The weather is slowly warming into the mid 30’s, and we’re waiting (not so patiently) for enough of it to melt so I can get my car down the driveway and out of our neighborhood. We were disappointed to miss visiting with family for Christmas, but now it looks like we won’t be able to make the trip until sometime next week. One of the chains for my car tires broke, and every tire store within 20 miles is sold out of our size (of course)! We’re still getting intermittent snowfall, which replaces the few inches that have melted so far, and so we have to start over again. I think the snow is beautiful and love taking the girls to play in it, but I’m also looking forward to having mail and trash service resumed, and being able to get out of my driveway.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas Day
On Christmas morning we enjoyed apple cinnamon pancakes while opening presents. The girls were totally spoiled by their aunts and uncles, and had a blast finally tearing the wrapping paper off all of those presents! We got the girls a dual screen portable DVD player to use on the long car rides to visit the grandparents. The last trip back (over 6 hours with crying kids) convinced us that for sanity sake, a little entertainment during road trips might not be such a bad thing, especially for kids who are too young to play travel games.
Dave and I had each ordered presents for one another online, but since the mail hasn’t been delivered for a week, we’re still waiting for a couple of things to arrive. Apparently the post office took advantage of the better weather on Christmas Eve to deliver whatever looked to them like a Christmas present, and left the rest until road conditions improved. Around 11am Dave got called in to work. A resident’s apartment had started flooding, and the water was leaking out into the hall. He didn’t get home until late afternoon, so it was a bummer having him gone, but I was determined to make it worth his while.
For Christmas dinner I made baked chicken, stuffing, Gulliver’s creamed corn, and cranberry sauce. We had dinner rolls from the night before, and I baked a frozen pumpkin pie that I had originally planned to give to a needy family (but was never able to make the delivery). All in all, it felt very festive, and I was glad I had what I needed on hand to make it special. Dave read the girls the Christmas story, and we finished up the evening watching “The Nativity Story” after putting the girls to bed (Eva enthralled to wear her new “Cars” pajamas).
Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, the temperature rose just enough above freezing for some of the snow to melt. Later in the afternoon we actually started getting rain. I was so excited, hoping it would finally melt most of the snow away so I could finally get my car out of the driveway. Most of the ice melted off our windows, and Dave was relieved to discover that the “shattered window” on back of his truck was actually shattered ice. When it melted off, it revealed that the window itself was intact. Praise God! Now we just have to get him a new windshield.
Our neighbor Terra, who lives one street over, walked her kids over to our house so we could all decorate Christmas cookies together. The kids had a great time with different colored icing and sprinkles, and even Amanda tried it for awhile (though she was mostly interested in licking the icing off her cookie). Everything has been so busy that we haven’t seen them in awhile, so it was nice to hang out for the holidays, even if only for a couple of hours.
By evening it was clear we wouldn’t be able to get the Taurus out, so our friend Steve picked us up in his van and took us to his house for Christmas Eve dinner. His wife, Katya, had cooked up a delicious traditional spread to share. It was the first time I had been out of the house and seen how buried the rest of town was. The roads were a slushy mess. Our friends Tim and Libby and their girls came to dinner as well, and it was nice to spend time with friends after being cooped up for so long. The girls had a blast all playing together, no doubt in as much need of seeing new faces as we were. Dave teased me because I had packed an overnight bag “just in case” we got snowed in again or stuck on the side of the road, but Libby had done the same thing, so I know it wasn’t just me! LOL!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
12/23/08 - Play Time
This morning the wind died down and the snowfall took a break, so I finally brought the girls outside to play in the snow for a bit. There was about 6 inches of snow, covered with a layer of ice, and then a foot or more of snow on top of that. I had to trudge a path into our front yard and flatten an area of snow for them to play in so they wouldn’t sink. Even so, their little feet would fall through at times and I’d have to help them get unstuck.
Amanda loved it, trying to throw the snow in the air and taste it on her glove. Eva was a little more nervous about the fact that she couldn’t stay steady on her feet, but giggled incessantly at the reaction she got every time she threw a “snowball” at mommy. We tried to make a snowman, but the snow was too powdery and wouldn’t stick, so we had to content ourselves with digging and piling it up like sand. It’s still such a novelty for the girls, they didn’t mind at all. I’m ashamed to admit we didn’t have a sled or saucer for me to pull them around in. Last year the snow never stuck, so we didn’t think we would need it. That’s probably what we’ll get with the Christmas money Grandma sent. J
Dave was finally able to dig his truck out of the snow today, and though he still can’t bring it into our neighborhood (none of the side streets are plowed), he can drive it on the main streets and in to work. Tonight he gave several employees a ride home before heading to the store to pick up more groceries before the next storm hits. We’re expecting another foot of snowfall in the next couple of days, so I’ve realized I’m going to have to make Christmas dinner at home. We’re not going anywhere for awhile! Dave managed to get his truck to our curb by following the deep tracks left by a neighbor. What a trooper! We should probably invest in a pair of snowshoes and a snow shovel before this winter is out.
National Guard sends troops, Humvees to help East County
http://www.theoutlookonline.com/news/story.php?story_id=122998306346610800
Is it twisted that I find it humorous that they're sending the national guard to dig us out? I still can't believe we've gotten enough snow to make it necessary! LOL!
Monday, December 22, 2008
12/22/08 - Winter Wonderland
We woke this morning with several inches more snow, and it just keeps coming down. Thankfully Dave had several staff agree to work double shifts last night, so he didn’t have to go cover a shift. But now he had to go in, with or without his truck. He ended up trudging to work in the freezing wind, wrestling through some snow banks up to 6ft (courtesy of snowplows). It took him almost an hour to walk 1.3 miles, but thankfully he made it safely. I hope he can find someone with 4-wheel-drive to give him a ride home tonight.
I snuck outside to take pictures during the girls’ nap this afternoon. Probably not the smartest move, since I sank up to my waist in snow a few times, but I was sick of taking pictures from the windows, and cabin fever makes you do stupid things! J Gresham has had 17 inches of snowfall in the past couple of days, and 5 inches today (it’s the wind that makes it pile up so high around our neighborhood). The weather man says this is the most snow Portland has had in 40 years. Unfortunately, the forecast doesn’t offer any signs of it letting up anytime soon. That means we will most likely be snowed in until Christmas. Good thing I stocked up on diapers, TP and groceries!
We had put together a box of groceries and Christmas goodies for a family we know that’s struggling, but now I wonder if we’ll be able to get it to them in time. It’s also a bummer because we know we won’t be able to drive down to my parent’s house for Christmas. We may have to put off our visit until the weekend or longer, depending on how soon this clears up. Still, we’re warm and well stocked up, and still have power, which is more than a lot of families right now. I’ve been enjoying chatting with other snowed-in friends on Facebook (commiserating about surviving cabin fever with kids), which is wonderful, even though we can’t visit in person. Nothing like the internet to bring people together when they’re most isolated!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
12/21/08 - Snowed In
We got hit with a huge winter storm yesterday, dumping over a foot of snow in just a few hours. The wind whipped through the gorge in gusts up to 68mph, dropping visibility down to just 15 feet at times, and piling the snow drifts around our house up to 4 feet high. Snow plows were scrambling to keep up, and by evening officials were telling people to stay off the roads unless it was an absolute emergency.
Dave had gone to work around 3pm to admit a new resident that was being transferred from the hospital. They didn’t arrive until 5:30, so he wasn’t able to come home until 8pm. By then, the snow and ice was piling up. The chain came off one of his tires and his truck was stranded a block away from our house, so he had to walk the rest of the way home in the biting cold.
The transportation mess has made Dave’s job a challenge. It’s his responsibility to make sure that there are always enough caregivers to care for his residents around the clock, and many of them were (and still are) trapped at home. Buses were running an hour or more late, if they were running at all. Around 10:30pm Dave tried to see if he could dig his truck out so he could pick up a caregiver who lives 3 blocks away. No dice. He tried my car, but couldn’t get it down the driveway.
This morning Dave took one of the chains off my tires to see if he could get it to work on his truck. He found his windshield cracked from the cold, and when he tapped on one of the rear window panes, it shattered. He found the missing chain from his truck, but was still unable to get it out of the snow bank, even with a friend’s help. So he had to come trudging home again.
The hospital next door to Dave’s building graciously brought their snow plow over to help clear their driveway so that emergency vehicles can get in if they need to. Dave still insists that if he can’t get enough people to cover the noc shift, he’ll have to try and catch a bus or walk the 1.3 miles to work and cover it himself. My hard-working man!
Cabin Fever
After over a week of being cooped up indoors, everyone is starting to get pretty antsy. The girls didn’t get to play much in the snow the past few days because Amanda had a bad cold. A couple of times I brought in a bowl of snow for them to play with, but mostly it’s been about trying to keep the girls occupied without watching yet another DVD! I’m seriously running out of ideas! Now that Amanda is feeling better, of course, the snow is piled too deep for her to play in. I’m really glad Dave is here to help me!
I’m really feeling the need to see some other adult faces, though. It’s ironic that Dave is the introvert who gets more than his fill of people interaction at work, while I’m the extrovert at home most of the time. During the summer it was great, with lots of activities and visits with friends: the library, weekly play dates, and a potluck every Sunday evening in the park next to our church. But winter has been a lot more isolating. Due to sickness, schedule conflicts and other stuff coming up, I haven’t had a play date at my house since September. I’m hesitant to take the girls to the indoor play park because they get sick every time I do (Amanda still puts toys in her mouth). Even when I go, I never see anyone I know. Many weeks, Sunday nights with our “Little Church” small group is the only time I get to see friends, and the weather has interfered with that recently. I am sooo ready for a girl’s night out right now!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
12/16/08 - Snow Days
On Sunday we got about 4 inches of snow, and the wind howling from the gorge kept us inside as it blew snow flurries around us. Amanda was sick, so I brought in a container full of snow for the girls to make into a little snowman, with raisins for his eyes and nose. Amanda kept wanting to eat them.
The weather forecast for the week shows highs in the 20’s, so Dave put chains on both of our cars. Monday was clear and cold, and the sun melted a lot of the snow into ice all over the roadways. They only scrape the main roads, so side streets like ours are still pretty slick, and the neighborhood kids have been sledding and playing hockey on them since school is closed. We’re expecting another storm with 8 to 12 inches in the next three days, so everyone is stocking up on groceries and supplies.
I tried to go shopping last night, but the latch on my car door froze so that it wouldn’t close. I had to take Dave’s truck instead, while he fixed my car. I’m not used to it driving the truck anyway, but driving it on ice is something else entirely. It has rear wheel drive and the chains tend to spin on ice if you’re starting from a dead stop, no matter how light your foot is on the gas. It’s an adventure!
Just a Snip
Amanda has been sick with a cold this week. I usually keep her out of the nursery at church, but this week I put her in childcare during MOPS, and two days later, she’s sick. Never fails! I’ll just have to wait until she’s past the age where she puts everything in her mouth. At any rate, I’ve been very resistant to cutting Amanda’s hair, even though it’s been in her eyes and she won’t wear a barrette. I’m just not ready to give her her first haircut yet. But when her hair started getting stuck to her goopy nose, I finally caved and snipped a bit off. IT’S NOT A FIRST HAIRCUT, I SWEAR!
Favorite Shirt
As a true surfer’s daughter, Eva loves her “Carlsbad Pipeline” T-shirt. She’d wear it every chance she got during the summer, and still keeps asking, “Can I wear the wet shirt?” even though it’s too cold. A few days ago Amanda spilled water down her front, and Dave changed her into the Carlsbad Pipeline T-shirt. Eva just about had a meltdown, crying and saying, “No! That’s my wet shirt! Amanda can’t have it!” I explained to Eva that she needed to share it. “But Amanda can’t wear it ‘cause it’s too cold!” Good thinking (and she was probably right), but I told her that it was going to be bedtime soon and then Amanda would change into pajamas. “Amanda’s too small!” Yes, but she can wear it for a little while, and it won’t hurt anything. “But she can’t have it, ‘cause she’ll choke!” Another brilliant try, my little negotiator, but no dice! Eva will likely outgrow this shirt by summer, so it looks like we might have to get a bigger one.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
12/13/08 - Christmas is Coming
This is our second Christmas in Oregon, but our first in this house, so we really enjoyed decorating it for the first time. We’ve discovered that the surrounding neighborhoods tend to go all-out (Griswald style!), so we like to drive the girls around to look at all the “pretty lights”. Last week I made sugar cookies and let the girls decorate them. Of course, they were more interested in eating them, so I had to finish them up myself, lest the girls end up with sugar shock.
We decided to put up our little two-foot artificial tree again this year, and the girls enjoy decorating it with the little ornaments from an advent calendar that Aunt Laura sent them. We lost the baby Jesus from our nativity set in the move, but its breakable ceramic, so I wouldn’t be putting it out this year anyway. Maybe next year we’ll get a plastic “Little People” set that the girls can play with, that we don’t have to worry about.
Car Crazy
Eva loves the movie “Cars”. She’ll go around the house trying to sing the Cheryl Crow song from the race in the opening scene, though she doesn’t know the words. When we were at the grandparents’ house for Thanksgiving, Eva saw a toy Lightning McQueen car in the play box. I don’t even think my Mom knew who the character was, since they never saw the movie, but she thought the kids might like to play with it. When we got home, I discovered that Eva had smuggled the toy into her backpack, and now she wants to sleep with it at night. “Can I sleep with Lightning?” she’ll ask. “I love ‘Cars!’”