So Long 2010

Lots of things happened in 2010. Some of those things gave me tremendous joys. Some that caused tremendous pains, both physically and emotionally.

So Long 2010, Hello to 2011.

For those of you that will be watching the Rose Bowl Parade ... you will have the opportunity to see Western Carolina University's Marching Band. They are awesome on the field and I can't wait to see them on the television. I believe that HGTV has the parade commercial free. It's 8am PST (so for all of us on the Eastern coast that's 11am). I believe they are number 48 in the line up. Can't wait to see my Pride of the Mountains Marching Band!

Frosty the Snowman

Is a very leaning soul.

Poor Frosty.

Still snowing

So far we've had about 15 hours of snow. That's crazy. Here's a picture from noonish.



Most of the time North Carolina's snow isn't good enough for snowman building. Today's snow was perfect for building snowmen.

Almost White Christmas 2

I took this one to remind me later that it was during the Christmas days that we saw this snow. It is just pouring down. The plows can't get the roads clear before it's snowed over again. It's state wide pretty much. Fortunately I don't even have to worry about going to work tomorrow because I already have the day off. So I won't be waking up at 3am to see if they've made a call about work. I don't think this one will disappear any time soon unlike the other 4 snows we've had this season alone. I call those snows, but itw as more like snow for an hour and then ice for the rest of the time causing all the snow to be gone by teh time the precip stopped. Go to the last post to see a comparison of 5:30 am to 7:30am.

well it was close

By looking at the radar, it started snowing here at midnight. So for me, there was no white Christmas. BUT, the day after is pretty close. AND it did snow at the airport in Raleigh well before Midnight so it counts. The triangle had a white Christmas even if I didn't. So I think it's been snowing for about five hours. If my calculations are correct, there is about 8 more hours of snow. We'll see.

For now ... this is what we have.



7:30 am - a mere two hours later.



9:45am

Waiting for a White Christmas

A few days ago, the weather forecasters predicted a White Christmas (SNOW) for the Triangle for the first time since like the 1940's. Crazy thing is that I do remember having a White Christmas in 1997, but that part of NC isn't considered the Triangle (aka the airport didn't get snow that day). And I can't remember if it actually precipitated that day or if twas the day before Christmas. Either way, It just might snow today. My county is predicted to receive 4 to 6 inches of snow. It completely changes my plans for tomorrow. Our family has a reunion the Sunday after Christmas every year. As a child, we often went. The memories of this reunion are a cherished part of my life. Playing Pinball with my cousins, whining over having to listen to Achy Breaky Heart yet again and eating my Granny's infamous mac & cheese and of course the elder folks saying with gusto how much we had all grown over the past year.

This is the first year without my cherished Grandfather. We had planned to go partake in the reunion. I wasn't going to take Granny's infamous mac & cheese (it takes almost 4 hours to get there), but I did plan on whining about Achy Breaky Heart and kicking my "lil" (who is now very big!) cousin's butt in Pinball. Oh wait, maybe not b.c now the younger generation has taken over the pinball machine.

Looks like Bing will finally get what he wants in the Triangle. A White Christmas.

Family Christmas

So our home was once again gifted by the "Redneck Wrapper." This time the Redneck Wrapper wrapped in the used bag of popcorn. Inside the bag of popcorn was a present carefully wrapped in a Food Lion bag covered by paper towels. Once I got through the butter covered paper towels and into the food lion bag, I opened up the present by my brother in which the Redneck Wrapper hijacked. It was three boxes of toothpicks. Yeah we're crazy like that.



It was shortly after in which I was gifted with the annual gift Gummy Saver, a bag of Gummy Savers. It often results in this facial expression.




Once I suggested the theme was "bags," I gave my brother this look when I saw that he had given me a box of baggies for Christmas.



And if you look in the floor, you'll see a lunch "bag" and a Carolina "bag." This theme apparently was not intentional. In fact, it was only after I pointed out the "bag theme" after the third gift was a bag of something that each gift was funnier and funnier eliciting great responses like this one ....



After this, I got a bag of Munchos from "your facebook friend."



I had a wonderful time with my family on Christmas Eve Squared. I got lots of beautiful things including a wonderful ornament hand made by my mother, actually there were two. One was of my favorite Tar Heel basketball player and the other had photographs of my grandparents with me. Also received a lovely bath wrap which included was a bag to put it in to wash. I received lots of beautiful things, but most of all ... beautiful memories to cherish for the years to come.

*Snow Day*

So while most of the schools and child care centers were either closed or delayed today, ours was not. I made it to work and back just fine. Only slipped on my way to work this morning.


Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of the beautiful snow this morning. After the snow changed into sleet/mixed wintry precip, the snow "melted" away. So now it's just a soggy mess out there. As the temp drops, the water will freeze. I wasn't scared this morning to drive to work.

I'll be terrified tomorrow morning though.

Prayer request for a friend

I had intended to write about what I learned on my last follow up appointment. Then I found out something.

My college friend sent me a message asking if I had heard about our mutual college friend. Well you see the thing is, I've been friends with this mutual friend since the first day of 7th grade. My heart hit my stomach as I learn a few details. The thing you must know is that my friend and her husband have been trying to have a baby since they got married. After years, they finally succeeded (with doctor's help). In November (about a month ago), she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Yesterday morning, her husband was off to work. He hit a patch of black ice and his truck rolled. He's alive. He has no brain injury. However, the wreck gave him severe injuries and he is paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors say that with surgery there is only a 1 to 2 percent chance that he'll move again.

We all know what prayers can do. Please pray for this family. A new Mom, a newborn son and his father. Pray for all of us in North Carolina that can't be with them physically because they live far away. I miss my friend and wishes she were here at least 3 times a week. There isn't a week that goes by that I don't think, I wish she were here so I could tell her about ... I don't get to see her often, but when I do ... it's as if no time had passed at all. My stomach churns for what has happened to her husband. Pray for his healing, pray for her understanding and for their beautiful baby.

I would share names, but some of our friends do not know this has happened yet. I would hate for them to see this on a blog before hearing about it on the telephone. Also I did not get permission from my friend to post this prayer request though I know she will appreciate that I have done so.

First snow of the season

I'm sure it won't stick, but our house has seen the first snow of the season.

December 4th. :o)

I can't get a good picture of it yet, but if I do will be sure to post it here later.

follow up

It's follow up time. I go in tomorrow for my follow up. This will be the first time in years that I dont' have my blood results before I go in. I have no clue what the LLMD will say to me tomorrow. I have a sneaking suspicion that my blood work won't look good though.

I've enjoyed my time to myself this week.

(ps. never did write about this follow up - but it was a good visit. the words possible remission was used briefly)

Time for myself

So my job comes with a few perks. One of those perks is vacation and sick time. It's not a whole lot of time, but I typically use it when I have doctor's appointments. Well this year, I didn't have as many doctor's appointment which meant that I had about 60 hours of vacation time left that I had to use or I would lose. So the past couple of weeks I've taken time off here and there, but it still would have left me with 40 hours of time that I would lose. So I made the decision to use a full week after Thanksgiving! This means I'd have 11 days off work in a row since we were closed the day of Thanksgiving and the day after. I have seriously enjoyed (minus the bronchitis) this time to myself. I've put up and decorated the tree, wrapped presents and just kind of relaxed watching Christmas movies.

Well yesterday I got the urge. I typically don't get this particular urge. In fact, I leave the creativity to my Dad. I took off to Michaels and picked up a few things and I'm covered in paint, ribbon and bells. My kitchen table looks like my parent's kitchen table this time of year. :O (No Offense Dad)

Anyways, it's been fun. :o) Minus the coughing, I'm feeling pretty good.