I survived!

Well, I survived the first of three visits to get this permanent crown in place on my poor wittle tooth. The procedure itself wasn't that bad at all, but it was pretty sore after the fact. I took the prescribed pain medicine, followed by a slightly involuntary nap, and now things are looking up! I'm looking forward to a quiet celebration of the new year with friends. Wishing everyone a safe and happy evening! :-)

This made me laugh today

AND, as it turns out, my dental appointment is tomorrow morning, so I have time to get a prescription filled to help ease my troubled mind. Hooray! :-)

Ugh

I completely forgot until a few hours ago that I have to go in to the dentist in the morning to get a crown. Well, I'll get the temporary one tomorrow. It will require getting shots in my mouth, and that makes my stomach twist into knots and threaten to give me back my supper. Normally, my nice dentist gives me a prescription for Valium which helps me to practically take a nap while sitting in the chair with a cozy blanket (that they give me to help the uncontrollable shivering), but I didn't get that part taken care of in time. We've pretty much been in lock-down due to all the snow, and people are just starting to drive, and offices are just starting to open, and I just plum' FORGOT about it! So, I have one little Xanax that I was saving for an emergency, but I'm not sure how much good it will do me. I like my dentist, and dental procedures in general don't bother me . . . once we get past that part involving needles. I suppose, if I can handle B12 shots every other week (and I NEVER imagined I could handle that) I will make it through this, too, but right now I'm not feeling so confident. I keep reminding myself that I have given birth, for pete's sake, but it's not helping. I'll report back tomorrow if I survive without a nervous breakdown. :-)

Happy Birthday!

This kid has the life. :-) She built a throne of snow in our front yard to sit upon as Queen of her World. She's built a snowman in the park (with a little help from Daddy),

made cookies for Santa,

and Santa was very good to her this year! And to top it all off, TODAY she turns 8 years old!
I cannot believe this child was once the tiny little baby I held in my arms like a doll. Now she's almost as big as me! They do grow up fast.

I think

she likes the snow.

Who needs snow tires?

When you can ski right through town? This guy found a much smarter way to cruise past our house today. :-)

Meanwhile

my mother has called, and our chats include her descriptions of the practically tropical, almost 80 degree weather she's been enjoying. Normally I feel that all that warmth would just kill my Christmas buzz, but right now I'd take it.

If you don't hear from me in a few days . . .

Please come dig me out. For the first time since we've lived her, there is a blizzard warning in the mountains. Some areas a short drive from my house may get up to a foot and a half of snow. The area around my home, which usually doesn't retain snow at all, may get anywhere from 5 to 12 inches, on top of the stuff that's already on the ground. And did I mention that the roads are completely frozen solid? I know that some of you folks in other parts of our country think this is no big deal, considering the deep freezes that happen in your neck of the woods, but we just aren't really prepared for this sort of thing. I only pray that my power stays on, or I will build a cocoon of blankets and my family and I may emerge at the new year. If I can type in spite of the shivering of my entire body, I'll keep you posted.

Strrreeeeeetch

Do you get excited when you see a limo? I do! I always have, and I just can't explain it. My imagination gets the best of me and starts making up stories about the people inside. For me, limo equals glamour and intrigue - even though usually it's just a pile of teenagers on their way to a formal! I've never actually been in a limo, which might add to the intrigue. And have you seen all the different styles of limo? There are the top-end Bentley's and Corvette limos along with the classics. You can even get various SUV limos, a Harley Davidson limo (a bicycle built for 20?), and even a mini Cooper, which I think defeats the purpose. Maybe one day I'll have my own VIP experience. For now, I'll just continue in my amazement and curiosity when I see one of them stretching down the road!

Be Careful What You Wish For

We woke up this morning to a blanket of snow on the ground, and it kept coming down hard and heavy all morning. We tried to sled a little, but the snow was so powdery that it was a little difficult. It is a lovely sight, but I'm glad I didn't feel inclined to try and drive in it. Matt was already scheduled to work today, but the police department also had to call in every extra body they could get just for traffic control. He has already had one car slide into him while trying to block a road, and even had a sand truck sliding toward him sideways! I think people really overestimate their driving skills and underestimate the ice for some reason!

I'm about to take my poor doggies out for a walk. Sam loves it, but he is very tall and has a thick coat. Ozzy (the bulldog) is very low to the ground, so I feel bad for him but he has to potty! That reminds me - don't eat the yellow snow!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

As I sit her typing this, I'm relishing the fact that we warmed up to a balmy 37 degrees today. It meant that we didn't get much snow, but that will probably be coming tonight as we sleep. At times like these, I am able to sit in the warmth and comfort of my home, sipping coffee or cocoa and bundling up. It allows me to appreciate the beauty of the landscape outside when the wind is whipping the trees and everything is dusted white. I worry about those who live their entire lives outside, though. While I'm dreaming of sledding, they are worried about their very lives, and trying desperately to find a way to keep warm. We have several emergency shelters opening in the area, and I am grateful for that.

I remember last year during our winter storm that caused so much horrible flooding, I panicked at the thought of people being unable to stay warm or even dry! I knew a few of the areas where homeless camps were located, so I went out and bought lots of blankets, tarps, gloves, hats, and those little hand-warmer bags that you can tuck in your pockets. I was on a mission. Until I told my husband. The cop. He forbade me to traipse into the woods alone, but I was determined to get those things to people who could use them. In the end, we agreed that the best thing was to take them down to the Salvation Army so the Major there could hand them out the people he knew could use them most during the free luch hour. So, that's what I did. And I don't CARE why those folks were living in the woods. I know that many of them live lives of crime that dumped them on the streets, but I don't care. Not all of them are criminals. Some of them have mental illnesses that prevent them from functioning in normal society, and they don't have loved ones to take care of them. Some of them probably found themselves unemployed, got behind on their bills, lost everything, and haven't been able to come back from that. When you think about it, that could so easily happen to any of us. In our current economy, we will probably see more of it. Anyway, it angers me when people do nothing to help because they think it's more important to place blame than to give a hand. Why does it matter? They are still God's children just like you and me that hit some hard luck somewhere, and they deserve to know kindness.

I guess you could say I'm on my soapbox tonight. I'm saying a prayer that those who need it will find their way to our shelters and get some food and a warm bed tonight. Let us all remember there is goodness left in the world.

Happy Birthday

to my mom! I wish I could be there to celebrate with her, but I spoke to her earlier and I am convinced she's spending her day just like she wants to!

Hooray!

Haleigh and I went to see The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever tonight, and it was wonderful. It caused our evening to end a little later than usual, so she was just getting into bed around 10:45. It had been sprinkling tiny snowflakes throughout the day, and we peeked out the window to check the progress . . . as you can see, she was excited, because she saw this:

Next thing I knew, she had bolted out the door (her father might have had something to do with that). She considered coming back inside when she felt the chill.

Then she took off down the sidewalk and we haven't seen her since.

I'm just kidding. I promise. Sorry, Grandma. :-)

A picture, and a sweet evening

Haleigh and I hardly ever get all dressed up and take pictures, but we managed to sneak one in last night. We had a truly magical evening. It started several weeks ago with Haleigh determined to pick out the "most special dress" in anticipation of our trip to see The Nutcracker. We've been 4 of the last 5 years, and she loves it. It's always entertaining for me to watch her because each year it's as if she's never seen it before! Well, except for the fact that she basically has the whole thing memorized, but she is just so excited each time that it's brand new all over again!

We attend a local production, even though we have the option of going to Seattle to see the bigger-than-life Pacific Northwest Ballet version. We have never been disappointed. Our local Peninsula Dance Theatre puts on a fabulous show complete with a live orchestra. We always get reserved seats near the front so Haleigh can walk up and see the instruments in the orchestra pit. I discovered the only downfall to those super-close seats this year when Haleigh turned to me as the Nutcracker Prince danced across the stage in his white tights and said "mom, he really ought to wear underwear." Well. I just explained to her that he WAS, they were just part of the outfit.

It really was a special night, and I'm glad I have this picture of us to remember it by.

Don't Know Why I Love Her So

Yes, I do. It's because she writes things like this. Haleigh's teacher gave them a poetry assignment, the "I am" poem. Here's Haleigh's. It is all at once profound, simple, elegant, poignant, adult and innocent - it is her. And I just love it.

I am beautiful and talented
I wonder if I get to go to Georgia next summer
I hear my heart beat
I see me riding on a flying unicorn

I am beautiful and talented
I pretend I'm a famous singer
I feel the blood running through me
I touch the clothes that are on me
I worry if I'm going to die
I cry when I don't get my way

I am beautiful and talented
I understand that you don't always get what you want
I say prayers at night
I dream about horses
I try to get good grades
I hope that no one in my family dies

Something new

I learn things about this great state of Washington all the time. In the 6 1/2 years we've been here, we've embraced and fallen in love with our new home 3,000 miles from where we started. The scenery and wildlife never cease to amaze, and it really does have the best of everything. There's farmland in the east, mountains and beaches in the west, even our own rain forest! But TODAY I learned something I never knew! Our own Yakima Valley is the producer of 80 % of the hops in America! Not only are we getting well-known for our wine country, we have a starring role in beer, too. So, next time you raise a glass, go ahead and toast the fine Washingtonians who helped bring you that cool refreshing beverage! LOL