This past weekend will always be among my best and favorite memories. What with the crazy amount of snowfall, Peggy and Karen visiting, and the power going out for 24 hours, any one of those events would be memorable, but for them all to come at the same time, and to be interconnected like they were, whoa, what a weekend!
So like I said in the previous post, we had all these plans for this weekend. The trip to the Biltmore and the open house.
Well, we never made it to the Biltmore and we didn't have the open house, but the Biltmore couldn't have been any prettier than our neighborhood and the open house couldn't have been any more special than Natalie-Rose getting exclusive time with her aunts to bond with them. And it really came in handy that we had all that party food when the power went out and we were snowed in!
My aunt Karen told us that whenever she hears that we're having snow, she wishes that she could drive up and enjoy it. Well, she got what she always wishes for and several times, when the conversation and laughter would die down, she would say, "Thank you Heavenly Father!" She said that she felt like she was wrapped up in a cocoon this weekend and had a hard time leaving, but was looking forward to getting back to her family. She called yesterday to let us know she had made it to Columbia safely and was enjoying her grandchildren.
My aunt Peggy left three little grandchildren at home, that she's used to being around 24/7. She loves being nana full-time, but I think this was a nice getaway for her. She cherished curling up on the couch with a blanket in front of the fire, and reading a book, with an occasional glance out the window at the snow as it fell. We had lots of laughter and it was therapeutic for all of us. Yesterday she was able to make it down the road to her sons house. She has a granddaughter there too. They were still without power, but it was a good visit! She made it back home to Tennessee today.
We all have just enjoyed having snow last for more than the morning it fell. It has hung around since Friday and is still really thick. Nathan and I have been sledding and building snowmen and even attempting to build an igloo. I hope to finish it tomorrow. Nathan's dog Adrian has been going nuts with this snow. I think he loves it!
The power went out on Friday night around 9:45 and it didn't come back on until 9:45 Saturday night. 24 hours without electricity and water. I don't remember ever doing that before! And, you know, it wasn't that bad. The only thing was not having running water, for the bathroom... Other than that it would have been no problemo! We had fun fixing breakfast on the woodstove complete with fresh brewed coffee, playing charades, sharing christmas memories, playing scrabble slam, and speed scrabble, taking walks in the snow, putting together a puzzle and exchanging recipes.
Needless to say we did not have the open house. We didn't have power for one thing, but the main thing was that the roads were impassable. So we are still trying to figure out what to do... We will probably bring the adoption cake and some of the remaining goodies to church and celebrate then. But we still want to visit with those families who were going to come and celebrate with us. We will just have to set that up!
Okay, well time to share some pictures...
Karen took this picture for us when we thought this was a lot of snow!
Pansies are hardy little flowers
It keeps getting deeper and deeper!
Peggy made it just in time!
Our Subaru is getting buried
Natalie-Rose's first big snow... actually it was a first for all of us!
Our neighbor couldn't make it up their driveway
A tree leaning over in the road
A couple of beautiful trees burdened with snow
7 inches and counting. This is still the first day of the snow.
The view out our front windows.
"A picture no artist could draw"
The above scene, closer in
Who turned the lights out?
Goodnight!
The next morning...
Fresh brewed coffee...on the woodstove!
Scrambled eggs and toast anyone?
So tasty! And toasty! : )
Rolling up some snow...
Carefully sculpting the snowman...
The completed masterpiece!
My masterpiece...the snow gnome!
Misty doesn't know what to think!
I wonder how the chickens are...
"Is there any reason to come out?" she's asking me.
Our neighbors, Michael and Ellery, being neighborly and clearing the road for us.
Mom's greens all snug in their tents
We're snowed in...
...but we have plenty of fuel for the fire.
Piney Mountain Road
Backpacking it!
Peggy needed to charge her phone.
Karen is not going anywhere today!
Sun, sun, go away, come again another day!
Sisters! (And niece)
Sisters, and nieces
The horses didn't mind the snow
Beautiful twin evergreens
Blue sky
The sisters remembering their son and nephew, Jed
Cute pine cones
Star Hill under a foot of snow
The view from our front porch
Jed's Garden
Jed's memorial boulder
So picturesque
'Coldwater creek'
Spivey Mountain
Sunlight on the mountain
After the sun goes down...Scrabble SLAM!
Natalie tries on daddy's boots!
The beginnings of an igloo
I have a need for speed!
It's been fun!!! "Thank you Heavenly Father!"
You delight in giving us good gifts. Matthew 7:7-11
