Snowzilla 2016

"Snowzilla", as it was affectionately named, dumped just over 3 feet of snow on us. The state declared a state of emergency before the storm even started with predictions of 50 mile an hour winds and massive power outage throughout the area. Dan called it "SnowBama" because it came in, snowed the people and wrecked the place. Anyway...

We learned our lesson when it happened two years ago and were so much more prepared. Since Dan was recovering from surgery and couldn't lift more than 15 lbs we had to ask for some help from others.  Rob Bastian came and taught me how to use an axe but really he did all the chopping for kindling. The kids and I with Dans help (he shouldn't have) brought in a lot of fire wood to the storage room. Dan made sure we had plenty gasoline. I moved the tractor up and into the garage where the missionaries helped Dan put the snow blade on.  Dan and Ryan Kigin moved the generator in place as the snow began. I made sure we had plenty of food and water. We were prepared.

The power did flicker once, which made my heart stop beating while Abby cheered, "YAY!" (Dan had them excited to use our generator and campout by our fireplace.) Gratefully we didn't lose power.

The snow began on Friday, with no school, but didn't become a storm until the night. Dan set his alarm to wake up at 3 a.m. to put more wood in the fire place and plow. We decided not to plow, we should have. By 6 a.m. the snow was too heavy and too high for our tractor and blade to move it very far. I shoveled throughout the day keeping a path out the back for the dog and kids to play. We just had to let it fall and accumulate. On Sunday our neighbors, Mark and Mike, came with their snow-blowers and cleared our drive way for us. So kind! We watched as Montgomery County trucks turned around at the road to head back to their county. Susie Collins, our neighbor, had to work on Monday and so our amazing neighbors all pitched in and snow-blowed a path for one vehicle to get out to the road out of our cul de sac. No Frederick County trucks made it here until WEDNESDAY! For some idiotic reason our county executive called off the trucks Saturday night and didn't have them back on the roads until Monday.

The kids spent everyday out in the snow. Dan baked and I ate, a lot!  We slept in, played games and watched shows. It was great. The kids ended up with 6 days off of school. Dan's trip to Florida got pushed a couple days thankfully.