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.