The Great Freeze of 2019

Well. Winter has arrived. A weekend or two ago, I promised Eli that I'd take him sledding to enjoy the Big Snow that we'd just gotten. We went, loved flying down the hills and had so many laughs together, I loved it! Hiking up the hill, trying to hit each other on the way down, tipping over and rolling through the snow, coming home to hot chocolate, what's not to love?? (Timeline - Sledding on Jan 20. Two major snowfalls in the few days preceding that.)

Next - the cold. Wind Chill of 20 below and guess what? School was CANCELLED. Snow day! Actually, technically Freeze Day! Or whatever. They're off of school on Friday. (Timeline - Cold on Jan. 28) The kids stayed home, the parents went to work.

Did I mention - David left for CANADA on Thursday? (That's Jan. 27 for those of us keeping track.) Who goes NORTH in January? We're not fans of winter. And David went to Canada. Colder? It's practically the edge of the world. Anyway, we're at work, the kids are home loving the weather that cancelled school. The weather people predict snow and cold and we're Wisconsinites so we roll our eyes. We complain about how the grocery stores are mobbed by everyone who thinks they'll be snowed in for the next 2 weeks so they'd better stock up now.We participate in the mobbing by stopping at the store for "just a couple essentials."

On Sunday we heeded the call of the local homeless shelter that's asked for extra food and blankets due to the increased number of people needing shelter. As we got to the shelter we join a line of people going into the building, everyone carrying bags stuffed with food, blankets, hats and gloves. I look around amazed at our community's response to the call for help. We get inside and see one of the gentlemen who runs the shelter standing there with wide eyes and a look of awe of his face. He's dumbfounded at the response. He tells us to just pile our things "over there." In the pile of bags of food, bedding, everything they asked for.

I walked out hoping the kids saw how one family can help another. Or how a community can come together to do something wonderful when we join together. Or how we should recognize the blessings that we have in our lives and never take them for granted. We have a warm home with a furnace that works and a fridge and cupboards that are fully stocked with food. We are so blessed.

Sunday night the call came. No school Monday - Snow Day! Archer asked if I wanted him to clear off the driveway in the morning and I accepted the offer. They were saying 8-10 inches of snow was on the way and they weren't wrong. Monday morning (Jan. 28, in the timeline...) we were greeted with a driveway filled with snow. As I started getting ready for work, I heard the snowblower start, then quit. I heard it start and die again a couple more times. Last week it seemed to work just fine, but now? I finished getting ready for work. I went outside to find Archer shoveling the snow. He apologized but also told me he was only going to do half - the left half, the half that needed to be cleared for me to get the van out. We shoveled together, I called my boss to inform him that my street still hadn't been plowed and I didn't know when I'd be able to leave the house. There was a wall of 10 inches of snow at the end of my driveway. Archer called Bampa to ask for advice about the snowblower and through a series of questions, trying again, and more questions, we finally figured it out. The auger was frozen with ice surrounding it. The chute was blocked by a solid chunk of ice. It would have to be thawed out before we could use it again, and there was only colder weather in the future. And that was when the Story was revealed to me.

Archer finally told me. The last time it snowed (Jan. 18th-ish?) he had offered to clear off the driveway, and when I got home, it was BEAUTIFULLY cleared. Even the sidewalk. Even around the mailbox. Not a speck of snow out of place. I bragged to everyone what a great job he had done. I paid him a big fat $20 bill for his wonderful work. I was the proudest mom you've ever seen. And when it came time to snowblow the driveway again, it turns out the snowblower hadn't been cleared out from the last time.  We stood in the garage trying to chip away at the ice with a stick, after we'd already shoveled the left half of the driveway together and the plow came and filled it all in again and we had shoveled more. And we were chipping away at the ice in the snowblower. And he finally couldn't take it anymore, and he confessed. He wasn't the one who had cleared the driveway last week, but he'd been told to take the money and not tell Mom anything about it. And he hadn't cleaned out the snowblower, or whatever. And when I heard this whole story all I could do was laugh. Only a perfect storm of record snowfall and record cold and someone doing a favor for someone else that turned into another kind of problem of frozen blocks of ice inside the equipment... Only then could this whole story have come out about Archer accepting payment for a job he didn't do and who would have even guessed? I laughed, and called Bampa to let him know the details of the kerfuffle and later called Shelly to tell her to take a hairdryer out to the garage to thaw out the snowblower. She said it took her an hour and a half. And now we're back in business

So where were we on the timeline? Tuesday, I guess, Jan. 28. It is going to be just as cold as it was on Friday, but school is now IN SESSION. I look at the forecast and see that at the time the kids will be getting off the buses, there will be a wind chill of 30 below. I make a decision that I've never done before. I keep ALL THREE kids home from school. I will not have them walking 2 or 3 blocks in weather that can cause frostbite in five minutes. So they stay home. I give them assignments and warnings and leave them to the warm cozies of home while classmates are off to school. As far as I can tell, none of them changed out of their jammies all day. When I got home and walked from the garage to the mailbox and back, my nose and fingers were already staring to hurt and I know I made the right decision to keep them home and order them, "DO NOT go outside today." No one talked about anything but the weather all day long at work. And this afternoon, I received a call from the school district. No school Wednesday. Wind chill will be 50-55 below zero tomorrow afternoon. The last time it was this cold in WI was 35 years ago, too long ago for even me (the old mom of the group) to remember it. I've never heard of weather this cold. (I looked it up. The last time it was this cold in WI was 1984. I definitely don't remember that.)

So I'm declaring it. This is The Major Freeze of 2019. Someday when I'm old and grey and rocking in my rocking chair, I'll be telling of The Great Freeze of 2019 when we had three major snowstorms in a week and four days of 50 below zero the very next week and it'll only be the very slightest of exaggerations. (We really did have three major snowfalls in seven days. Only one day of 50 below zero. So far.)

In the meantime, I'm waiting for the 41 degree heatwave they say is coming this weekend, hopefully that'll melt the mountain of snow in front of my front door so we can welcome a visitor or two again sometime soon.

P.S. Did I mention? This whole time, David has been in Halifax. When I look at the map, I feel like he's on the edge of the world. He's farther east even than Maine. I know it's irrational, but sometimes I have this weird feeling that he's going to fall off the edge of the earth. And it's warmer there, even though it's north of here. Twenty Three Degrees Fahrenheit. With the perspective of 55 below, 23 above feels like a luxury, practically beach weather. Just don't fall off the edge when you're visiting the beach in that balmy 23 degree weather that you've got over there, David. Come home soon, join us! I heard today that it's colder here than in Antarctica, and that's a once in a lifetime chance, to say you've been somewhere colder than Antarctica!

F5 Travels

Saturday evening we were all in bed by 7:00. On Sunday we were up WAAAY too early, and traveled by two flights and a stop in Detroit all the way down to Radiator Springs. The locals are very friendly and welcoming. We've happily moved into the Cozy Cone hotel - there are plenty of pillows and tasty foods for all of the Fortier 5. Sunday evening we went downtown for live entertainment and a little bit of shopping. Dinner at Planet Hollywood was full of singing and we stayed out a bit too late, considering how early we'd been up, and how exhausted we all were.

Monday was a day for exploring the surrounding area. Although Radiator Springs is a fun little town, we're interested in seeing what the rest of the countryside has to offer. And WOW we found lots of adventure! Our adventures included a jeep safari through the African Savannah, It's Tough to Be a Bug show explaining the trials of the smaller creatures on our planet,

Kilimanjaro Safari
African Dancers

Tuesday
Epcot

Lunch in Norway
Peanut Butter Cheese
Canned Beets - taste sweet but smell a little bit like dirt?

Dinner in France

Two months later...

We're now in March and I never finished this post. Let's just say, there was no time to spare for writing. We did take about a billion pictures, so maybe someday I'll share those. But we'll just leave it on this note - our trip to Disney World was the best vacation our family has ever had. We've never taken a whole week to travel somewhere completely new. We all got along, had so many wonderful moments together and fell into bed exhausted every night. We will treasure it forever.

Meet Alex. Also, Tour Madison

After Shelly's tri in May our eyes were opened to how inadequate her equipment was. Her bike doesn't even have gears. Plus it maybe weighs as much as she does. No wonder she had trouble with the hills!

The hunt began for a better bike and the best we could do was a bike in Madison. We made a road trip out of it and went to meet the new member of the family. Shelly fell in love with her immediately and has named her Alex. Welcome, Alex!

After that, food, of course. We're a hungry crowd!

And then, a visit to the capitol. We had a great time exploring the building. In the last picture here, you can't see it, but my cubs (young badgers) are standing next to a statue of a badger and doing their fiercest growls. Cute, right? :)

The Great Big Catch Up

We've been too busy living life to stop and write about it, so here's a catch up with pictures, enjoy!

Archer took David camping with the Scouts, there were supposed to be tents, but... there were no tents. Fortunately, some skeptical/prepared parents brought tents "just in case." David slept in the car, Archer was crammed into a tent with the rest of the boys. Of course this just added to the fun and they had a great time. After camping, they went to Cave of the Mounds for a cave tour and lesson on geology.

While the men were camping, we built a fire of our own and watched a movie... (I'm having deja vu, did I already write about this?)

We took a quick visit to a little beach but it was kinda scary... a little too secluded for my taste, bad graffiti, a dead stinky fish... We'll call that Scary Beach and probably not go there again.

E was eager to change out my license plates for me when some new ones came in the mail.

E took this picture of a flower at Bampa's house, I'm impressed with his skill! Of course, there were a hundred OTHER pictures that I won't show you because they just didn't quite turn out. He hasn't learned to aim the camera at people's faces and instead takes pictures of whatever's right in front of his own face. Imagine what that looks like when he's taking pictures of people...

Last weekend Shelly and I drove to Madison to pick up Aunt Laurie and then all go together to Black River Falls for a Ladies' Weekend. Look at our comfy cozy accomodations! The retreat was so comfortable, we all felt right at home and after we picked out our rooms we settled in.

On Saturday morning we got up bright and early to get to Cranfest. Shelly met a new friend and the girls enjoyed browsing around for the best doll clothes they could find. 

Shelly carefully considered all the options and finally found an outfit and a pair of shoes that fit within her budget, she couldn't wait to show them to her new friend, Carly!

After a long day of shopping, we were ready for something a little more relaxing, but first - the horse show!

Shelly met up with her old friend Pete when we went to see Uncle Mike at the horse show. We chatted with Lisa, then went out for soup (it was POURING rain by then, we were soaked and needed some warming up!).

That evening we were feeling adventerous and I goaded Shelly into climbing the ladder in the library at our cottage. She wouldn't go any higher than this, and when I tried it myself, I understood. It was SCARY. Aunt Laurie tried it too, but the other ladies were smart enough to stay off and not risk a concussion or broken bones for a little thrill.

When we started falling asleep on the couches, we realized it was time for bed. This time, no rush to wake up early and we all looked forward to some extra rest.

On Sunday we were woken just a little bit too early by a knocking noise... We all ignored it except for Shelly, she went downstairs to find out what was going on. She didn't figure it out, but then I heard Laurie whispering to Shelly, "Come here! Look, down there!" It was too early, I knew we had a long day ahead, but my curiosity overcame my sleepiness and I came out of the bedroom to see for myself. Down in the fireplace room, at the windows (which reached down to the ground outside), was a pair of turkeys! They were tapping on the glass, very persistently investigating whatever they saw. They continued for a little while longer but then slowly wandered off as we watched them. 

It didn't take long before the rest of the ladies were up and we were packing, eating breakfast, and sadly saying goodbye to each other. Shelly swiped the hat I'd bought the day before, I don't think I'll get to wear it much this winter!

We drove Aunt Laurie back home, then set our sights on our next destination - the Great Grandparents. 

We first visited Great Grandpa, arriving there around 2:00. It was so good to see him, he's such a blessing in our life and I love the time we have together. He has a story for everything!

Then we went on our way and called Nana. "Can we come and visit? In about half an hour..." The surprie and joy in her voice was so precious, and then we were there! We got to visit with her, share stories and laughter. It was a time of encouragement for all of us!

Shelly and I stopped at Culver's (see her cute hat? yeah, that's mine) for chicken before finally turning towards home. We drove 550 miles in 48 hours, made it home by 9:30 on Sunday night and went straight to bed.

On Tuesday Archer let me join his Field Trip to a nature preserve. I can't believe I didn't know about this place! It was beautiful. SO SO beautiful, peaceful, God's glory on full display all around us. We spent all morning walking around the ponds, prairie, woods, and riverbank. 

I look forward to taking our family there soon, to explore God's breathtaking creation.

This has become our new normal, our busy routine of after-school activities. Archer practicing his violin, Shelly practicing her math and reading, E roaming around distracting everyone at every chance he gets.

Don't let these peaceful-looking pictures decieve you, most of the time it feels like chaos barely contained. A hundred reminders to finish the to-do list, leave your brother alone, don't hit your sister, I know you're hungry I'm trying to make supper, just count on your fingers try to sound it out how is it spelled you still have to practice for 10 more minutes...

Today (we're almost caught up here on the blog!!) we sold popcorn for the Scouts. After lots of sales instructions, reminders to smile and some strategy discussions, we went at it. Popcorn, more popcorn, more and more... Four hours felt like eight. E and Shelly did really well hanging around and helping the boys. Good job everyone!

It seems as if the days fly by in a stream of busy little tasks, are we going to remember any of it, is it worth it. The laundry's never done, kitchen floor is sticky, windows always covered in fingerprints. And yet this is where God has us.

I read something encouraging last night. 1 Timothy 5:9-10. At first this seems to only apply to widows, or those caring for them, but the encouraging part to me was "bringing up chldren." This is listed with "all kinds of good deeds." When I read these verses, I was encouraged. The daily, minute by minute endeavor of bringing up children is highly valued in God's economy. And these tasks that go on the list to keep the household running and the children growing - they're important, each little and big moment, it counts in their lives, and it counts to God.

So, even though it seems to just be busywork, it counts in their lives, it counts with God, and I need to give it all my very best. Thank you Lord, for putting that reminder in front of me, at a moment I needed it most!!

No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

~ 1 Timothy 5:9-10

Stories

After our trip to Old World Wisconsin, we spent the night in Madison, and then went to visit Nana. Our schedule was a little different than hers, and when we arrived we were ready for lunch, but she'd already eaten. We took her out for lunch anyway, and she ordered apple pie while the rest of us had pizza. (And maybe shared her pie.) We visited, the kids played with Nana's toys, and we shared lots of stories.

After that, on to Grandpa Shorty's farm, where the kids roamed the yard, investigating the heifers and taking turns on the swings. More stories shared - did you know that the farm house where Grandpa raised his family had no running water when he bought the farm? Did you know that Grandpa dug out the basement of that house, to make room for a furnace? (Reminds me of when Nana told me about her dad digging a basement in the house she lived in as a girl.) So, while Grandpa shared stories with David and me, our kids were out and about, making new stories of their own. At one point, Archer ran into the kitchen and asked for a plastic container. To catch fireflies. Who is this kid? He's afraid of bugs!

Something about the country air changes a person, my kids began the quick transformation from city to country kids and as they ran in and out of the house, showing off their prizes (captured fireflies), I was so happy to be in this place of stories. Stories from our past, creating stories for my kids to tell their kids someday, stories for their future.

The next day the story-making continued, Dad took us to Hidden Valley for a little fishing trip. Archer caught about a hundred (or maybe just fifteen) little bluegills and sunfish, David caught a nice sized large mouth bass, and I caught a lot of seaweed. A lot. When I got tired of cleaning the weeds off the lures, I announced that we were done and we went back to Grandpa's to see what E and Shell had been up to with Grandma. Of course, E had no clothes (too HOT!) and the kids faces were red from running around outside. More snacks, more visiting, and then David and I came home. The kids stayed behind for a few more days of fun. And story making.

Back in Time

Today we celebrated our ten year wedding anniversary by taking a trip back in time. As we packed up the car and drove away, I started reminiscing about ten years ago today. "Right now (10:00 in the morning) I was sitting in my Dad's truck in my wedding dress, waiting to walk down to you." David said, "In the air conditioning." Yes, nice and cool in the truck, while David waited outside in the garden. It was SO hot that day, but I don't remember the heat. I remember finally, the time came and I got out of the truck, walked with my parents and bridesmaids through the gardens in my big white dress. Then, down the little path, my sister and friends ahead of me. My parents by my side. We rounded the corner and there, in front of me, my love. More friends and family were there, but my eyes were locked on David. There he was, so calm and handsome, our brothers beside him, and he stood waiting, smiling at me. I walked towards him, took his hands, and we sealed the deal. We vowed in front of everyone to stick together forever, and now, ten years later, I can't believe its been ten years!

 

Today we visited Old World Wisconsin. We had such a great time visiting the different houses and barns, the store, wagon maker's shop, blacksmith shop, the weaver's house and the farm animals. We learned so much, and even got to try a few chores. The kids tried washing clothes, making cedar shingles, cleaning out flax to make line (thread), watching fiber being spun into thread, watching the loom in action, grinding rye for flour, mowing grass... I may have left out a thing or two. All along the way we kept talking about Laura Ingalls stories. Remember when Almanzo's father made shingles? Remember when Laura's mom made straw hats? See those hats?

Almost all the little girls we saw were walking around in sun bonnets and I couldn't resist, we picked one out for Shelly and she wore it proudly for the rest of the day. Archer got a water canteen and E got a little wooden toy. 

As we were leaving, there was a couple getting married in front of one of the big barns. The women in their beautiful dresses, the men in tuxedos, and their family and friends all seated, watching them promise to spend the rest of their lives together.

Today, as we celebrate our tenth anniversary, I can't believe all of the amazing things that have happened in our lives since we made our own promises ten short years ago. Here we are, older and wiser (haha!), three beautiful kids have joined our journey, and we're still going strong. Praise God, from whom ALL BLESSINGS FLOW. He has give us SO MUCH, blessed us beyond measure, and no words can say how thankful I am to be in this exact place where we are today.

Shout for joy to The Lord, all the earth. 

Worship The Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that The Lord is God.

It is he how made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

~Psalm 100:1-3

 

Summer Camp

Mom and Dad took the kids on Thursday, and today we'll go pick them up. Summer Camp lasted three nights and I'm sure we'll be hearing about it for weeks to come. The quiet around the house has been nice, but I miss our kids, the five of us together where we belong. 

Dad shared these pictures with us, hopefully Archer and Shelly can give us the stories to go with the pictures...

Up Up and Away!

After much deliberation, daily phone calls back and forth, and close inspections to see who is sick and who's healthy enough to go...

After a frantic packing session this morning and last minute breakfast of cookies while watching Grandpa examine his fishing gear...

A quick bath for someone with a diaper issue, ignoring all the tears and loading all the bags and gear into the truck, hugs and kisses and orders to behave...

They're gone. Once again, Grandma and Grandpa have flown the coop, three kids in tow. There was one who was nearly left behind for his crying (and is that a cough? is he still sick?), but Grandma overruled Grandpa and Mom, and E was tucked into his seat to join the rest of the crew on a trip to the farm. Grandpa assured me that this is not an unusual way for the trip to start. "Do you know how many trips to the farm have started this way?" And you know, he wasn't just talking about my three kids, he was talking about all those trips, way back when the three of us, Denise and James and I would be crammed into the backseat despite any objections, and off we'd go.

I'm always impressed by how well my parents ignore the crying. The little meltdowns don't phase them, they just keep moving forward, kids in tow, they don't let the drama keep them from the fun and adventure that the day has waiting. So far all I've heard is that they stopped to visit Nana and there was something about the polka? Can't wait to hear more about the trip, when they come home bubbling with a hundred new stories to share!

Weekend Travels

We told the kids that we were going swimming at a hotel, that was it. But, we also might be doing some walking around so we should really replace the shoes that had missing shoelaces and holes in the bottoms. Our first stop was Target, then, we're off! (Notice the boys have matching shoes. Shelly's are the same style too, just a different color.)

We drove for a long time and then showed up at a theater, not a hotel. Archer was slightly disappointed and wondered when we would get to go swimming. "Just this one stop, then we'll go to the hotel." This one stop turned out to be a Disney Live Music Show and even Archer warmed up to it when the Toy Story characters came out yodeling and doing fancy rope tricks. Elijah tried to claim the entire bucket of popcorn for himself but the rest of us sneaked some while he was distracted by Mickey Mouse singing.

When we got to the hotel the smallest person was put in charge of the heaviest bag and we made our way in. That smallest person was then put down for a nap with Dad while the rest of us checked out the pool. FINALLY! It was a great place, the kids loved showing off their swimming skills and I even got Arch to try out the hot tub with me (the BEST part!). Later, after supper, Dad and E joined us in the pool again for lots more fun. All the way till ten at night we swam, the kids were in HEAVEN. (Sorry, E, for the pink shirt. Its what we had.)

For breakfast we ate at the Sugar Bowl, what a sweet place! The waitresses were all so kind, Archer even commented on how nice they all were, it definitely felt like a small town diner, and the food was SO good! Did I mention lunch the day before was at a McDonald's with a water tower in the parking lot? And supper was at Buona's, another friendly place with fantastic desserts, E didn't want to let a single drop get left behind (and that's why you can see him with the bowl in his face, drinking up every last bit). As you can see the kids' attitudes ranged from "quit taking so many pictures and WHEN IS THE FOOD GOING TO BE HERE???" to thrilled to get so many treats in one day.

Next was the Museum of Science and Industry, the almost-last surprise. We wandered all around for half a day, lost each of the kids once or twice (three of them, two of us, its easy to lose track of where everyone's at!). David and the kids reviewed the map a few times and then...
Rock climbing, an indoor tornado that got Shelly a little nervous, visiting a toy factory, learning about the circus, ships, farming (see us milking a cow?), catching sand with our shadows, what have I forgotten?

We did a coal mine tour which only slightly terrified Shelly, she clung pretty close for that adventure. I don't blame her. Onto an elevator and into the dark to descend 600 feet into a mine. The elevator was dark and noisy. No lights in those elevators, you know! Through dimly-lit tunnels and past noisy machines. It got to be a little much for her, and since it was the end of the day, Elijah was carried most of the time. And rubbing his face against my face, getting ready for his nap. We learned so much!

And now, goodbye Chicago, finally we were on our way home. Just one more stop, the famous Rainforest Cafe. The kids were completely fascinated by every detail, but all three were surprised by the thunderstorms, with rumbling thunder and lightening flashing it was a little too much for Eli. Plus I'm sure he was completely exhausted, and still... more to come... a Volcano for dessert! We kept seeing the waiters walking by with flaming stacks of brownies and ice cream, they watched as the desserts kept passing us by but Mom and Dad said we'd already had enough to eat. And then... the waiter brought one for us! We all dug in and enjoyed this last treat from our trip. And then that really was it, time to go home. Archer and Shelly wished they didn't have to go back to school tomorrow, the fun still lingering and wishing real life didn't start up again so quickly. We got home at 8:30 and were all in bed and sleeping by 9:30. And even Archer slept in a little more than usual on Monday morning.