Winter is here...

And it's actually snowing today!! This is not the typical Oregon winter therefore we enjoy it when it comes, even though it shuts the whole city down for afew days cause we're not use to it. They've been trying to predict when this storm would come since Thursday and had many variations. We actually were in Seattle on Friday for Nexus card appointments and spent a fun day at the Science Center with Dallas, Lisa and Bri, and the Mr. who all happened to have the day off too. We missed you Chatty hope your cold is better soon!! We spent a fun evening playing games at D & L 's and didn't leave until way late. Saturday morning we spent recovering at U. Phil and A. Mary's our gracious host and hostess's. We headed for home around 2:00 p.m. as they had predicted the storm to hit Seattle around 4:00 that evening (we were going to stay the weekend otherwise). We made it home with out incident other than very rainy weather, and once here with a cozy fire going and I kept checking the out of doors HOPING... (our storm was forecasted to start some time that night too) but bedtime came and still no snow, oh the disappointment. But this morning we awoke to snow blowing like we were back in Alaska, yahoo! It's been at it all day and finally stopped this evening leaving us around 3-4 inches of lovely whiteness and (since we're near the Columbia Gorge) strong winds that keep blowing through and ice as the temp is around 18 degrees. Not snowman weather, the snow just drifts every where and won't pack. Dad and Mom B. and A. Sus and U. AJ spent the day here and than went to the reading meeting tonight (reading instead of gospel since we didn't know who could make it.) We were one of the ones that didn't since we have a rear wheel drive and didn't get chains. Instead we bundled up and took a chilly night stroll, Phi had a blast attempting to brush the snow off everything and being pulled around in his truck. While we were out there we watched a guy in his mustang trying to get out of our street, revving and spinning and not going anywhere, killing the engine, trying again. He actually did make it out to the main street but returned in about 5 minutes and got stuck again so other cars couldn't turn on to the road. Finally after a lot more revving and spinning and back and forth he got as far as our house (about half a block) and said the cars out there were all driving faster than they usually did in good weather. When Mr. Tech suggested since he wasn't getting too far maybe he should leave the car and walk he said he was going to get it home if he had to call AAA. :0D He got it moving again and we could hear his poor engine for the next 15 minutes some where around the corner trying to get back home. So I guess it was a good thing we stayed home tonight. Anyway here's a few pix of our goings on.

My favorite, the Seattle space needle on a dark and stormy night from below.

Phi's favorite exhibit, water and toys.

There was an insect exhibit with some pretty creepy crawlers. Some alive some dead, this one was dead and it said he was from Peru! I didn't get a good comparison shot but he was about 3 1/2 to 4 inches long. The sign said some kids liked to keep them as pets, I couldn't stand the thought of one of them flying around,(it had wings whether it could use them or not I don't know.)

Have you ever seen a naked mole rat?? Now you have. They are the strangest thing I've ever seen, so weird and funny at the same time. They lived in glass tunnels and were constantly climbing over each other, almost constantly moving. Their teeth never stop growing so they had a block of cement to gnaw on. The guy there said they will actually gnaw holes in to it eventually, they just go and go and never stop it looked like. Strange little critters but entertaining to watch!

A few more strange critters, only these ones are cuter. Leroy learned to crawl, finally, at 9 months and is loving his freedom. Grampa joined him for this jaunt down the hall, he loves growling at Grampa cause Grampa growls back.

He just learn this trick this last week, pulling himself up in his crib. He thinks he's so cool when he accomplishes it. He stands there and hollers these loud "AHH, AHH's," loud and abrupt so that some one will come see what he did.

And here's our snow tonight, white and chilly.

Some icicles.

4 inches at least!

Phi in his 4x4. (it's motorless)

Well, here's it motor actually.

The wind is just freezing when it blows in your face. Phi had a great time in spite of it once I put this muffler around his head. He jabbered away happily from behind it with only his eyeballs peering out.

I'm listening to the chilly wind blowing out side as I type this and being thankful for our cozy wood stove. It is supposed to be freezing temps all week so maybe Mr. Tech will have tomorrow off, anyway we're enjoying our snow while it's here. Hope you're all warm and cozy too.