AM~Erica is Hunkered Down

So anyway...

I nearly blogged all day yesterday since there's so much going on around me & going thru my brainy-brain. And yet...here I am again...blogging.

But I'm not doing a whole lot today...we are hunkered down & waiting today out...

It's Snowmageddon/Snowpocalypse 2013!!

I think the KC area got a total of about 1 inch of snow in the entire winter of the 2011-2012 season. Maybe because we used it all up on February 24, 2011...aka: Snowmageddon/Snowpocalypse 2011.

Here it is, after a mostly mild winter (not as mild as last winter), and we have saved up for a February Snow Dumpin'!

Yes, yes, yes...I realize the Northeast have been HAMMERED with a lot of this white fluff off & on. I totally sympathize! And if they get any more of what we jut got...my heart goes out to you. Cuz...YIKES! Now then, those up north...it's pretty stereotypical you all get a lot of this stuff anyway. If it's worse for you, I apologize.

Being in the actual midwest, we get hammered with a lot of stuff at any given time. I'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR CRAZY WEATHER BEFORE. Even though we knew this was coming...it's not a typical thing that happens. So having this as close as 2 years apart is odd.

But we need this moisture!! We have had drought-like conditions for too long. Even big rains, MUCH LIKE OUR VISIT FROM ISAAC, still didn't bring us back up to what we should be at. I guess we'll have to take it.

This is a storm that all of our meteorologists couldn't fully predict (I know, I know...what else is new?) because it kept changing. All any of them knew for sure is that it would be big & it would hit on Thursday! So that gave us plenty of time to make sure our nuclear/[zombie] apocalypse bunkers could be restocked, generators & candles could be taken care of, and a full stock of water, chocolate, comfort food, fire wood, antioxidant-fortified Jesus water, COFFEE (or that would be really bad) could be ready to go incase everyone couldn't or shouldn't leave. And it happened...

Schools decided it would be best to call off all classes in anticipation of dangerous insanity for these wimpy children. Pa-Sha! But it did mean sleeping in...so wimp on, my friends...

Today is also our trash day. Hubby & I talked about needing to make sure trash was out in time. He totally called that they may try to come around early to beat the mess that was on it's way...
Around 7:00 this morning, while I was having a bizarre-yet-realistic dream about Teen Girl's birthday party (I have no idea why...) I heard hubby get up & around. I was in a freshly-wakened daze & wondered why he was moving so fast...then I realized he was emptying the bathroom trash can. Oh Yeah...it's trash day!!

Now then...did you note that it all began at 7:00ish? OK, good...
When my hubby took the trash to the curb, there was just a dusting on the ground. He figured he got the trash out around 7:08...the trash truck showed up at 7:21 (it usually doesn't come until around 9:00-9:30). WHEW!!

Now then...did you note the time & amount? OK, good...
With about a dusting around 7:00 AM, here's a bit of a time lapse on our patio table from there:

After the 10:30 mark, the wind picked up & began to blow a lot of the show around & we could no longer get an accurate reading.

As I'm typing this part at 12:30 PM, the snow has just lightened up. I know many around us have gotten a foot of snow. I'm pretty sure we may be around that, too.

We were trying to figure out what to do for dinner. We have a few things to choose from, so we were figuring our options. I totally facetiously brought up that we should just order pizza. People...I would NEVER do that! I would hope that, with so many highways, business, airports, etc. were closed or closing due to this mess, that no pizza or food delivery chain would allow employees to be out in this. I couldn't imagine...
As we watched a newscast, one of the poor reporters who had to do their feed from outside the station's building, stopped the PIZZA DELIVERY GUY that they had bring them 30 pizzas! *face palm* And then...THEN? He said that was his 1st delivery...there's others orders to deliver after that one. *shakes head in disbelief*

People are being told to stay home, to hunker down where they are. And there are business & people deciding pizza would be a great idea & that someone should bring them some? This bothers me greatly...and I sure hope that delivery person gets paid time & a half for their shift AND customers tip above & beyond!

Speaking of the newscast thing...there is all of this team coverage about this nasty storm. As hubby & I sat watching with the boys, each reporter would say, "Stay home, folks! Don't get out unless you have to!" As Lil Guy, being the smarty-pants he is, starts talking back to the TV, "Well, then why are you out there? Why didn't you just stay home?" Out of mouths of babes, people. He was exactly right!

And the roads & highways were littered with stuck vehicles. It looked very much like an apocalyptic album or book cover. And yet...people were still getting out in it. There's people stuck at their jobs because they didn't stay home. All roads leading where they need to go are closed. What a frightening thought.

It's days like today that makes me thankful for a warm home & food to be able to get to. We have warm clothes & electricity to keep us warm. Many do not have this. I do pray for them in hopes that they can find shelter, warmth, food...that breaks my heart to think about.

Be careful out there people! As we prepare for more possible snow...I'm glad we have the better line of thinking of just staying home. We're good. Now, someone get me some antioxidant-fortified Jesus water!

We've been enjoying coffee & a fire...and some "quality family time"...

Mmmm...nothing like knowing you can consume some hot coffee on a cold snow day...

Toasty snow day fire...in our "bunker" (read 'house')

Boys are playing the Wii...and movies may begin soon...

We are snowed in & hunkered down! And we wonder how big of a baby boom might happen close to the end of 2013...hmmm...

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Has a Pondering Moment for Blogging

So anyway...

I was reading a daily devotional today, and it was about Jeremiah being told to write down what God was telling him! And it was more than just to show up in scripture...

It's Ash Wednesday, everyone! It's the beginning of the Lenten season. It's a time to ponder about our faith & how we can grow in it. I have TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, as well as HOW IT SHOULD BE HANDLED along with THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T DO FOR LENT.

Because of that, I won't discuss what I am doing or not doing or whatever during this time. I pray on it & it's between me & God. If I went all Pharisee on you, you would totally laugh at how holy I was trying to make myself sound...or how big of a victim or martyr. Any way you look at it, it would look, sound & be ridiculous!

However, I noticed in the reading of Jeremiah 30:2 (what the devotional was based on today), it talked about making sure to write down His words. It struck me. It struck me because the devotion talked about how we all have such short memories. We need to write things down to go back & remember!

Humans have this really weird way of misremembering things. The story gets mixed up, or we forget it even happened. You know...like going to the store to get a few things, but going without a list. You might remember a few things, but forget others...or just happen to remember something you "need" but really didn't. Yeah...kind of like that.

So, it made me think about my blog. I can tell you that it's something I probably could not give up at this point. Why? Well first off, my brain might explode. We can't have that, now can we? I have a whole lot rolling around in there & getting crowded. But it also allows me to share memories. I have actually gone back over past postings, and been amused at the stories I had forgotten I had told.

God wanted Jeremiah to write down His words so that people would remember! They were going thru a difficult time, and they needed to remember that so they could grow from it...as well as tell the story for history's sake, too.

Yes, there's a lot more to that story, but it's kind of what the devotion spoke to me about. It told me that I needed to just keep blogging. If you all enjoy it &/or get something from it...then...great! But I need it for me. I need it to see my growth, and to help me continue to grow as a person in my faith & in everyday life.

Plus, it will help me keep track of the memories I want to share at another time. They can be pretty amusing.

So there...something to ponder. What a beautiful start to a blessed journey we are beginning for another year...
Who's joining me?

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica