Tricky Travels and Happy Holidays

If you watched the weather in the last few days you probably realized that the midwest (and much of the rest of the country) just went through a nearly three day winter storm.
On Christmas Eve it was mostly raining at my house so I took off for the three hour drive to my family celebration. The first hour was just rain--no big deal, then the 2nd hour was mostly icy rain--not so much fun and then the last hour turned into an hour and a half as I drove through blowing snow--even less fun but....I made it home safely and just in time as no travel was advised for the next 36 hours.
We had a great celebration at my brother's house. Almost everyone else arrived the day before me so they were all safely tucked in and cheered my arrival. I had one brother that was planning to come with his family the next morning and they were unable to make it.
My mom lives 2 miles from my brother and to get her there on Christmas morning, my brother got out the John Deere tractor with the snowblower on it and blew snow all the way with her and some of my siblings following him in an 4 wheel drive pickup. We did no more travel the rest of the day except by snowmobile.


Church services were cancelled so we just hunkered in for the day. We had a very white Christmas with sledding on the hills made by the snow plow and snowmobiling--the kids had so much fun. We made Christmas cut out cookies and truffles and my sister in law and some of the kids made a gingerbread house. We had a big turkey dinner with lots of good food and then opened presents. The kids all got new hats and mittens from Grandma. My siblings were very good to me as they all contributed to my adoption travel fund. I think they want me to have a laptop to communicate with them while I am gone. I also got some cute princess gifts and a couple great books from my neices to my daughter. It will be so fun to have her with us next year. Later we played dominoes and scrabble, sang Karoake. watched National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation" and then everyone sacked out where ever they found room--all couchs, beds, and most floor space was utilized.










Saturday and Sunday were more of the same with some of the siblings making trips home and the crowd gradually thinned out.
All in all, 20.8 inches of snow fell during the three day period--most of it on Christmas Day itself.
I was the last to arrive and also the last to leave. I started out at 8am this morning but after 15 miles turned around and went back as the winds were very strong and the blowing snow made it nearly impossible to see. A few hours later the winds had died down and my brother had blown out his road again so I left at about 1pm and did make it back home before dark. My house is lonely and quiet after that great weekend.

I am looking so forward to 2010 as the year of being a mom and having my daughter home with me--how wonderful is that??

Wishing all my blogger friends a great New Year as well. To those of you still waiting, keep believing--this may be your best year also.