2-4-12 and then the sun came out

And just like that, blue skies, no need for a coat, and everyone comes outside.

We got out to get some groceries and passed everyone else in the neighborhood out shoveling or pulling their kids around in sleds.

The parking lots were cleared, except for the giant plowed piles waiting to melt.

Tried to get a shot of my two favorite signs together, both the 17.5 speed limit and the Gorilla Crossing, but they're too far apart.

The gorillas are always crossing at the human sign, anyway...

The main streets are already drying out, although truck beds everywhere, like the one above, are still brimming with the white stuff.

There is someone's car not yet dug out on our street.

And when I put the dogs out to bring in the groceries, Katy sat right at the door waiting while Evan went snow diving yet again. (I shot this from the kitchen window, so he's a little blurry.)

Biggest snowfall on record in a century for February in Denver is in the books. 

Maybe we'll make it to Colorado Springs next weekend...

2-4-12 frankenfinger's final bow

A Frankenfinger retrospective, even though he was only with me for a week

1/26 Frankfinger is born. I don't manage any pictures, but I do manage to not pass out and throw in an Elf reference at the same time. "My finger has a heart beat."

1/27 pre-stitched and gaping

1/27, stitched and under wraps: 

1/28, the big reveal:

1/31 post-swelling

2/4 post-stitch removal

I pulled the stitches out myself last night and let me just say, that was freaky. You can still see the piece I didn't get out from underneath there on the right, but it feels about a thousand times better.

Back when he was becoming Frankenfinger and doc was getting ready to sew him back together, I managed a pretty good Señor Wences imitation that made him laugh, since it looked for all the world like a mouth.

Still needs some eyes, though. And Mom suggested eyebrows, but I'm not sure I have the room...

2-4-12 more snow

Went to bed last night, still snowing.

Woke up this morning at 8:00. Still snowing.

Evan was thrilled. (Ok, so was I.)

Evan is not laying down here. He is working on creating a tunnel system throughout the yard, which Katy then follows. It's much easier to poop when there's some clearance underneath.

Katy shows off some of the pretty snowflake patterns still coming down.

So as of this morning, the snow on the deck is above the knees, the cakes on the chair and the table measure over two feet, and I think only Evan and I are on board to see how much more we can get out of this storm.

Bruiser and Bob are quite happy to stay inside the rest of the day.

Next up: more shoveling!

2-3-12 Big Snow Day

So, it's still coming down steady against the lamp light on the street as I type this and we're at 16" now.

600+ flights cancelled out of Denver today, road closures all over the place, and we were thankful that all schools were called off so no one had to go anywhere.

Let the snow day commence!

 Found a new recipe on pinterest last night that I made for our snow day breakfast. I knew I had a winner when both Bob and Sammi made those moaning yummy noises on the first bite.

mom? you coming?

 

 

2-2-12 things you don't want to see the day before your planned trip

Avalanche Watch

Biggest Storm of the Season!

Postponed the trip to Mom and Dad's last week because Dad was sick, and there was that little thing where I tore my finger open the next night....

But if the weather guys are right, it may be yet another week before we get there.

Poop.

2-1-12 they don't make Sammi-grade protection

I have blogged before about my daughter's ability to short circuit any nearby electronic device. We have stumped all manner of IT people with her uncanny gift.

We pay every month on our family cell phone plan for the motherload of insurance plans for our phones, but the hard truth is we pay this for Sammi's phone, because we are going through these Droids like water. We just replaced her phone two months ago because it just up-and-DIED. Prior to that I'd been able to troubleshoot all kinds of crazy gremlins that popped up on her phone every other day -- texting stops working, sounds stop working, screen freezes -- but even I am helpless before up-and-DIED. So they send her a new phone, with all the threats and warnings about not sending back the dead one as soon as we get the new one else we shall be faced with a $500 bill. I boxed the dead thing up the same HOUR the new one arrived thanks to all of that.

And now, less than two months later, the screen has cracked, pixels are out in a different spot of the screen, and yesterday the SOUND stopped working. As in, she called me and when I picked up, there was silence on the other end. I hung up, called back, it was answered, and NOTHING.

Now, after doing this 5 times, hopping in the car, driving around to the place where I pick her up from school and finding no Sammi, it did cross my mind some kidnapper was having a sick twisted joke. But then, on about the 5th time I rang and got silent-answered, I realized that I could just barely make out the tiny-est sound on the other end. And it was Sam. And she wasn't screaming out her surroundings like she's learned to do upon any kidnapping scenario that might play out. (Thank you, Liam Neeson and Taken).

No, it was the very far off, almost indiscernible voice of my daughter saying something in her very irritated voice. I know this voice, even in the whispered silence of a cell phone that doesn't work, mainly because her irritated voice was learned at my knee.

She'd taken the alternate route, the one she hasn't taken since last semester, and wanted me to pick her up there. By the time I discovered this, she was turning the corner to our house, as I was driving up from the other direction, having circled the neighborhood five times, confounding the other kids walking home who must have seen me all five times, talking, then talking loudly, then screaming into a cell phone.

So.

Today the new phone arrived.

We are thinking of investing in some military grade you-can-drive-a-tank-over-this phone case, but honestly, I don't think it would matter. It can't withstand Sammi. There is no Sammi-grade protection on the planet.

I got the box from the front door, walked it to the stairs to the basement, and told Sam her phone was here.

I swear, she walked up the stairs, put her hands out, and the thing LEAPT down the stairs without provocation. I will bear witness: there must be an unseen technology demon hovering around her.

Thank God for insurance.