Snowmageddon 2015

Hola!

Well we are in the middle of our blizzard, here in New England and specifically Massachusetts.  I made it to the grocery store last night (didn't really NEED to...just did, for some extras...).  It is kind of funny, how the forecast of a storm sends people to the stores.  By 4 p.m. last night, the pickins were pretty slim in some aisles of Stop n Shop!  I did not have "water" on my list, but as I walked by the water aisles, the shelves were completely empty, except for 3 of those 5-gallon water jug things you put up in the office so people can get cups of water throughout the day.

NEWS. If you have the news on all the time (and I don't recommend it...I think 24-hour news is silly, given what they report as "important" most of the time), you would think we are all already dead!  Drama, drama, drama.  That gets people frantic and panicky.  That's not exactly healthy.

(I type these words on my computer, of course, meaning we still have power.  Knock on wood, count our many blessings, thank you, thank you!  My tune changes, you might recall, if the electricity goes out!  That is my own form of hyperventilating drama.  As of right now, we still have power and heat, and I am exceedingly happy about that!)

SCHOOL CLOSINGS. There has been lots of hype ahead of this storm, so schools pretty much announced they would be closed for today, by 4p.m. yesterday.

SNOW. So the snow started last night for us, and is supposed to continue ALL day, and into the night.  Wayland may get an additional 12-18 inches?  We currently have about that.  Maybe a foot? It's hard to tell.

Here's the front door, looking out.

Snow drifted against the front door

And also the view out the front window, towards the mailbox and street...

from living room looking out

same view (backwards) in the fall

Below, I've posted the same view, only backwards, withOUT snow...

It's supposed to come down all day today.  High winds make the snow blow sideways, and when it's so windy it drifts!  So you can't be so sure on the measurements.

So far, we are snug as bugs.  We still have power so Frank can work from home.

And I can still be in denial about shoveling until it stops tonight.

Then the digging-out begins!

Happy Tuesday from the Arctic North :)

Kari

Movies, Cooties, Patriots

Hola!  Today is the 16th of January...that would mean January is half over!  What have we done with the month so far...?

Elves...exceptional warriors :)

THE HOBBIT.  Yes, Frank and I held off watching "The Hobbit" until we could watch it at our leisure, and actually "finish" it, for Pete's sake!  None of this "3 separate movies, stretched out over 3 years, where you have to stay hanging, and wait a whole year in between each one" kind of thing.  Two weekends ago, we rented the first 2 Hobbit movies from Redbox and watched them, and then last weekend we watched the 3rd movie in the theater.  Amazing cinemetography.  Thoroughly disgusting "Orc" creatures.  And I really want those Elves fighting on MY side.

(P.S. I think Orlando Bloom -- photo above -- was born under a lucky star...how did he get the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, AND the Lord of the Rings starring roles?)

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS.  Well this will be WAY more exciting for our cousin Dallas in Show Low than for people in our house (?!?!), since he is the die-hard Patriots Fan.  But the Patriots are one game away from going to the SUPERBOWL!  Around this sports-crazy town, there is much rejoicing.  We'll see what Sunday brings.

STREP THROAT.  I couldn't remember why last week seemed so short...now I do remember.  I lost 2 days to laying in bed wishing I could disappear!  I don't think I have had strep cooties before.  I will say, however, that I am EXTREMELY glad to be born AFTER PENICILLIN.  Wow, what a difference that awesome stuff makes.

MIDTERMS. Kara and Teresa gear up for midterms at the high school...those will take place next week.  It's a new and rather daunting experience for freshmen.  Kara has 5 big tests, over the course of 4 days.  The high school sets it up like a college schedule.  The students have two 2-hour testing blocks of time each day of midterms, and no other regular classes.  It's "old hat" for Teresa the Senior, but having done it 6 times before (midterms, then finals each school year) does not make it any less stressful.

NEWEST FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER. Teresa has taken some really cool pictures in her photography class this semester.  Here are some she took while we were in Florida...oh the first 2 are here at our house in Massachusetts.  If you click on these pictures, you can see them bigger.

alligator buddy in the canal behind Grammie D & Poppa Dave's

Creepy, huh?

Have a great weekend!
Love, Kari

Christmas Highlights

Hola--

Just thinking about our Christmas vacation...I cannot believe we are at the end :(  That alarm clock went off pretty early in the morning Monday.

(REMINDER: if you click on these pictures, you can see them BIGGER.)

We went to Florida, to visit Grammie D and Poppa Dave.  They have a pretty small congregation, so we all gave talks in Sacrament Meeting.  Our topic was "Strengthening the Family."

TALKING TO OUR MISSIONARY.  The highlight for me was to get to see and talk to David on Skype, on Christmas morning!  He called about ten in the morning.

David in Italy, the rest of us in Florida in 2 different rooms of the house

We talked about his new area, his new companion, and his living arrangements.  They don't have a dryer, so they hang their laundry out to dry, every time they wash it.

Chase (David's friend in Massachusetts) took care of our pets while we were gone.  Teresa got him on her iPod and held it by the computer where David was, so Chase and David got to talk a few minutes too.

Chase, in Massachusetts

VEGETABLE GARDEN.  Poppa Dave has a beautiful vegetable garden!  We had fresh vegetables pretty frequently.

REEL AND ROD.  Of course Teresa and Kara fished off of the dock, in the canal behind David & Diane's backyard.  That canal leads to Lake Okeechobee.  They caught a TON of fish!  One night they kept what they caught, then Poppa Dave cleaned the fish and we had filets for dinner.  Not too often the girls get to provide fresh fish for dinner, for the family :)

fish for dinner :)

HUNTING FOR SHARK;s TEETH.  We spent one day at the beach...we drove close to Venice Beach, where they have lots of shark's teeth.  Did you know that sharks lose teeth regularly, and they grow new ones when old ones fall out?  One shark could lose 2000 to 3000 teeth in his lifetime!

in search of shark's teeth!

So much sand...so little time

shark's teeth to be found on certain beaches

Another day we found out about the Seminole nation, Indians who live there in Florida.  We went to their museum and learned that they went to war with the U.S. military 3 times, ending in a draw each time.  They never signed a peace treaty with the U.S., so they are still an independent nation.

We took a buggy ride through the swamp, and then an airboat ride.  We saw lots of 'Critters" that live in Florida!

friendly neighborhood gator

Oh, the girls got to swim some, too.

Now, it's back to reality.  What?!?  Already??!  Yep.  Bedtime :)

Have a great week!  Kari