Dramatic Entrance

Over Thanksgiving I was reprimanded by my father for not making regular posts to my blog.  He not only noticed the shortage of posts, he wasn't having any of it. "You need to write in your blog."

Yes, Dad.

Winter was determined to make a dramatic entrance this year.  Having a lot of snow storms in one week just didn't have the "Wow" factor Mother Nature was going for, so she added brutally freezing temps and high winds just to make a statement.

Yea, we got the message, alright.

Winter is here and there is nothing any of us can do about it (without first getting on an airplane, of course).  It's amazing how 30 degrees suddenly feels balmy after negative temperatures and wind gusts that make you sing soprano when you step outside. (Just in case you were wondering I'm very much an alto.)  Tuesday morning the big news story was "The Blizzard 2010" and we were all being warned to stay indoors.  The kids got out of school an hour early so they could be home before the storm hit.  I cancelled piano and gymnastics and Adam worked from his home office.  We turned on Christmas music and put up our Christmas tree.  It was kind of fun to be snowed in . . .right up until we discovered that our snow blower was broken.

Time to hit the panic button.

We can't survive long without our snow blower, not where we live.  Today it has been snowing all day and all we have is a shovel. (When I saw "we" I really mean "Adam", of course.  I feel less guilty about not helping with snow removal when a snow blower is involved. Shoveling puts my guilt level over the top.  We've really got to get it fixed, and soon!)

Just looking at this picture of Adam makes me want to go and drink some hot chocolate! Brrrr.

In between storms this week we headed to my Aunt Kathy's for our annual Thanksgiving feast.  My Aunt Kathy and Uncle Brent are saints for hosting this many people for Thanksgiving dinner.

Yes, we are all related.

My Dad has one sister. She has 4 boys who are all married with families.  My Dad has 6 kids who are all married with families (only 2 of the 6 made it this year, but the ones who can't make it usually get homesick whenever they can't come).  My grandparents have been gone for 8 years but this is the one time of year when Grandma June's and Grandpa Bill's posterity come from far and wide to make fun of each other, eat amazing food, bowl, drink homemade root beer, hit pinatas, and light fireworks in the freezing cold and snow.

Adam earned a spot at the feast next year for making his yummy rolls.

I spent the entire time scanning all of the old family pictures in Kathy's possession.  I think I made around 700 scans.  I was either at the table scanning. . .

. . . or I was in the back room scanning.

I even scanned pictures at the bowling alley.

It's a good thing Adam was around to help the kids enjoy our Thanksgiving traditions while I was scanning.

Jenna broke open one of the pinatas this year.

My parents brought Korinne a fancy purple skirt and leggings for her birthday.  I didn't have anything that would match it but that didn't bother Korinne, she still wore them everywhere!

The bowling alley was cold this year.  A lot of us bowled with our coats on.

Keeping my coat on did nothing for my bowling game, however.  I bowled a whopping 75.  Sadly enough I finished in 2nd place.  My mom was the big winner with an 85.  NOT a great bowling year for the ladies.

We made it back home yesterday and I've got enough scans and family history stuff to keep me busy for at least a year.  Thanks to all for a grand time!