o/ Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow o/

Vancouver, WA, usually gets a few snow flurries during the winter. Maybe some snow even sticks for a couple hours. But the past week really takes the cake.

It has snowed every day for a week now. And I'm not talking flurries. I'm talking snow showers and even a couple semi-blizzards! There's probably 12-18 inches on the ground, three foot snow drifts and icy roads.

Local businesses are sold out of snow shovels and tire chains. Grocery stores shelves are depleted. That's the only good retail news for Vancouver businesses this holiday season. If you weren't done with your Christmas shopping by Thursday of last week, then too bad, so sad. Mother Nature decided you were, in fact, done and businesses were out of luck.

It was blizzarding outside on Saturday afternoon, but it was Scott's birthday and he really wanted to go out to lunch. We just went up the road to a German place called Gustav's, but even so, we had to drive about five miles an hour to get there.

Sunday we were officially snowed in. We had a great time playing games, watching movies and just enjoying some much needed relaxation.

On Monday, though, I needed to get some groceries since my parents were flying in. I'm not kidding you -- it took almost an hour just to dig my car out!!! The entire minivan had a 1/4th inch layer of ice covering it! So cool, I tell ya!

We finally made it to Wal-Mart. Generally, Wal-Mart is my least favorite store ever, but there were some fantastic sales on the groceries I needed, so I decided to go and brave the crowds.

What crowds? It was the least crowded I'd ever seen a Wal-Mart! I didn't even have to wait in line! Woohoo!

Today is another beautifully quiet and relaxing day. We've got a Monopoly game going (taking a break from it right now) in front of the fireplace. Everyone is getting along. The world outside is incredibly beautiful. Life is wonderful.