Hi everyone! We are back home and keeping warm at last! Our power went out around 5:30 on Saturday morning and it came on sometime around 9:00 Monday night. We hit IHOP for breakfast and then took the kids to the mall for a couple of hours to play where it was warm, hoping things would be better when we got home. No such luck and more ice on the way! So, we bought a trunk load of firewood from some people near by and set up camp in the living room around the fire. It was kind of fun for a little while reading books to the kids via flashlight and snuggling around the fire. No so fun a little later when trying to sleep as the temp in the house steadily dropped.
By morning our wood supply was on it's last log and the electricity was still out and in growing numbers around the city. Sunday morning I spent 2 hours with the kids at McDonald's while Mom and Dad went to church (our potential new music minister was leading the service and it was the only chance to see him before the vote) and Chris and Kristi snuck in showers at the gym.
Luckily, for Sunday night we were able to get a bonus night at my parent's timeshare an hour away and were able to sleep in warmth. Kristi and I kept the kids there until yesterday while the others all commuted back for warmth. According to news reports we weren't expected to get out power back until later today, but were pleased to get a call from Rachel's friend who drove by our place Monday night and saw the power was back on. So yesterday, we got to come home and face the mess that 10 people can make when pretty much stuck in 2 rooms for a couple of days in the dark.
So...how was everyone else's weekend?
Now I've got to head back to page 6300 and get caught up!
, prayers and 
to all of you.
