So, What's Been Going On?

For starters, we just returned from Mexico. We had a business trip over the weekend that took us to Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancun. I would like to pretend I was "put out" by having to leave my babies to go to the beach. I could focus on the weather that was cool enough to merit jackets and blankets by the pool. I could tell you how annoying it is to make all the arrangements for a weekend trip. All of it would be true. However, the truth is, I liked it. My babies were just fine, barring the car stuck in the middle of my yard when I returned and a house that looks like a train wreck. Yes, the weather was cool, but I found a perfect spot that blocked about half the wind and I am a DIE HARD so I endured with nothing more than a swimsuit by the pool. And, although it is a lot of work to leave, for a weekend or for weeks on end, the timing was just perfect, getting me back home to get everyone whipped into the routine that begins tomorrow.

They have been off school for a week because of what our local media refers to as "Winter Storm '09". Should we get hit again, I am hoping they call it "Winter Storm '09, Part Deux". Last week on Monday night through Wednesday morning we had about 30 hours of sleet, followed by snow. The end result was a bit more than ten inches of "white stuff" which provided days upon days of high energy entertainment for this crew plus a few. I am ever so thankful that we maintained our power. Not very far south of us are thousands of folks who are in their second week of no power in this frigid weather. When we were getting sleet and snow, they were getting freezing rain. The pictures my hubby took while checking the area out for his job were indescribable. We had an ice storm in '08 that cost us several days of power. Many of these folks have been told it will be four weeks or more.

As homeschoolers, we would normally do at least a bit of school on these days, but given the preparations being made to be gone and the really amazing, perfect play snow which comes so seldom in our area, I didn't have the heart. Instead I made some wonderful desserts, soups, chili, and homemade hot chocolate from Dove chocolate, no less. We consumed about five gallons of milk in about 36 hours and getting out to get a refill wasn't an option. There were a few tense moments when we had to ration the milk.

Probably the highlight of the weekend was the Superbowl. I wish I could watch it like that every year. The property where we were staying opened an on-site movie theater where they projected the Super Bowl and had snacks and drinks just outside the door. The place was mixed between Steeler and Cardinal fans. We could yell and scream to our heart's content. I was rooting passionately for the Cardinals, and more specifically Kurt Warner. I was terribly disappointed in the loss. Then, during the post-game interviews I was reminded that the Steelers are a classy organization, and the thought of Bill Bidwell making the acceptance speech made me cringe (a hint of bitterness that goes back to when he moved the Cardinals from St. Louis), so I just couldn't be too sad. It was one of the most exciting Super Bowls I remember with some amazing highlights. And, being a Marketing major, the commercials are always intriguing. I especially liked Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head for Bridgestone.

There you have it. Tomorrow we are getting back in sync and hitting "it" hard. Hopefully we will be able to extract my car from the yard. Our efforts thus far have proven fruitless.