I got out!

Yes, I got out of the houses for a drive today - OK, D took M and I for a drive to see the Winter Wonderland around us, but it was out of the house so it counts! AND, since I wasn't driving, I got to take pics with me 35mm camera (still haven't taken the leap to a digital SLR...keep hoping, but other priorities keep bumping it down the wish list) and enjoy the scenery. It is so beautiful out there with the snow on the trees and icicles on the houses and general whiteness to it all. I was telling M that short of spending Christmas in Wisconsin with the in-laws, this was probably about as white of a Christmas as she's ever going to get - and even then, D said that he often didn't have this much snow on Christmas growing up.

Today the freezing rain/hail is starting and it's actually pretty cool to watch as it bounces off of the frozen snow on the ground. We are very lucky, a good friend of mine emailed today to say they had lost power and water at their place - so far all of our utilities are in good working order, ::fingers crossed::. Another local county had their 911 phone system go down, so are actually asking people to walk to the police/fire dept. if they need them. Can you imagine... ::knock knock:: "yes?" "Um, sorry to bother you, but my house is on fire"

I also find myself curious (NOT from personal experience, of course, LOL) how many domestic violence calls the police are going to get during this from families just being ALL DONE being together. This is a heck of a lot of togetherness, that's for sure!

On another note, M decided this year that she wanted to also celebrate Hanukkah, which begins tonite. SO - D's Mom is preparing to make the latkes and Kielbasa (technically not kosher, but we're doing the best we can given that we can't get to the store and aren't actually Jewish). We have 2 menorahs since we ordered one along with the "Hanukkah on a Budget" set (there's a stereotype joke there, but I'll refrain from making it!), and my aunt was kind enough to let us borrow one of their menorahs as well. We have a couple dredels and a little bit of gelt, and the proper prayers and such to say when we light the menorah at sundown tonite. This is going to be interesting, but I'm so proud of my girl for wanting to learn about other cultures and how they celebrate. We are skipping the presents each night, but figure that's OK...I suppose we could pick 8 of her Christmas presents to give her over the course of the next 8 nights, but I don't think we're going to do that.

And now there's more snow in with the freezing rain...it was 27 degrees according to the van on our drive today...brrrrrrr!

I'm headed off to finish the Christmas PJ's...the top is almost done, then I only have to finish up the pants and they're all done. Should have them done tonite if all goes well...that may be a first to have them done before the day of Christmas Eve! But, since there's so much else to do around the 2 houses, it's probably best to get them done sooner rather than later.