Say it isn't so

This is the 7 day forecast for our area:

The last time we had a forecast like that, approximately one year ago, this is how it turned out:

I am telling you right now, I DO NOT want another stinking ice storm. I'm depressed already just thinking about it! Our whole area was without power for at least 7 days and in some areas even up to 10-14 days without power. Our home was without for 8 days. The most. miserable. 8. days. of. my. life. I'm not just being dramatic here people, it was horrible!!! In my almost 25 years I can honestly say I have never experienced anything quite like it before. It probably would not have been so bad if not for the fact that a) we had an almost 2 year old that became very restless and hard to entertain b) my husband and I both work in law enforcement and I took more calls in that one week than I have taken in my almost 5 years total as a dispatcher c) I am a total laundry freak, I can not stand for my laundry to get even remotely backed up and, let me just tell you, after even just 3 days I came dangerously close to slipping into a panic attack! Luckily, I was able to do some at Granny's house one day and then at a friend's house, who got her power back before us, another day. And d) the fact that everywhere you looked it felt like you were in a ghost town. It is very eery when you look outside and see nothing but vast darkness. Obviously when the power is out in the whole county there are no street lights, traffic lights, business lights, even headlights because hardly anyone was out driving because the roads were so bad. The worst it felt was when I was at work and you opened up the back door of the dispatch center that looks out over our back parking lot and you see nothing. NOTHING. The police department runs off of generator so the lights on and in the building itself were working, but not the street lights in the parking lot. Eery, I tell you, eery.

So, needless to say, everyone in our area is preparing for the worst and praying for the best! As we speak, I have the dishwasher running to make sure all of our dishes are clean, I just washed the sheets on our bed and have the last load of laundry in the washer. Just in case. We have a ton of firewood on the porch so that we will have heat. Just in case. I have cleaned out the refrigerator and plan on taking a few frozen items to work to stick in our freezer there. Just in case. I am going to stop by Wal-Mart on my way to work to stock up on candles and matches so that we will have light. Ya know, just in case.

On another much lighter note, Grace's 3rd birthday is in less than a month and I have been racking my brain coming up with decoration and theme ideas for her party. Steph and I talked yesterday about making her party invitations and we've come up with a cute theme and idea so I'm excited to share all of that when it's complete!!!

Now, I'm going to take a really hot shower before this "winter storm" hits. Just in case.

a little bit of catch-up!

I had to share a picture of the kids playing in the snow Christmas morning!

I noticed a couple of days ago that I have a new follower and I'm surprised anyone is still "following" me considering how bad I've been lately at posting! But, thank you anyway and I'm hoping to do better!! I'm making it a New Year's Resolution.

I know I haven't done a Christmas post, a New Year's post or even just a plain 'ol everday post. I'm not going to lie to myself (or you) and say that I'll eventually get a Christmas and NYE post done, because in all reality I probably won't! We have sooooooooooo many pictures from Christmas that it just stresses me out to figure out which ones to share and I don't feel like dealing with that headache! I do have just a few pictures from NYE so I may actually do a post on that....who knows! If your friends with me on Facebook then you can see most of our Christmas pictures on there!

I will just tell you that we had a fabulous Christmas!! I was on vacation that whole week, beginning on the Monday before Christmas and I didn't go back until the Monday after Christmas. My aunt, uncle and cousins made it to Granny's the Saturday before Christmas and were here the whole week so that Tuesday Mom, Grace and I drove down to spend the day with them and we had a great time eating pizza and visiting! That Monday (I know I'm not doing this in order, just work with me!) Grace and I went shopping with Mom to help her finish up her shopping. On Wednesday we didn't do a whole lot. On Christmas Eve we had lunch with Gene's parents and his brother and family so we could do Christmas with them and that night we went over to my parents' to do presents with them and Steph.

I stressed out a little bit because we were supposed to drive to Granny's on Christmas Day for lunch and presents with them and it was supposed to start snowing Christmas Eve. It did. Alot. As neat as it was to wake up to a White Christmas (and the kids LOVED it!), I was worried about not being able to make it to Granny's. Like, so worried I almost started crying! I was gonna be so disappointed if we were not able to drive down.

I was distracted from my worries while we were opening presents and seeing Grace's face when she realized what all Santa had brought her!! This was the first year "Santa visited" because she understands more about it this year and is grasping the idea. She got a new kitchen, a Crayola drawing easel and a baby doll!! She only asked Santa for a baby doll. With a pacifier. And a bottle. And a diaper. She got it! Colt got a new piano bench and foot pedal for his electric piano in his room and Corey got a new camera from Santa! Daddy got a new gun vise for cleaning his guns and Mama got a brand new camera also!!! After playing with "Santa presents" and opening presents from us we started to get around and ready. I had been texting Mom back and forth and we all decided that we could make it down to Granny's.

We met Mom, Dad and Tanner and then headed down. I would be lying if I told you that the roads were fabulously clear and that I was not a stitch worried the whole way down there. Because the roads were so NOT fabulously clear and I was so worried the whole way there that my stomach physically hurt!! We ended up taking our car because it's front wheel drive and Gene really expected that the street and highway depts would have been out to clear them all off enough that we would be fine. Plus the car is much more comfortable than the Bronco. Well, we were wrong. About the street and highway depts. I'll just say that we made it all in one piece, but it was stressful. For me, Gene didn't seem a bit phased.

Anyways, it was worth the upset stomach because when we got there I was fine and the rest of the day was wonderful!!!! The drive home was also much much much better! The sun was shining all day and the temperatures got up enough to melt the majority of it off of the roadways. We left Grace with Mom and Dad when we came home and the next day they drove to Ft. Worth to see Mema and Papa and the rest of the family in Texas. The rest of us weren't able to go because I wasn't able to take anymore time off and Gene also had to work. They had a great time though and I'm glad Grace was able to go. I want to make sure she knows her family!!

That whole weekend was spent relaxing and enjoying new Christmas presents!! Mom and Dad got the boys the new Super Mario Brothers game for the Wii and we spent much of our time playing it!

I wasn't ready to go back to work, but I did it anyway! On New Year's Eve Gene's cousin Shane and his family drove down from Kansas to stay the weekend and ring in the New Year. We had a bunch of company NYE night and it was a blast! It was a great start to 2010!

So, now we've just been trying to settle back into our regular routine and it was made a little difficult this week when everyone got sick. I started out having a bad cough and sore throat and then Grace got it which landed us in the doctor's office. She's been on antibiotics and is about over it now, but then Gene came down with bronchitis and has been on antibiotics and now Corey has it! Oh it's lovely. Colt has shown no signs of getting it, so hopefully he'll be spared!

I'm back on my diet and worked out last night with Gene and Colt for the first time in a few months and it felt good! Although I'm sore right now! I'm determined to hit my goal weight this time and we're doing The Biggest Loser at work again so hopefully that will help keep me motivated.

Grace will be 3 in just a little over a month and I can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. She's growing up way too fast and I've been brainstorming party ideas. She has never been in daycare or anything and really doesn't have any little friends her age so we will probably just have it out here at the house again, but my goal for the Spring is to get her enrolled in some dance classes so maybe she can make some friends then and next year we can have her party at a fun play place!

I still have baby fever really bad. I want to have just one more child and then no more for sure, but I want Grace to have a little sibling. The boys are so much older than her and will be grown and probably out of the house by the time she finishes elementary school for sure and she needs a companion. Plus I just want another one!! I'm still working on convincing my husband. We'll see.

Ok, that's about all I feel like typing out right now. I have several other things I want to share and hopefully I'll get back into a blogging routine. I promise I'll share some pictures soon too!