Could it be any colder?

This week has marked one of the coldest weeks I've seen in years. Maybe I'm just more aware of it, since I'm bundling up my little girl to head to school and having to do the same to the boys when it is time to pick her up. But on Thursday it was at one point -4 degrees with a wind chill of -20. On Friday we had a heat wave and it reached 8 degrees at 3 pm. On days like these I truly do miss Arizona. Chris and I lived in Arizona from Nov. of 1999 till July 2004. It was such a fun time, especially as newly weds, on our own for the first time, big city and all. If you can stand a little heat for 3 months, the other 9 months is just gorgeous weather. (Now those Arizonians start freaking out when it gets in the high 50's--that's too cold for them). Now I'm not laughing at them, just stating the facts. We both vividly remember on Jan. 1, 2000 (after seeing that everything was ok from Y2K :) )buying our exercise bikes and wearing shorts. Who would think of buying bikes in Missouri in January? (The answer is no one.) Being AZ newbies, we even took a picture of us holding the newspaper in our shorts. Don't laugh at us!!! Unfortunately the bikes have not seen the light of day very much, they have been moved from one garage to another, more than they have been ridden, but that is another blog. Anyways, I guess I will never wonder why when I suggest to my Arizona friends they should pack up and come live by me in St. Louis they don't jump at the chance---especially if I ask them in Jan. or Feb. I must convince them about the beauty of Fall and how rain in the Spring can actually smell good rather than smell like dust, crisp air Friday night football games, and how you don't always have third degree burns from your steering wheel when you drive in the summer. (If you haven't noticed---I am trying to talk myself into staying in MO.---because I can't take the cold much longer.) SOOOOOO......Christina & Andy, Shanna & Matt, Nicole & Joe.... why don't you all come live in Missouri?! I'm about to become a snow bird.

Beautiful Branson

So I am a little behind...but better late than never. Right? Over the New Year Holiday we got to go to our friends' cabin in Branson and ring in the new year with them. (The above picture is Eden & Eli and the Gerdel clan ringing in the New Year at 10 PM CST. They were pretty excited to get to toast and stay up till then.) The Gerdel's are our best friends here in Washington and have a cabin in Branson (no offense to my best friends in Phoenix or my best friends in Branson or my other best friends all over the country). Normally when we've gone somewhere with the Gerdels it has been camping at the Meramac State Park during the heat of summer, so needless to say, Eden was confused. She asked if she could bring her bike to ride. I had to say no, because riding your bike in 40 degree weather isn't as fun. Then she asked the funniest thing. "Is Branson full of nature?" Having lived in Branson for a year, we told her yes. It is a beautiful town full of nature. I guess it is a little sad, that she doesn't recognize Washington as being "full of nature". (Because it also is a beautiful town on the most southern tip of the Missouri River). She thinks in order to view nature, it must be a long trip that we have to pack for, rather than looking for nature in our own backyard. I guess I need to highlight God's creation a little more often at our own home. We did have a great time and the weather actually was in the mid-60's. It truly was gorgeous nature weather. We got to go to the fish hatchery under Tablerock Dam, the Branson Landing, explore around the cabin, see at least 8 deer from their back door, and visit some other best friends as well. All in all, it was a great trip: very relaxing, lots of laughing, making new friends and keeping the old, ringing in the new year, and of course enjoying nature! Thank you, Missy and Andrew, for including us in your family and allowing us to ring in the new year with you and in your wonderful cabin.