Um sure....

I have my cell phone programmed so that it "translates" my voice mail messages into text messages.

Wonder why I put translate in parenthesis?  Wonder no more... look at these gem from earlier today; this was a prerecorded message reminding me about a doctor's appointment RR has on Monday.  

Hello. This is the Wayward Memorial Hospital. The Griswold family is son Rodney King's lawyer's office, calling to remind you that Rodney, has an appointment on Monday 2 P M, Please bring all of your victims. Over the counter and prescription medication containers to each denial visit so that we can create an accurate list, of your mediation. Also bring your insurance card in canary if required by your insurance company. If you did not here at the complete pre recorded message or wish to change or cancel your appointment, call or Medical Center and speak to one or appointments staff members. Thanks. Thank you. An goodbye. 

Classic.  I wonder how Clark and the family know Mr. King.  Perhaps from when they all drove to Wally World.  

Test Subject

At the beginning of the summer I learned about a research study being conducted at UMass Amherst that was looking for children volunteers.

The study was in regards to the communication characteristics of Asperger and High Functioning Autistic children versus nuero-typical children and was being conducted by a doctoral candidate as part of her thesis.

RR fit the criteria, and after getting more information on the study I asked him if he would like to participate.

He eagerly agreed.   RR loves doing little tests and showing off for people.  RR loves talking.  Oh, and he really loves money (yes, I told him he could keep the stipend).  

So he got all signed up and we waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  The study was suppose to happen in two sessions over the summer.  When September rolled around I thought it had been called off; and then we got the e-mail with dates and times.

This past weekend we ventured off to UMass - and what a venture; apparently street signs are not allowed in Amherst.... and RR got to go and do his part.

We sat in a sound booth with a two way mirror.  He sat on one side with the assistant that preformed the test and I sat on the other side (so cool to watch him and hear him in stereo) with the doctoral candidate (DC).  He got to wear a microphone that would have made Justin Bieber jealous.   

aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh  - he went
ppppppppeeeeeeee ppppeeeeee - he

He made up stories based on pictures they showed him.  What a story teller that boy is.  DC commented about how you could tell he had a superior IQ based on the words he chose and how he told the stories (she had a copy of his profile which included his IQ scores and diagnosis).

They sang Happy Birthday... he forgot the words.  Oh wait, he forgot the words to the "regular" version... but he knows the one when you sing about people smelling like monkeys.... happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, you smell like a monkey and you look like one too.

45 minutes later he was done.  Done and jazzed, so excited.

He signed his first consent form, and I signed as well.  His voice recordings have been released (with no identifying information) to be used in conducting research and shared with students for educational purposes. Man, did he feel like a grown-up signing the form.  His chest was all puffed out and he wrote as neatly as possible.

So proud of my boy.

And many thanks to John Elder Robinson for turning us on to the study.  You can read more about it here.

Random Ramblings

A few random thoughts I have had this week:

Wine should be served at school open-houses.

There should be valet parking at open-houses as well.

Why do maternity wards offer valet parking only during 9am and 5pm?  Wouldn't a women in labor at 2am be more likely to want valet parking?

It should be easier to remove and install window AC units.

Is my child this hyper when he's alone with others?

Why aren't babies born with teeth?  It, this whole teething business, seems like a cruel right of passage for everyone involved.

Tele-porters.  We really need to step up the technology on developing and implementing these.

Luck of the Draw

I am one of those people that gets called for jury duty religiously.  The person who gets called before their "3 years is up".  The first two times I had jury duty I called the night before and was told I didn't need to report.

The third time I had jury duty, was December 23 and it was snowing and I had to report for service.  We, the jurors, sat around the court house until 10am when the judge came and told us the lawyers and other staff were held up because of the weather and we were dismissed "for the morning" and told to come back right before noon.  I went to McD's had a coffee and went over my Christmas plans.  We reported back, and shortly after noon we were dismissed for the day with a thanks for our service.

The forth time I got called for jury duty was this past February.  I really thought I was going to be able to call in and be told not to report as Husband was called for jury duty the week before and didn't have to report.  I was wrong, I had to report.  And not only did I have to report but I was selected and served on a jury.  The trial lasted the day and when I was out I was thankful that my term of service for over for at least another three years.

Then June rolled around and one afternoon I was checking the mail and pulled out an envelope addressed to me with a return address on it of "Federal Court System, District of Massachusetts".   I remember standing in the street staring at the envelope thinking "what the hell did I do?".  I slowly turned the envelope over, thinking there must be some confusion; and I saw the text through the back of the envelope "Federal Jury Duty Summons".  Really?  WTF?  I didn't even know they summoned people for federal jury duty.  But I was concerned, they had to excuse me as I just served state jury duty.  Apparently not; you need to serve state duty for 5 days in last 3 years to get excused.  Go figure.

Then it got better.  Federal jury duty isn't for one day, or one week, or even for one month.  It's for TWO whole months.  That's right folks, two months.  I've been on-call for jury duty all summer long.  No wonder it feels like I haven't had much of a summer.  Every Friday I have to call and see if I need to report the following week.  I've been calling, every Friday since before July 4; and every week they tell me to call back next week.  Aaaahhhhh!!  I haven't been able to plan anything all summer; because I just don't know what the next week holds for me.

Now work has gotten slow, and every Friday I say a prayer that my number is going to get called; and every Friday (so far) my prayers have gone unanswered.

Sigh... three more weeks left.

Thankful

Way back in the day, on this blog, I would write up three things I was thankful for.  I was trying to reshape my thoughts to focus on life in a more positive light (after a series of tragic events).  I haven't posted these three things in a while, and not because I was not  /am not thankful; but because... well, I don't really have a reason.

That being said I find myself very thankful as of lately, especially after yesterday morning.  You see the day started out like any other.  I was on my commute to work, about 25 minutes from my house; driving along the interstate when all of a sudden my brakes locked up.  Thankfully I was in the right hand lane and "only" doing 70 mph.  Traffic was heavy, as usual; and yet somehow I managed to not get rear ended as my car quickly, and unexpectedly braked.

I am thankful that I was not hurt and that no one else was hurt in the process.

I am thankful for the state trooper that came to my aide.  I appreciate his effort to try and push my car further to the side of the road, albeit an unsuccessful effort.  I am thankful he was able to call a tow truck.

I am thankful for my Husband for being there when I called, and for helping me out with numbers and coming up with a plan of action.

I am thankful for the DOT worker that checked on me to see if he could help.  Knowing people want to help you in a time of need really helps you remain positive.

I am thankful for the tow truck driver who came and got my car; who waited around with me for my Uncle who was coming to my rescue.

I am very thankful for my Uncle for rescuing me, yet again, when my car broke down.  I appreciate the ride, him letting me use his car and his AAA membership.  I am thankful for the smile on his face, despite the early hour and the rain when he got to me.

I am even thankful for my boss - who is very understanding, even if a little sarcastic, for helping me laugh about the situation.

I am thankful.  Thankful for it all.

Fifty-one

My washing machine has been slowly going for the last few months.  Half the time the clothes just weren't spun out when the load was done.  But the problem was easily fixable, just run another spin cycle.  OK, OK I was treating the symptom and not the problem.  This fact hit home about a month ago when I went to run "another spin cycle" and my washing machine laughed at me.  Actually it was more of a grinding clanging sound.

Not good.

This was a Sunday and the laundry was fairly caught up, I was just doing a "bonus" load to teach Turkey how to operate the washing machine.  Yes, he had reached that magical age where he could start helping with the laundry.

A week went by and after church we went to the laundromat.  I felt prepared and ready.  I had gone to the bank on Friday and had $20 in quarters.

Then, before I could blink that $20 quarters was gone; AND I still wasn't done loading the machines.  I surveyed the piles around us; and somehow everything we owned was dirty.    How was this possible?  We had stopped using our cloth diapers when the machine broke.... OK, ok, cloth diapers really don't make up the bulk of our laundry.  It was nearly 2 weeks worth of clothes, and sheets, and towels, and more towels.

Sigh.  I considered becoming a nudist family.  Me and the boys would have no issue with this, but Husband yeah... not so much.  So $51 and 3 hours later our laundry was done.  You read that right - fifty-one dollars at the laundry mat.

The next week I was able to get away with spending $7.50, by washing everything in one load and drying it all at home.  And I only washed the essentials.

Sure the break from doing laundry every day has been wonderful; but it really is a pain in the butt to schlep to the laundromat not to mention the other small fortune we've spent on disposable diapers, refills for the diaper pain... and the poor rash that Monkey developed from all those disposable diapers.

Our washing machine served us well for nearly 9 years, but it's time had certainly come to an end.  We had considered fixing it; but the repairmen wanted $40 to just come to our house.  So alas we finally broke down and bought a new one. For an added bonus I was able to SELL the broken one, and get someone to haul it's poor tired broken frame out of my basement.

I never thought I would say this, but I cannot wait to get home tonight and do some laundry.  I'm actually looking forward to trying out my new machine.  It's the simple things, isn't it?

Sleep Glorious Sleep

I don't require much sleep, an average amount I suppose.  Around 7 hours.  But it needs to be an unbroken sleep.

Unbroken sleep had been a pipe dream recently.  Monkey has been teething.  Four at a time kind of teething.  Four in a months time, kind of teething.  The type of teething that makes he grouchy during the day; and brings on restless sleep at night.  You get the idea.  Obviously a solid nights sleep is something I hadn't seen in many moons.

Until last night.  And it was heavenly!!!

I woke on my own accord, shortly before my alarm went off.  I thought about getting up and charging into his room to see if he was still breathing.  (Don't all moms do this?)  But I decided against it, and snuggled up to Husband pondering my very strange.

In my dream I was married to Husband, and we were hanging out at the childhood home.  All of my brother's were still alive and my parents we not divorced.  And while we were there Ben Affleck was hanging around.  He had a crush on me.  And when I wasn't running away from Ben I was talking breastfeeding with Jennifer Garner.  I gotta tell ya, I am NOT a Ben Affleck fan.  He is so not my style.  I'm more a Vince Vaughn kinda gal.  It was a very strange dream.  But at least it was a dream.  During my 7 hours of unbroken sleep.

In case your wondering I ended up waking Monkey at 6:40 to nurse him.  I was ready to explode and had to get a move on it as well before I was late for work.  Too bad things like this, his sleeping in that is, don't happen on the weekend.

US and Maternity Leave

I'm sure you've seen it; the cover of the Time Magazine that came out last week.

The cover went viral and was all over the internet; and being discussed in just about every mom-forum I am in.

I've said my mind about the cover; and I'm not going to get into that here.  Really, it is over and done with, and plenty of puns and "responses" to Time have been posted since this first came out.

What I'm writing about today is a call to action in regards to what is really wrong with being a US citizen and a mom.  I read this fantastic article on Moms in Maine entitled: Wake Up Moms - You're Fighting the Wrong Fight; and I couldn't agree more.   Go on read it now... I'll wait....

I have signed the petition and I urge you to do the same (if you agree) and to pass on link of the petition to your friends, family and co-workers.  I plan on writing a letter to my Congressman and Representative as well (as soon as I find the time).  Lastly, while you are at it, I recommend checking out Mom's Rising - and their call to work on improving the maternity leave situation in the US.

This isn't a "women's issue", this is a US family issue - this is something that affects us, as a nation, to the core.  It affects the entire family unit; men, women and children.  The issue isn't whether or not women should work once they have children, but rather supporting women IN their work.  I feel that my breastfeeding relationship with the baby was helped because of my employer and their maternity leave policy; which greatly improved from the Big Boy to the Baby (12 weeks versus 6 weeks, plus working from home part-time).

Having a child isn't a disability, and it is sad that many companies cover maternity leave as a disability.  This is a life changing event, and should be treated as such.  If every other industrialized nation can find a way to support women (and men alike, many countries offer paternity leave) I should think the US should be able to as well.  So let's lend our voices to this conversation and let our representatives in government know maternity leave is a right for ourselves, our wives, our sisters, and our daughters.

A Lucky Little Kid

My kids are pretty lucky.

Hey, they have me for a mom, so that automatically makes them lucky doesn't it.

I have a feeling Turkey is luckier than most however.

He has a knack at winning raffles and drawings.  That's not to say he wins every time; but I would say he usually wins like 75% of the time.

At Pumpkin Feast in October him and I both found four-leaf clovers.  That was the 2nd one I've ever found in my 30-something years; with my first one being around the age of 12.

Just he other night Turkey found one in our backyard.  So that's two for him in less than 6 months.

Now I've read four leaf clovers occur once in every 10,000 clovers.  And I am sure we have well over 10,000 clovers in our yard.  But really what were the chances he'd find another one so soon?

For Giggles

Breastfeeding makes me happy.  You know this if you're read my blog before.

But not just my breastfeeding experience makes me happy.  I get happy when I hear about others doing the same, and I really enjoy seeing breastfeeding messages in day to day living.  I love that Lois breastfeeds Stewie, and I laugh out loud (for real, not an LOL) when I read Baby Blues in the Sunday paper and the comic strips features a breastfeeding joke.  Sometimes those jokes almost seem like inside jokes, something that only breastfeeding parents can relate to.

Yesterday while poking around on the big ol' world wide web I came across Baby Blues World Breastfeeding Week 2009 (I said I was poking around) tribute.  You can find the whole thing here, but I wanted to take some time and share with you some of my favorites.

You'll need to click on them to enlarge.  My comments are attached to each.  Enjoy!!!

Or in the church parking lot hoping you don't flash Monsignor.
Or in the parking lot at the grocery store, with your winter jacket as a nursing pillow.
You get the idea.  Monkey loves nursing in the car because I let him play with the steering wheel when he's done.

I actually sing Monkey this song while nursing him.  Turkey likes to come in and chat during these times.
Usually to tell me he wants something (to eat, play with, TV time, or to buy).
Monkey does not like to be interrupted during these times and will sit up and stare at him until he leaves.

Yeah, especially now that he has a tooth.

Smiles & Laughing

My boys (all of them) make me smile and laugh.  They really can be addicting to be around sometimes.  Especially watching the kids in a bubble bath with red tinted water thanks to Avon fruit-punch kid bubble-bath.  Or when Husband does his Steve Urkel impression.

While at lunch yesterday I saw some plastic flowers "planted" outside.  This cracks me up to no end.  And it got me thinking what other things in day to day life make me smile or laugh.  Sometimes you need to try your hardest to see the good things in life (outside your family)....

So I composed a list.

~ Rainbows.  I've seen a lot of rainbows in the last few years, especially off exit 7 on the way home.  But really any rainbow makes me happy.  Like this one my friend R captured and shared on Facebook the other day.

~ Reading about good news; especially on some of the blogs I follow.  I love when other peoples happiness is contagious and you smile right along with them.

~ Chocolate, in particular surprise chocolate in the form of ice cream or muffins.

~ E-mails, letters or cards from friends that come just so they can see how you are doing.

~ OK... good surprises in general make me happy.  Like the other month when I came home to a package from my friend T, which had an eggs over easy diaper for Monkey in it.  That was really special, and certainly made me smile.

~ Completing a project I've been putting off.  The Lazy Mom blog stopped her "Things I've Been Meaning to Do" post, and I have stopped as a result of that.  Maybe I should re-institute this for myself.

~ The following movies: The Great Outdoors, Dragnet and Exit to Eden.  Always guaranteed a laugh no matter how many times I have seen them.

What's on your list?

An Hour

I don't live in Arizona.  Right about now I wish I did.

What's so great about Arizona?  Aside from a few friends that live out there - they don't participate in the foolishness of daylight savings time.

The week before DST friends all over Facebook where cooing about how they couldn't wait "for the extra hour of light in the evenings".  Bah humbug.

A few of them grumbled the day after about feeling tired and worn down the next day.

It's been nearly a week and I still feel tired and worn down.

I am a morning person (feel free to cuss at me under your breath) and I love my sunlight in the morning.  With the time change I feel like I have been pulled back into the dark days of winter.  I really dislike getting up while it's still dark out; and while I am mentally awake it is hard to physically pull myself out of bed.  I've been running late nearly every morning this week, and I don't like that.

Add into that a baby that has decided to start nursing again at 3am, mid way through my nights sleep; and it's a recipe for one very tired lady.  I think he's feeling the time change as well, because he doesn't seem to want our standard 10pm nursing session; and then wakes up famished at 3am.

The last couple of days I have felt the fatigue through out my body.  It's the kind of sleep that makes you want to pull a blanket up over your head and close your eyes at noon (and every other hour of the day).

But then when bedtime hits - whamoo; my internal clock is still feeling it as an hour earlier and I'm up later than I should be.

I would say DST is for the birds, but they have no use for clocks; sigh.

Apparently my sleepiness is getting to be very obvious as co-workers are telling me how much I am yawning today.

Glass Cat

When I was growing up my grandma lived in a light green cape with white shutters.  It was a picaresque little house, on the outside, with twin weeping willows lining the front walk and a white picket fence, standing tall on top of a hill.

Inside was still charming, but tacky at the same time.  She had wall to wall carpeting, including in the bathroom and kitchen, that she was so proud of.  The living room was a dark wood paneling that only the 70s could love.  The counsel TV was in front of the windows and my grandpa's recliner was in the corner.  A long couch and coffee table sat across from the TV.  There was a side table on either side of the couch.  When my cousin and I slept over we slept in the living room, in sleeping bags with the table pushed out of the way.  Above the couch hung newborn pictures of their four children, arranged in a diamond shape.  Under one of the side tables sat a white ceramic cat.

Later when my grandma moved to her condominium and she got new furniture she set up her living room the same way.  This time the glass cat moved to the corner of the room.

And then even later when she moved to the assisted living facility, the cat came with her.  Her silent steady never wavering partner.

I don't recall my grandparents having any pets when I was growing up.  I have been told they had an Irish setter which bite me when I was small, but I don't remember that.  But maybe it's why I am not a huge fan of dogs.

When my grandma passed away, we all worked together to clean out her little apartment.  We received many things from her estate including jewelry, a new dining set and a flat screen TV; but none of it meant as much to me as that glass cat.  I was honestly surprised that no one else wanted the cat; as I was prepared to make my case for it.

So now the glass cat sits in the corner of our living room, overseeing our day to day activities.

These days we're constantly moving the car away from Ultimate-Baby-Descructo; who likes to crawl over to it and slap it.  I'm hoping the cat survives these years in one piece, as I look forward to my boys and hopefully my grandchild recalling the glass cat in the corner of our house.

Risk Taking

Earlier last week Turkey came home with this drawing:

He gave me great detail about the ammunition sashes he drew, the type of guns and weapons shown.  

Noticing the title (Army Me), I asked him if he was considering a career in the army.  

He looked at me very seriously, and replied "No Mom.  I might have to go to war then, and I just can't take a risk like that."

But that's how he is; Turkey has never been a big risk taker.  When he was small his gross motor skills were late to develop because he was so cautious.  When all of my friends kids were climbing out of their cribs, I couldn't imagine him doing the same... until he did and landed on his head.  Guess what?  He's never been a climber since then.... he was easily 3 by the time he learned how to go up and downstairs.  When it comes to bike riding he won't go fast down hills, and brakes for grass growing in the cracks on the sidewalk.  He got a skateboard for Christmas, and while he can't wait to try it out is insisting on a new helmet as well as knee and elbow pads.  

And I'm OK with him being this way... and back to the whole "Army Me".... he wants to design weapons for the military when he grows up.  

Parallel Universe

I was chatting with my boss this morning and he remarked that I must have a life that is following a parallel universe or such; and he can't stop telling people about Turkey's gym teacher.

You see Turkey's gym teacher passed away on his birthday, January 31... just 10 days after my bosses wife past away.  They had the same last name, and both died of complications from similar illness (I don't want to disclose to many personal details).

When my boss mentioned his parallel universe theory I was telling him about the case I had during jury duty yesterday... the events leading up to case we heard took place on July 13, 2011.  The same day my step-father passed away.

Life is really strange sometimes.  And to say that these cases were unique wouldn't be accurate, I seem to spend a lot of time crossing "paths"... hmmm?

What's In a Name?

When we had Monkey we were on "team green".  For those of you not down with the mommy-internet-slag, that means we didn't find out the sex of baby until after the birth.

As such we thought of many, many names for both sexes.  At one time we had considered for boy names: Mitchell, Gregory, Everett and Oliver.  For a girl we were pretty set on Lucille, Lucy-Lo for short.  But we had also considered Annaleise (it was on "the list", but really if he had been a girl he most likely would have been Lucille).

A while back my cousin and I were discussing baby names (this is before Monkey was born I am sure, which means it was back when she was considering having a baby)... and Oliver was her top baby boy name choice (at the time).  After that conversation Husband and I scratched that name off our list... we decided we didn't like the meaning (elf army) and since it was her TOP name we wouldn't "steal it".  I don't think in that conversation we ever discussed girl names.

Fast-forward to now... and we have had a bouncing baby boy; whose name means "divine gift".  A nice and strong name; which goes well with his big brother's name which means "wise protector".

This summer when my cousin found out her baby was going to be a girl and revealed the name... I was in awe; it was a variation of Lucille.  Great minds clearly think alike, especially when it comes to naming baby.

I had really thought Monkey was going to be a girl.  Everyone, except Turkey who kept insisting he was going to have a brother, thought he was going to be a she.

I had dreams of having "my" little girl... she would be fair skinned, with a head full of jet black hair and bright blue eyes.  Imagine my surprise when Monkey turned out to be a boy with patchy strawberry-blonde hair and eyes that are yet to change color fully (we're guessing they will be hazel or brown).

Today we welcome my cousin's baby into the world... with a head full of black hair.... it must be in the name. They are truly blessed and she's a lucky little girl to have such wonderful parents.

And if you are wondering we've since changed our top girl name (and not because of my cousin's naming choice)... the new name has to do with victory.  And that's all I am going to say.  

Silence

"Or I'll keellll you."

I never claimed this blog was not cheesey or without bad impressions... but it's been so long since I have posted I felt the need to acknowledge that.  And it's not that I don't have anything to post about (my brain is certainly full of ideas), but it's more of less.  Less computer time at home that is.

But don't worry... more to come (shortly) of your favorite Monkey, Turkey and Food Budget and Silent Saturday and all those thinks that make this blog tick.

Respect the Turkey

This funny little cartoon has been making the rounds on Facebook for a little while now... I've even posted it to my wall, and personally I think a ghost or witch or something should also be ganging up with the Turkey because I swear they have Christmas stuff out in October.  

Now I will admit I am in the Christmas mode a little.  85% of our shopping for the boys is done, and we're probably about 80% down shopping all together.  And I will admit I pulled the Christmas paper out of the attic this week and stashed it under my bed.  And we DID go to the holiday bazaar at our church today (but it's more a craft fair than anything).  And I did start a holiday folder on my Pintrest today as well... but we have GOT TO RESPECT THE TURKEY.  And I am talking the American Turkey, not the Canadian one that happened last month.  

We have neighbors that have put out Christmas lights (trees and all) already... hhmmm, maybe they never took them down and just started turning them on.  To me this is a little much.

Even Monkey gets exasperated when we walk into Target and get slapped in the face with Christmas displays.  

I want to be able to work on my merry-making in private, in secret, in darkness... just like all those other little joys you do in private.  There are just somethings you don't talk about in public till it's time.  And in this case, it's not time till after Tom Turkey is eaten.  

Gooble, gooble.

This post is dedicated to the people down the street, who as of November 5th have had a Christmas lights display going that would rival Clark Griswald's.

With a little help from...

I'd like to say with a little help from our friends things are getting back to normal in these parts, but really it's with a great deal of help from strangers.

Driving around these parts lately you encounter tree services and utility trucks from all over; Michigan, Texas (that's a good 30 hour drive), Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, and Missouri to name a few.

Just earlier today I was cussing out Burford's Tree Service of Anniston, AL; for blocking the ENTIRE road and causing a 30 minute detour home; but when I went out tonight and drove past fleets and fleets of trucks I quickly started to appreciate all these people are doing for us.

They are helping out local businesses in more than one way; aside from physically helping with the task at hand they are staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, paying tolls on our highways, etc.

I know in times of crisis our locals have gone to lend a hand, whether it's been our fire  fighters or our linemen; we're all here to help on another out... no matter how far away.

Timeless Darkness

My birthday is in mid-December, and having snow on my birthday isn't very typical in these parts.  Sure we'll get the occasional minor snow storm around Thanksgiving, but those are nothing really.

Don't get me wrong, in these parts come the end of November it feels like winter.  The ground is frozen solid, the sky is bleak, and you can just feel it in your bones.  But that's the end of November; not Halloween or sooner.

About this time last week, I was pleading to my step-dad above to stop doing his snow dance; that we didn't need a white Halloween.

He didn't listen.

Early in the afternoon on October 29th it started snowing.

Monkey watching the snow fall.
You can tell he's getting sick in this picture, more to come on that later.

It was a big fat heavy snow.  And before long it was sticking to everything in site.

My poor pumpkins.

Some of Turkey's Halloween decorations.

By mid afternoon we had resigned to the fact that it was going to snow, and snow and snow some more.  Turkey was thrilled and was out playing in it as quick as I could get the snow gear out of the attic.

He must have made a dozen snow angles.

Around dinner time the cable, phone and internet went out.  (Whoever thought of bundle packages for these services should be shot.)  And with that we decided to watch the 3rd Narnia movie: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, once Monkey went to bed.  Husband, Turkey and I were cuddled up on the couch watching, and just as the movie was getting good there was a "pop".  Blackness followed.  

Until this point I don't think we ever thought it was possible we would loose power during this storm.  After all we had weathered a blizzard, a hurricane and intense thunderstorms with tornado possibilities in this house never once loosing power.   But thankfully earlier in the week Husband had been getting ready for a camping trip with Turkey and had stocked up on batteries and flashlights.  

That first night we all slept in our own beds; well at least the kids slept some (Monkey was waking nearly every hour).  Husband and I were constantly being awakened by strange sounds coming from outside in the darkness.  It was around this point that the meaning of time was lost.  

Sometime before dawn Husband and I started looking outside to see what had happened over night.  We were greeted with some 17-inches of snow.

The tree that just missed Husband's car.

Our poor patio furniture.

Our tall pines.

Turkey climbing the snowy mountain, we call our back yard.

The noises we were hearing over night were the trees in our woods falling down around us.  We got lucky, a tree fell on our neighbor's house (and they left in the middle of the night), and another large branch fell just inches from Husband's car.  When you opened the door, you were greeted with a strong pine scent from all the fall trees and branches.

Once Monkey was down for his nap, Husband, Turkey and I made quick work of getting our car out in-case there was an emergency.

The hours and days that followed were a loss; and right now seem a blurry memory.  

We: 

• went for a drive to assess the situation
• waited in line for 40 (ok 50) minutes to get gas (learned a lesson on that one)
• ate tuna sandwiches for dinner by candle light
• all slept in the big bedroom, which always stays warm (Turkey has a new love for his grandpa's sleeping bag)
• watched Diary of a Wimpy Kid on the laptop (while praying the battery lasted)
• went to bed when it got dark
• laid in bed waiting for the sunrise, wondering what time it was
• tried to make cell calls, but the cell towers were down
• visited relatives who actually had power AND cable AND internet (lucky them)
• stopped by our church
• play Left-Right-Center by flashlight
• read lots of books by daylight (I can't believe I waited so long to share Eloise with Turkey)
  and the list goes on and on.

Some time, in the middle of the night in the blackness, on Halloween morning we heard a utility truck working on the pole outside the bedroom window.  Husband and I lay there in the dark, half expecting the lights to come on suddenly, trying not to get our hopes up.

Then around dawn it came: "We have power" Husband stated.  And we did.  All of the lights and gadgets we had left on back on Saturday night came whizzing back to life.  

We were lucky.  Very lucky, we got power back before many of our friends and family and even neighbors.  It is nearly 5 days later and some of our friends still don't have power.  In fact my work is still without it.  Unfortunately we didn't get phone, cable and internet back until last night; so we were not able to share our good fortune with everyone and offer them a warm place to stay.  (Cell service was reduced to 911 calls only for a few days as well.)

Turkey was anxious to go trick or treating with the kids up the street, but after a few houses we received word that trick or treating was cancelled.

The boys and the neighbor's being goofy.

But this was only the first half of our adventure this week.....