Spring is right around the corner

I just have to write that Spring is around the corner really to just reassure myself.  I love snow, honestly I do.  I think unexpected snow days, snuggling in, sledding, building snowmen, all of it is great.  But this winter needs to end.  So last Monday we had I think about 10 inches of snow and Celia had off from school and it was a lot of fun.  Our past snow storms have brought at least 6+ inches of snow each time however the temperatures were all in the teens to lower 20s, not fun to be out in for very long.  This snow was wet, packable and the temperature reached the mid 30s- perfect.  Tuesday school was a 2 hour delay and Celia had some tummy issues the previous evening and early morning so we kept her home.  She was not feeling bad, but that was her first sick day of the school year and we followed the 24 hour rule.

We knew a storm was coming Tuesday late evening/early Wednesday and we knew it was coming with a questionable outcome.  I actually was a little uneasy about it, I went to bed feeling like things were going to be a mess.  But honesty I was more thinking that it was going to be one of those raining, slushy messes and school would be on time when everyone expected a 2 hour delay.  Audrey woke up at 1 am and it appeared to be just raining out.  Pete and I dealt with Audrey and went back to sleep thinking we were in the clear.  However just as I drifted off, I started to hear the rain get loud and hard- freezing rain…. At 3 am we woke up to beeping- our hardwired smoke detector let us know it had no power.  We had lost power.  I sort of knew then it would be a long ordeal.

So…. Wednesday we woke up to no power of course, Celia climbed into our bed around 3 am and Pete went downstairs to the couch.  No one bothered Audrey.  School was canceled and Pete did not have to go into work until later.  Once Pete left, I noticed that the house was getting cold very fast.  I called our neighbors that had a generator and we headed over there.  They were awesome!  We hung out there, ate dinner with them (they have a gas stove) and then returned for a chilly evening at the house.  Celia slept with me under a very warm heavy quilt and Audrey and Pete slept by themselves.  When we woke up, the house was as almost as cold as the outside.  So I finished packing and we headed off to Lancaster to stay with Grandma and Grandpa.  About the middle of the day on Friday our neighbor let us know that the power was back on.  I brought the girls back Saturday afternoon.  They had a blast with Grandma and Grandpa.

 Celia caught herself a bear at a Pet Shop near Grandma and Grandpa's house

 Our little angel fell asleep at the end of her bed evidently after throwing a tantrum and getting her shirt wet from her "tearsy".  I did not hear her downstairs (am ok with that)

Fun times!!  Do they make a snow and ice fighting super hero?

It was an adventure and on Wednesday evening another snowstorm moves it's way in.  I can not imagine another big storm after all this so maybe I am optimistic but there is a chance that more rain then snow is going to come in and lower our snow amounts.  I think that is what is going to happen.  Of course, all snow, our area seems to handle well.  At it's peak, there were over 800,000 people without power.  My Mom was the one to alert me on Wednesday as to the extent of our storm damage, letting me know that are our area was the hardest hit.    80% of our county was out at one point during the storm.  Our wonderful neighbors kept most of my freezer food and I threw out what was not of high importance.

This is what the storm did to help me clean out our upstairs freezer!  I think for Celia it is now organized according to the importance- ice cream, veggies, then meat!

If this storm were not enough.  

We went to an event at our church and the flurries that we were supposed to get that evening

looked like this when we came out.  Nothing that we can not handle, but really?????

* I should also note that at no time did I feel as if our electric company could have restored power any sooner.  I have to applaud everyone that has to come to the rescue of our area.  We frequently see truck after truck going by and now that they have been working long days since Wednesday.  I am just glad we got back power as soon as we did.