I'm the Queen!

Lookie what I made!

This is our thank-you note for Christmas (and Nathan's birthday) presents. Isn't it cool! I thought I was never going to get that RAM chip so I actually made this this afternoon while the kids and daddy were out in the snow. It was soooo slow and I kept worrying that it was going to crash on me at any moment - but it worked!
And right after I finished the chip arrived, so now I am in business! I hope I learn quickly! In case you won't be getting one I wanted to make sure you saw my latest creation.
On the family front - not much to report - Rick and I had a GREAT trip to the temple on Wednesday, we're having Ryan and Amy over tonight for Settlers, we had another 10 inches or so of snow yesterday and still have plenty of snow! We are expecting another snowstorm next weekend. Should I be expecting a visit from Christ soon? With all the earthquakes, flooding and crazy weather you gotta wonder! Other than that - Ashlyn starts preschool next week (though with all the snow and the lack of plowed roads by her school I'm wondering how we're all going to park), Rick's eye is healing well, Nathan is getting cuter every day (and kinda dramatic! am I just in for it with my kiddos?) and the heart rate monitor I got for Christmas sucks. Apparently my resting heart rate is 184 and when I jog it goes to 160. Either way my heart should explode.
Love you all!

Ok, I think I'm done

Picasa never did post my entries and pictures so I did my best to remember what I had posted. These won't be as witty as the first set, but they are Erika originals so they're still good!

We actually had some sun today (but didn't get above freezing) so even though Denver's pretty much closed, we were able to get to Home Depot and pick up some goodies. The streets were at least passable. Our street was plowed by a real snowplow!

Usually we are just blessed to have our neighbor Greg get out with his 4-wheeler and plow attachment to help us out of our cul-de-sac. We all shovel out our walks and driveways and then Greg makes a big path up our cul-de-sac. Then we all shovel out extensions to our driveways to meet his main path. So I back out of our driveway and into someone else's extension to turn around and get out of the cul-de-sac. Fun, fun, fun!

RC said that Doug got 20" in Albuquerque (that is one funky word to spell) and did quite a bit of shoveling - welcome to our Winter Wonderland!

We wish you all the best for 2007 and hope it's fun of love and family and friends who care about you!

Big hugs,
the ones in Colorado

Ludicrous speed

Remember that line from spaceballs? That's what I felt like while shoveling this. We haven't had "a lot" of snow, not "tons" of snow, we've had a ridiculously ludicrous amount of snow!

First 27", then some melted and I could see the swings on our swingset again, then another 16"! Why? It's just crazy. Most of you haven't had to deal with this, but do you know what the worst part is? There is NOWHERE to put it!!! You try and shovel it, but your existing snowbank is so tall everything just rolls right back down on the pavement you just shoveled.

You can't even play in it! My kids would get lost in the front yard! And it's too cold anyway. You'd freeze. After shoveling it my core was warm but the exposed skin on my face hurt, and because I had just jeans on it was hours before my lower parts weren't chilled through.

I have never before pondered spending $600 so easily (think gas-powered 2-stage snow thrower). BTW - I had no idea that they were snow throwers. I always thought they were snow blowers. I now have my eye on a $263 Toro 1800. You have no idea how tempted I am.

doo, doo, doo lookin' out my backdoor

This was our 27" with blizzard #1

Rick and Erika sittin' in a tree...

I have been meaning to get a pic of this since it happened this fall, but here it is - finally! Apparently if you are lacking romance in your life - buy your man a chain saw.