Why do we make plans??

So our plan for Christmas was to drive up to my parents house on the Friday/Saturday before, sing in church with all 5 of my sisters on Sunday, visit with my High School friends and go shopping for a few last minute items Monday and Wednesday and spend Tuesday at the mountain sledding with the kids, then of course Christmas on Thursday, relax and hang out on Friday then head home on Saturday/Sunday.

This is what actually transpired: The drive was great, pretty uneventful until we were about one and a half hours from their home, it started to snow and snow and snow. Three hours later we got to the house, slid down the driveway on a combination of snow/ice/snow, and realized we weren't going anywhere at all. The weather forecasters kept saying that by Wednesday, all clear melting snow, warming temps. no problem. Unfortunately, they were wrong and it continued to snow until Thursday night. Just so we're clear, there aren't many snow plows in the great northwest because this NEVER happens and everyone is usually content to wait for the snow to melt, a day or two max. This was the most snow EVER recorded in the area since they've been taking records. It was a lot of snow. Church was canceled, and our car remained impacted in the place we left it until the day we left. We did manage to go into town and do some shopping at the Bi-Mart, Rite Aid and Safeway, thanks to the snow tires on my Mom's minivan and the chains on Traci's car. We also got to take the kids sledding, in the driveway. Christmas morning still came, it was really fun to see the nephews Christmas morning and to share in our family traditions. And I did get to see my friends Friday morning for a bit and go shopping later that day with my Mom and sisters. Two of my sisters that don't live with my parents were also stuck with their kids at the house for a few days so the cousins got to play more than they would have. I got a lot of talk time with my sisters and Dustin got a great work out shoveling snow for most of the week (almost all day on Friday just so we could get out on Saturday). All in all, the things that were important still happened, just not the way we planned.

Damen decorating our tree

Blake and Zack Monday morning

Damen getting ready to go sledding

The cousins, back row-Nick, Kaden, Robert, in front Zack and Damen

Me and my sisters

Christmas morning, Damen was REALLY excited about the train set


A few shots of the snow, Christmas eve and Christmas morning.




PS staying indoors for 6+ days with LOTS of baked holiday goods, not a great idea, I'm still working off the last three of the 8lbs I took home!! Wait, that sounds like Thanksgiving too. . .