Merry Christmas, Everyone

Brilliant

Brilliant. That is the kind of move I pulled today. As mentioned in my previous post it snowed here...and in turn the snow turned to ice. Well, most of this ice has melted over the past day or so on all the main, heavy trafficy roads. However, on all the side roads, there is still quite a bit of ice.

Today at work I needed to deliver something to the Fred Meyer HQ's located in SE Portland. In order to get to SE Portland I needed to cross the Ross Island Bridge. And in order to cross the Ross Island Bridge I needed to weave through SW Portland...which happens to have a lot of hills.

So I am driving on the highway and it starts to snow. This didn't strike me as a problem because it didn't stick to the road. Then I exit onto Corbett Road and drive up a hill...still not bad. I stop at the four way stop, turn right and continue driving...down a hill...covered in snow and ice. It was brilliant. As I was turning down the hill the thought crossed my mind that, "this is a bad idea". And it was a bad idea...but it was too late. I had already committed and there was NO WAY I was going to be able to reverse my way out of it. So I just slowly drove, which turned into slowly sliding, which quickly turned into rapidly sliding, which turned into rapidly sliding into a car parked on the side of the road. The good news is I didn't hit the car. I was able to turn the wheel fast enough that I nose dived it into the curb. Missing the car by less than two feet.

It was a very stupid move on my part. To make me feel even more embarrassed a group of men came out of their office to offer me help. They saw the whole event take place from their office window. The only comforting variable in this situation is that they watched SEVERAL people pull the same move I did. Their willingness to help went as far as willingness when we discovered that none of them could grasp enough traction to try and push my car to safety. So I turned the wheels to the curb (with my tail sticking out in the road - a prime target for someone else that wanted to pull the same brilliant move), pulled the parking break, turned off the car and headed into their office with them while I waited for Wyatt to rescue me.

And rescue me he did! After being told from AAA that they wouldn't be able to help me because, "if it was too slick for you to get up and down the hill, there is no way our tow truck towing a car is going to make it", Wyatt took maters into his own hands and freed my little Sam (my car) from bondage. During the duration of time that it took for Wyatt to leave home and come and get me, it had stopped snowing and warmed up a bit. (Yeah, I know, kind of crazy). So he took the keys from me, got in my car, slowly backed it up in reverse (while sliding), created enough clearance from the parked car (that was located less than two feet in front of me), and slid uncontrollably down the remainder of the hill. It was the sharp corner at the bottom of the hill and the grazing of the curb that contributed to his loss in speed. Did I mention he didn't bother to shut the driver side door while doing this? I was waiting for it to be ripped off as he flew past a parked car. I wish I would've gotten it on video...instead you're left with a lifeless documentation of the event. Too bad, because it was a job well done! Thanks Wyatt!

PS - Wyatt 'rewarded' himself with a Chocolate Hazelnut Shake from Burgerville. YUM!

SNOW DAY

This morning when Wyatt and I woke, we were greeted with a white winter blanket. Having grown up in Denver and lived in Chicago for a handful of years, you're first thought might be, "so what?". But let me remind you that I live in the great Northwest...where it doesn't snow, it rains. So today's snow was an extremely special treat! Did I mention they canceled church? Not that I didn't want to go to church but that is just a demonstration that the whole city shut down. (Think about it...lots of hills and limited resources to clean the roads.) To make up for the absence of church Wyatt gave a great "church service" on Christmas, we sang a few carols and wrote down "What Christmas Means to Me" for my family newsletter. You can see our snowy pictures below...

Cookie Exchange

We had a cookie exchange at work today. So when I got home from work I had 54 various types of cookies. After creating four plates to give away - I was left with 18 cookies for Wyatt and me to enjoy for the remainder of the holiday season. Well, I left the plate of cookies with a note stating, "For Us" so he would know he was clear to eat them. I left for book club and came home to this...

My husband hasn't had a heart attack yet, but think he's moments away... (I'm sure he simply hid them but I have yet to find the hiding place).

Thanksgiving 2008

I'm sure by my neglect to write about Thanksgiving before or on the day was a clear indication that it is my favorite holiday. Pretty obvious... Despite the fact that I didn't write a peep about the beloved holiday, doesn't mean I love it any less. It still is and probably always will be my favorite... This year Wyatt and I had the opportunity to fly to Denver to spend five days with my family. The first time I've spent Thanksgiving with my family in eight years. It was a fun visit to be surrounded by family. There were moments of drama (as expected) but even more so there were moments of fun and laughter. It just so happens that my family is one of the things I am grateful for. Some other things I'm grateful for...

Wyatt, the Gospel, the atonement, the temple, my home, health, food, shelter and heat, my job, the opportunity for Wyatt to return to school, elbows, indoor plumbing, music, sunshine, summer, food, my education, airplanes, my feet, my running shoes, my car, my calling in church, my computer, baseball, contact lenses, toothbrushes, soap, clothes, my memory, my taste buds, modern medicine, the Book of Mormon, and on, and on, and on...

And just to prove that Thanksgiving was fun, please see the photos below from our adventure East:

Fixing the dinner.

The older grand kids and me.

The little boys (minus one who was in Ohio).

Judy carving the Turkey (the turkey my husband made!).

Momma with Jeanna posing in the back - love it!

Bowing after our superb performance of the turkey talent show.

Creating individual pages for our family "Thankful Book".

A not-so-flattering picture of my brother showing off the pie table.


Some members of my family went to the Denver Temple Friday morning to do baptisms for the dead. It was a great experience to be in the temple with them, especially with my 13-year-old-niece and my newly baptized brother-in-law.

Posing in the popular wedding picture...