1. Last night I slept in all my exercise clothes for this morning – even my fleece coat because I was super cold when I went to bed.  I’m sexy and I know it.

2. Instead of doing laundry and cleaning the upstairs, I watched Downton Abbey season 1 episode 1.  I hope to watch the entire season 1 this weekend. I signed up for Amazon Prime’s free 30 day trail in order to watch for free.

3. Not really a confession but Cora and Mary are my favorite characters. Both are beautiful.  I really like this show which surprises me.

4. It is now 4:00 pm and I have not showered.  I am still in the exercise clothes that I slept in last night.

5. This was lunch.  Grande non-fat vanilla latte and a bowl of cereal. Cereal from a box – sweetened wheat fulls.  It was on sale only a 1.49.  I bought two.

6. Josh stayed out way too late last night.  In his mind it was okay since he never heard from us.  He never heard from us because we both had fallen asleep.  The boys leash is way too long.

7. It is sunny and blue sky but cold. I should be outside doing operation yard clean-up.  There is so much damage to our trees.  Instead, I think I will take a shower and settle back in front of the computer for season 1 episode 2.

Happy Weekend.

I unplugged yesterday until evening.  Not by choice.  A windstorm the previous evening made the decision for me.  At first I wasn’t sure.  The house was so quiet. No tv,  no internet and no phone on a day that I was home.

Some would beckon the quiet.  I actually don’t do quiet very well.  Before long, I realized we had a stereo.  Duh.  I could listen to the radio – NPR.

I went about my business.  Made a delicous salad for lunch.   I washed my bowl.  I thumbed through my new recipe book (thank you Amazon gift-card) while listening to an interview with Dr. Weil.

When the above said services returned it was nice.  But so was the day.

The girls have this Wii game called Sing – It.  They sing like nobody’s business – mostly loud and sometimes pitchy. I easily get pulled in just like the dance game.  I don’t know all the songs but because I have watched pretty much all the Disney movies – I know some of them.

The song I picked to sing last was by Demi Lovato called – This is me.  A catchy little number with a line that spoke to me:  This is real.  This is me.  I am exactly where I am supposed to be now.  Interesting.  My sentiments exactly.

I almost didn’t post these pictures.  The whole process seemed a bit strange.  They were supposed to be about my hair.  I didn’t even wash my hair this day.  I was stuck at home.  Maybe a little bored too. I found the courage to post them anyways. They seem to fit nicely with this post.

I’m just home from teaching my last Monday evening class.  I have already been replaced.  Actually, for all my classes.  New teachers have  been found.  See how that works.  I leave feeling no regrets.  I am exactly where I am supposed to be now.

Life is about to change.  Big time.  My days are going to be much different.  I am accepting all of it.  I am ready.  I have learned so much about me through the process.

Regardless of where I spend my days, I am still me.

Finally got out today.

Seventy miles away from home for a soccer game.  The game was tied – zero to zero.  It was beyond cold and raining. My daughter is like tough as nails.

Straight to church afterwards.  Tallie in her soccer shorts.  Me still cold.  But there.

No school tomorrow.  Too many still without power.

Maybe we will color again.

Pretty sure this will be the last of these type of pictures.  We are slowing thawing out.  Now it looks like the end of world has hit our backyard. My husband just left for his office.  He took my van so another day stuck at home.  I am not really into my knitting project.  I only really need so many scarves and hats.  I have been reading this book instead.

I took my self-portraits yesterday.  I have had some new food revelations too. Saving those topics for next week.

Things have changed here.  Instead of snow – ice.   I am SO THANKFUL though that we have not lost power.  A lot of people have.

There is no long walk today.  Truly, it is not safe.  My husband wasn’t even real thrilled with me outside taking pictures. Because I am who I am – this morning I did a Tabata 20 minute workout followed by a 20 minute Bethenny yoga session. Both were On-Demand.   I have to move everyday or I go nuts.

I have no idea what is going on in the rest of the world.  Our news channels are all non-stop storm coverage.  At this very moment – it is snowing.  Our area is just not cut out for this.

Even though it looks all Narniaish around here, it is not pretty.  I am sad for all the damaged trees.  A few of ours have taken a beating.  The chickens are so not happy.  They really don’t like the snow.

No school again tomorrow.  I haven’t taught a single class all week.  Tomorrow this time is predicted to be above freezing.  Thank goodness.

When there is no where to go.  There is no where to go.  You stay home.  You make buttermilk pancakes for breakfast.   You go for a really long walk.  A really long walk.  Alone.  Unless you count the dog.  When you walk – you just walk.  No monkey mind.  You just take it all in.  The beauty of the snow.

You get back from you walk and everyone is out.  Neighbors you have never even met.  Josh pushing the younger kids down the hill on their sleds.  The girls in and out so many times you lose track.  There becomes a definite need for the drying rack at the front door.

Still full from breakfast.  No need for lunch.  Actually no one seems hungry.  Too busy playing to eat.

Finally you head inside.  Knitting and the couch is calling your name.  So you sit. Sit and watch 2 1/2 episodes of Downton Abbey .  Even Tori sits and watches with you.  You sit for like the longest time you can remember.  And, it feels good.  Except when you go to get up.

School is cancelled again tomorrow.  This no rhythm to my days is quite strange. Maybe just what I needed actually before things change.

Here’s hoping tomorrow will be good as today.  We’ve been known to get cabin fever.

What the heck dog?  This is my side of the bed.

It is an official snow day here.  It may end up making history actually.  Everyone (including hubbie) will be home today.  The only thing that would make it better would be if  the internet went out – after I am done this morning though of course. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings if the cable went too.  My family could use a day totally unplugged.  The internet, TV, and cell phones make parenting harder than it needs to be.  Or, maybe I am just weak.

I am going to do my part though.  Enjoy this day.  It is still dark out and the snow is really coming down.  Good thing I bought hot cocoa at the store yesterday.

I wanted to share this video yesterday.  It is so powerful.  It was played at church last Sunday at the start of service.  I just found the link to it this morning.  Watch and be moved.

Okay, now I need to get moving.

It snowed here yesterday.  Brooklyn and I set out on foot early making the first tracks in the snow.  So glad to have found this road that I walk to which leads directly to the trail.  No more dirty dog in the van. It was so quiet out there. Peaceful.

I grew up with snow every winter.  Here it is big thing.  I wish we got more snow and less rain.  Everyone says we do – it is just in the mountains where it belongs.

We still made it to church.  After that though, I broke all the sabbeth rules. There was no rest instead a massive clean of our upstairs.  All except Josh’s room which will be done today.  He just doesn’t know it.  I am not sure how snow inspired me to clean but I kept at to nearly 9:00 pm.

Now that it is done – I love our abode even more.  Tori’s room looks so good.  She has her own little craft corner. Our middle room so cozy.  I need to spend more time up there.  Maybe this is our forever home.  Although, this kind of living  is quite tempting.