Dear God: When I asked for snow I didn't mean ALL AT ONCE!

We haven't had a *flake* of snow to speak of all season.  OK, I know that winter officially started just a few days ago, but you know what I mean.  I've been blaming my "lack of Christmas spirit" on the fact that we've had merely a dusting or two since October.

Christmas Day, we might as well have been in Miami -- though we had temperatures more like those in Minneapolis. 

Then the weather reports started to come in...

We wake up on Dec. 26th to alarming forecasts, travel advisories, and winter storm warnings.  Yet the ground is still dry. 

Mom and Dad give each other "that look" that says we better get out of here before we get stranded here for the rest of the week.   Of course, that wouldn't bother me, but Todd was (I'm sure) hoping they'd get on the road to enjoy a safe and comfortable journey.  ;)

So they hit the road.  At about 10:30 that morning.

A mere 20 minutes later, Todd and I get in the car to do some errands and the entire driveway is covered and white!  I swear, the snow started the second they pulled out of the driveway.  And it hasn't stopped since!!

I don't know what the official stats are, but I do know that it's the first time that we are COMPLETELY UNABLE to get out of the driveway since we've lived here.  There was a snow drift that came up to the brass handle on the front door of the house (up and over the three-step cement stairs).   We have to dig a little "area" where Hogan can "go", since the snow is deeper than his chest! 

And then it happened...I'm surveying the back yard from the window of the bathroom.  I jump into the shower and no less than a second later, I feel the house rumble.  From the glass-enclosed shower, I can see a huge puff of snow and then, a second later, a 60-foot tree laying across the entire back yard.  We can't even get a crew in here to remove it till the landscapers come to plow us out.

I asked for snow for Christmas, but sheesh!