There's No Place Like Home

While I was putting Ford to bed last Wednesday night, I started to hear some crazy gusty wind outside. Granted, our house is noisy and it often sounds like someone is jumping on the roof when the temperature outside changes drastically... so I didn't think much of it. But later, when Abby and I were reading in her room, one of her windows which had a slight crack in it started to break even further because of the wind. I grabbed her and put her to bed in the playroom when we lost power. She was asleep in about 2 minutes, totally fine with the howling wind just outside the window, the lack of usual white noise and her parents acting a bit freaked out.

Most people in Pasadena were prepared for this, but since I live in a hole and never, ever get to watch the news (it's way too graphic for the two year old eyes!), always listen to kid songs in the car so I can have some peace and quiet and only have time to check my email when online, I had no idea what was coming. The next 12 hours consisted of some Auntie Em type stuff, up to 100 miles an hour at our house. At one point, we were afraid that our large sliding doors might shatter they were shuddering against the wind so often. The good news? Grant and I got some quality time together, loudly talking over the crazy wind outside. It was funny how after awhile, we got used to the noise. Still freaky, but we got used to it.

My mom arrived the next day - we still can't believe her plane could land -- and we spent that day and the next night without power, our temperatures dropping more each hour. That night Grant was up stoking the fire every hour and trying to keep the place above 58 degrees. At about 4am, our power came on, while the folks just across the canyon from us had their power out FOR FIVE DAYS. Five. Days. For every single one of those 5 days, we were so very thankful that we had power, warmth and the smarts to make Christmas cookies. Many of our neighbors lost trees, had damage to their homes and when we drive through Pasadena, a week later, we still see hundred year old oak trees toppled from the roots. We've still got a lot to clean up around here... but relatively speaking, we're doing pretty good! Thank you for your calls and emails to see if we were okay!

The day before we lost power was a lovely day. Abby was blowing bubbles...

Rubbing the bubbles all over her hands...

Got caught in the act of putting the wand in her mouth ("Mom! My lips hurt!")...

and ironically, like Dorothy, sporting her sparkly slippers. Hopefully she was thinking "there's no place like home."

And the look I love....that glassy eyed stare that comes after lunch when she's ready for a rest.

495. a fireplace that works and actually puts out heat

496. a stack of wood that had been delivered a week before

497. the perfect timing of grandma's visit