A Week At Home

Kristin & Zoe--our dogs aren't allowed on the furniture, but Zoe needed some lovin'!
Tickle time on the couch with Ryan & Jason!
Brooklyn & Ashley play with a straw (I missed the kiss she gave Ashley!)

Jen and kids stayed through Tuesday after lunch. The snow had gotten soft enough for Bill to get Jen's truck back up to our house late Monday afternoon. The driveway had a few hours where it was slushy, and you could get traction if you were in 4WD, so Jen took the opportunity after lunch to load the car and kids, and head out while she could! We had a great time, and are very glad she & the kids came to stay while Brady was off fishing. It was some great visit time, and good time with the kids. We've missed them this last month! The weatherman was calling for more snow, which we did get. We had so much melt off on Tuesday though, that the accumulation seemed like nothing, other than keeping our driveway pretty impassable.

The kids & I worked all day in the basement and office. For some reason, these two rooms are the dumping grounds for "things that don't have a home". Needless to say, we were supposed to be having a house appraisal this past Wednesday, and it had to be done! We worked hard, and got both the office, basement and laundry room areas done, just in time to cancel our appointment due to the drive still being too snowy. Bill was only able to get out to work by using the big truck. The kids & I couldn't even get the suburban out due to the highway tires on it. 4WD is great, until you add smooth tires and a hill!! Ryan was able to get out to swim on Wednesday night, and commented how the snow was getting "ucky" looking on the side of the road where the road crud and rocks that they lay have washed up. I explained to him Michigan winters, with piles and piles of that stuff everywhere. He decided that while the snow is great, having it only "pretty" was best....even if it meant it melts away within a few days.

Overnight on Wednesday, the temperature rose and it began to rain. Snow levels are at 2000 ft now, so we have a 1000 ft buffer! We lost almost all of our snow on Thursday, and the only snow we have now is what was drifted along the fence, and the big snowballs that the kids made, which are now just small lumps! While we are in the clear, the Santiam pass is CLOSED--40 semi-trucks were stuck up there due to a snowslide (or avalanche) and were unable to turn around--so until the road department gets it cleared, there they will sit! I guess we will wait until late spring to go over to Sisters!!

We've been in the house over a week now (with the exception of Ryan going to swim practice one night), have had lots of fun in the snow, put together over 12 puzzles in the last 2 weeks, (that's 12,0000 pieces or more!)done some scrap booking calendars (Mine for 08 is finally done!) and enjoyed some good family time with not much TV! Yahoo!!