Christmas Forecast

Many of you entered your zip code on my weather post a few weeks ago so I could include it in my Christmas weather forecast comparison. I must admit to adding a few zip codes just for fun so we can have a little more variety. All forecasts are taken on the first official day of winter - Sunday Dec 21st (except Mt Pleasant - I messed that one up yesterday). Seven of Eleven locations appear to have a good chance of seeing the sun on Christmas day.

NO GYM MEMBERSHIP NEEDED. . .

. . .when it snows around here! The pictures might not do justice as to just how many square feet of driveway we have. There was about 10+ inches of snow Friday. Saturday morning it took both of us (no help came this time from the kids since they had both thrown up within the last 24 hrs) less than two hours to tackle it together. This is with shovels ONLY! No snow blower - don't own one. The pictures below were taken before additional snow fell. Then last night and this morning we had about another 4+ at least. Now the wind is blowing and drifting those 4 new inches and previous snow making it look like lots more fell than that in places. Since the temperature as I write this is -11 with wind chill (sustained winds of 25 and gusts of 35mph), there is NO WAY we are going out to shovel! It would do no good anyway. We will wait until tomorrow for our next workout. Its Sunday anyway. Isn't this a day of rest? WE LOVE MICHIGAN!

(Looking away from the house the paved driveway ends where you start to see solid white. Then it turns into gravel. There is a turnaround off to the left and then the road is out by the pine trees that mark the entrance.)

Teacher Ornament

It seems there is always a dilemma at this time of year to find something to give to teachers. Since moving here the teachers at the school generally suggest that instead of bringing them something to donate to the Helping Hands program or pick something from a the Wish List for classroom supplies. That is all cool and we participate. A few years ago we started to do teacher ornaments that the kids help make. It is inexpensive and generally personalized so more meaningful than many other things that might just pile up. Anyway, I have failed the last year or two in my effort. I had almost given up the idea and thought this year, we will just do a card. But I cannot just take a card out of a box to give them. If we are going to do something it has to be from the boys. So the other night when I realized if I wanted the teachers to receive something it better be done that night as the weather was not looking good and potentially the last day before Christmas break would be the next day. With some luck on my first search attempt on the web and because I have a stash of paper and other things for crafting we had something in little time and Sam helped! Unfortunately Dan didn’t get to help as he was at Cub Scouts. Instead of a card we turned it into an ornament. Yeah, the ornament tradition continues! I must say it was very exciting to see how the teachers just loved it.

So if anyone wants a cute idea that is super easy to do. . . .Here are the pictures. We used Sam’s thumbprint. On the back of the ornament a personalized note was attached. It all worked and once again, a miracle last minute ornament came together!

Christmas Ornaments

UPDATE -- ORNAMENT WINNERS!! Yup, there was more than one winner. You will know if you were a winner if an ornament shows up at your house in the near future. :)

Years ago every Christmas season I tried to come up with some unique Christmas card greeting. I dreamed of making an ornament as well. But as I often do, I dream and don’t do. Then a couple years after we moved to Illinois I was invited by a friend to participate in an ornament exchange. There started my new tradition of making an ornament every year.

This ornament exchange was no simple exchange where you make 12 ornaments and get 12 ornaments. It was a production and a fun one! The ornaments were always thoughtfully made and often had some purpose or meaning behind the design. The ornament exchange was then celebrated at an afternoon getaway. I call it a getaway because the few hours spent at this soirée was a real treat and perfect way to truly feel the Christmas spirit even though it was simply at someone’s home. The first Saturday of December was the usual date and ALL things were set aside for these few hours. Upon arriving we would enjoy cranberry tea, visiting and lovely Christmas music. Everyone was assigned to either bring a salad or dessert. The buffet table of food was no ordinary pot-luck but a true holiday spread. We would play a few fun games and do a simple gift exchange. The culminating event was to go around and unveil our ornament. We would explain why we chose that ornament and any meaning it might have. The memories of our exchanges will always be with me every year at this time. After six years of this tradition life moved on and we moved to Michigan. I had thoughts all year of starting the tradition here in 2007. I even thought about it all year this year as well but. . . Here it is, December 2008 and I did not do it. This is not an event one could pull off last minute. It takes months of preparation so everyone has time to come up with and make their ornaments. Maybe 2009 will be my magic year to start the tradition here.

Each year as I pull out the Christmas decorations I fondly open my special boxes that hold the exchange ornaments. I think of the many friends who shared them and how we are now spread all over the country. I actually need a special tree to hang all of them (and I don’t have one yet). I still continued my personal tradition of making the ornament last year and shared them with family and a few friends. I had always made extras each year and sent them to family. This year I had a small ornament crisis. The idea I was so excited about was not working and time was ticking. In hopes of inspiration and a way to not ruin my fun tradition I went to Joann’s the other day. I was pleasantly surprised by an idea that came together with great speed. My ornaments are done and I’m quite happy with them. Hopefully next year I can make my other idea work.

To my family members who will be receiving one soon in the mail I guess you get a sneak preview. This year I am going to follow in the footsteps of my good friend Heidi who has been giving things away from her blog occasionally. I am going to give away at least one of my 2008 ornaments. To be entered into the drawing, just simply comment on this blog. I will select the name(s) for the drawing on December 15^th so that there is time to deliver or mail the ornament to arrive before Christmas. I would love to hear if you have any ornament traditions or if you have ever participated in an exchange. The more comments from different people I receive the more ornaments I will give away!

Not all of my ornaments are the fanciest but I have documented them from the years of this traditions beginning in 2001. Enjoy!

2001 - Christmas Goose, 2002 - Mini Christmas Caroling Book,

2003 - Old Time Sled, 2004 - Star & JOY blocks, 2005 - Christmas Lighthouse, 2006 - Cinnamon Stick and Bead Star

2007 - Small wooden present with thought

2008 - greetings from the middle of the "mitten" of Michigan

What does your forecast look like?

Looks like now through the weekend holds a 100% CHANCE of snow here.

I'm going to do a forecast project for Christmas week. Put your zip code in a comment to this and I will be posting the forecasts for all those who reply. It will be fun to compare what our weather will be like across the country for Christmas!

Ode to Maria (Nick)

This is for Maria. If you really want to know, you'll have to ask.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!

Before Thanksgiving. . .

After Thanksgiving, an even whiter winter wonderland.


Panning the backyard to see the monochromatic color scheme for the next many months.


Slowing down is always underrated. The poor neighbors get all the action. Summer brought them a live powerline down across their graduation party tent. Now their driveway gets blocked and mailbox knocked completely off by someone who probably didn't wake up this morning and say "lets try driving into a ditch today!"