Horse Manure Park

So this is what we call a major winter storm, eh? Sorry for the sarcasm, but I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.  The National Weather Service really built this one up.  They even issued warnings via the Emergency Broadcast System on television.  Prepare to be bludgeoned with 18 inches of snow in the Brainerd Lakes Area .   The end is nigh.  The geniuses at the local newspaper, the Brainerd Daily Dispatch Disgrace , in all of their journalistic hyperbole, called the looming disaster "Snowmaggedon."  (Real original, I know) The underlying feeling was that we've never seen snow before.  My personal thought was the weather folks have been bored all winter and they finally had something to talk about.  And this storm was being blown totally out of proportion. It turns out I was right for once. Now I'm not claiming to have seen it all, but I have lived in Minnesota for all of my 42 years.  I've seen bad winter storms. ...

According to this map, the weatherman feels fairly certain that my neck o' the woods is going to get absolutely hammered by a winter storm in the next 48 hours. They scared us with "the possibility of a half foot of snow" on Sunday and we barely got a dusting. What will Tuesday and Wednesday bring?  Could the computer models be wrong twice in three days? Sure they could. Or we could have the first real snow storm of the season - maybe it will be remembered as the "Leap Day Blizzard of '12".  But fret not.  Spring is exactly three weeks away.  And daylight savings time begins in eleven days! If I have to break out my snow shovel for the first time this winter on March 1st, I'm not going to complain much. 

Time for what I'll have to call my weekly update, or perhaps bi-monthly?  A few things have happened since last time I typed away... The most important thing is my oldest turned six years old on Feb. 9th.  We had a quiet party on the night of her birthday (Mom and Dad were working the entire weekend).  Celebrating at home, Feb 9th.  Little brother had already started trashing the cake. This past Saturday we had a bigger party for her at the Three Bears Waterpark at the Holiday Inn here in town.  Even cousins and Nora and Jacob came all the way from Bismarck, ND, to be at the party! Little brother checking out the cake.  Again. Ava's cupcake cake A few of the kids at the party Opening gifts... Concentrating on her Lego veterinarian clinic, one of her birthday gifts.  This little work of art took over two hours for Dad (with some help from the birthday girl) to piece together!  She's determined to be a vet when she grows u...

I just added a new feature to my blog for those who don't have Facebook.  I will try to update my Twitter status frequently (to the left).  You can also click on the links "pics.twitter.com" to view any pictures I might post.  Hope this keeps my blog more relevant to you non-Facebook folks!!!