out in grade school! It was crazy! I ended up shooting a while, coming in to download and look at them on the computer three separate times. I really didn't have the time to spend the morning playing but man am I glad I did. It gave me such joy! Here are some of my faves from this morning:

Santa Baby

A few favorites shots of my gorgeous grand baby!!

Does life get any better? I think not. I am truly blessed. :)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I was so excited about the first half of the last movie coming out. I picked up the book to refresh my memory - remembered some, forgot some. Cari and I have always gone to the midnight release of the Harry Potter movies. After discussing the possibility of her not being able to come home on Thursday because of classes, she suggested I come to Harrisonburg so we could still go together. So, ... even though she was coming home on Friday after her classes, I drove four hours on Thursday to go to a movie. Yes, I know - but what can I say? It's tradition! The excitement had been mounting all week and by the time I got there we were stoked! Jocelyn went to dinner with us (O' Charley's), we picked up our advance tickets and fidgeted until we left a little after 10:00 for the theater. Thank goodness they didn't make us wait outside to get in because it was freakin' cold! I will have to say the time passed quickly. Finally the lights were dimmed and ... the previews began ... twenty minutes of previews! It was agonizing!

After a pretty fast three hours, it was all over. I had tried to figure out where they would end the movie - in the middle of the book. Surprisingly I thought it was perfect. I didn't think I'd like the ending no matter where or how they did it. I loved it. And seeing a movie at midnight with others as crazy as you are about the same thing is the only way to see the premier. That audience is simply the best. We all laughed, cried and clapped together as the story unfolded. So yes, I drove four hours there and four hours home to see a movie. But it was Harry Potter and it was with my daughter. Well worth my time and effort. (But I am thankful the last part comes out in the summer and she'll be home - LOL)