Goodbye, snow!

I can't believe it, but our snow is almost all gone!  We've had rain and much warmer temps this weekend.  When I heard what our forecast was earlier this week, I decided to take a picture of our house in the snow, just in case we wouldn't get any more this year.  Ha!  I think there's more coming Tuesday!

In addition to warmer temps and rain, we also had fog last evening.  Dick and I went for groceries, and on the way home I was so glad Dick had come with me as we drove the curvy, hilly Rock Road through the woods.  

I have so much to do!!  Yesterday I held a practice with the kids at church.  I think we all feel so much more ready after that rehearsal.  I will have another one tomorrow afternoon, since all the kids are now out of school for Christmas break.  We'll be doing the musical next Sunday.

We also have a Christmas Eve service Tuesday at 9 pm.  So after church today I was practicing with various groups for the specials that we will do.  

And the kids are coming!!  Ray and Thyda will arrive Tuesday, Sam and Jenn on Wednesday, and Frank's family on Saturday.  They're all staying till Sunday.  Well, Destiny will stay until New Year's Day.  I'm so excited!  We'll have our annual fondue on Saturday.  I started stocking up on Friday.

Anthony and Lori are at her folks in NYC this weekend to celebrate her dad's 80th birthday.  They'll be coming back tomorrow.  This evening Anthony posted an Austin-ism that just cracked me up!!  

"One time in my car at night I drove past Hanukkah, Florida, Africa and I drove to the end of the world. And I almost died but I ate some fruit so I didn't. That's the funny part"

What an imagination!!!  I shouldn't be surprised.  Anthony was a great story teller.  When he was 4 and Lisa was in school and Jeremy was a baby and he was bored,  I got him started recording himself on a little cassette player.  He would tell story after story on those cassettes, and most of them were wild and crazy.  He would always start, "Now boys and girls, I'm going to tell you a story."  

Speaking of those days, our daughter Miki in Sweden had a birthday yesterday.  She joined our family soon after her 14th birthday in January 1981.  Here are a few pictures I dug up from that year.

Dick on the floor with Jeremy, Miki, Lisa, and Anthony on top.

Miki and I are only 15 years apart in age.  We used to have a lot of fun with that.

Here's a more recent picture from her Facebook.  

As some of you may remember she experienced an unexpected divorce two years ago.  She has since become engaged and will be getting married in May.  They will be coming to the states on their honeymoon.  I'm really, really looking forward to that.  

Gotta get some shut-eye now!