And it keeps coming!

Snow, snow, snow and more snow. That was life has been like here. On the hill that I live on (about the size of Blackfoot) there are only two roads open for traffic, and chains are required (even if you have snow tires). The snow plows have been exclusively working on those two roads and none of the side roads have even seen a snow plow. Yesterday, my neighbors snow plowed my driveway twice. Each time getting rid of 5 inches of snow. I shoveled my walk and my neighbor's walk to see that 5 hours later you couldn't tell it had been touched. Last night at midnight I witnessed a crazy 4 wheeler-plow attempting to plow a path down the road our culdesac connects with.

This morning I woke up and could not tell where the driveways or sidewalks were. Yet again my neighbor came to my aid and have snow plowed my driveway again. Although I am humbled by their service, I won't be able to even get my car on the road because my car does not have 4 wheel drive and even if it did, it is too low to push through the two feet of snow on the roads. From what I hear from the neighbors, the snow plow is likely not to come through for 2 more days. Everyone in the neighborhood is outside working on the roads. The 4 wheeler-plow from last night is stuck in the middle of the adjacent road and my next door neighbor is outside with his turbo snow blower trying to clear a small path down our culdesac. I wonder when he is going to run out of gas.

I am running out of milk. I am guarding my 1 cup carefully from my kids. Asia is mad because I am not letting her have any milk. I have to go outside and clear the 2 feet of snow off my heat pump so it doesn't die. Maybe I can get my neighbor with four wheel drive and a large truck to pick me up some milk on his way home from work. My kids have snow coats but no snow pants and not the best gloves. I don't have any snow boots or adequate snow gloves. At least we have a snow shovel and a little bit of wood if our heat dies.

Also Tyler is stuck at the hospital. He was on call yesterday when all of this happened and will have to sleep at the hospital today, and maybe tonight again. The hospital is on Code D, which means no one leaves because there is no one that can get there to replace them in this disaster snow storm.

On the news they are saying that this is a record snowfall for a 24 hour period (I am glad I could come in time to see it j/k). The horrible winter last year has been surpassed in one day! And it just keeps coming!!!!!!

My backyard play structure covered with snow
My neighbor snow-blowing the road.

Winter is here

This year I was too late to do formal Christmas pictures so at 7:30pm I made them get all dressed up and bribed them with ice cream to get a decent photo op. I got about 3 good pictures.

2 days ago it finally snowed. My girls have been waiting so long. Every morning they look out the window waiting for the snow. As soon as it snowed, Kara was outside playing. She refused to come in (except for hot chocolate and then out again). I had to force her to come inside as it was getting dark, and I was afraid she would get frost bite. Asia is not as warm blooded as Kara. She will go outside for 5 minutes and then plead to come inside.

That night the temperature dropped to the negative teens! It has been so cold. It reminds me of Seattle when the whole city shut down because of the cold and the snow. Of course no one really insulates their house in Seattle. Here everyone is still going about their day despite the ARTIC WINDS. Even church today was packed!

This fall Asia loved piling up and jumping in the leaves from our Cherry tree.



We went home for thanksgiving this year and had a blast with the whole family. I caught these picture before we left. I am sad that I am not able to go home for Christmas. I hope I will not be too homesick.

Silly kids!