Did You Know God Is a Colts Fan?

I'm pretty sure He is. And I've got proof!!!

Take a look at this proud display of Colts colors:

The city of Marion supplied the blue, but GOD provided the white!!!!!

Here We DON'T Go Again

It's been a long time since we've had as many canceled or delayed school days in such a short stretch.

Last week we were canceled three days and delayed one.

This week started out better, both Monday and Tuesday were full days with the weather warming and the snow melting. Other than sloppy puddles and slush everywhere things seemed to be looking up.

But today - - - two hour delay, which turned into a cancellation. Freezing fog.

Shrubs and tree branches with fog frozen on them.

I was already at school working when the delay turned into a cancellation - - - so I put in three and a half hours working on my tyranny of the urgent list before returning home.

I saw some better examples frozen fog on the way home from school - - - but the sun was coming out, so I had to "settle" for these two shots from my own neighborhood.

Brooke and Justin's Wedding Reception

Justin and Brooke.

Keri with Brooke's proud parents, Jo and Paul.

Beautiful, glowing Keri and Jo.

Handsome, charming, sophisticated, debonnaire Paul!!!


Jason and Mackinley waitin' for some cake.

Brooke's Uncle Pete, Aunt Michelle, and Cousin Brad.

Jason, Mackinley, and Great, Great Uncle Paul, who also happens to be Brooke's Grandpa!!!

Brooke's Uncle Steve Rhodes - - - a Wisconsin Camp buddy of mine, et Moi. In case you can't tell, I'm the one with the half closed eyes :-)

Rowdy - - - Brooke and Justin's pet who certainly didn't want to miss the wedding and wore his tie for the occasion.

Jason, about receptioned out, with table confetti stuck on his face.

Hey - - - - cut him some slack. You've NO IDEA what it's like to marry into THIS family. Justin - - - - you're gonna find out!!!!

Mini Heavilin Reunion

Several of us decided to make Brooke and Justin's wedding an opportunity for a bit of a reunion. So, when the wedding festivities were over, we converged on the Kokomo Hampton Inn and Suites - - - - and the party began!!!

We started and ended our mini reunion in a hotel suite. Miraculously no one pounded on our door and told us to be quiet. If you aren't a Heavilin, you probably can't appreciate how big of a miracle that is!!!

Also, if you aren't a Heavilin you are probably going to think it strange that everyone from here on out has a numerical/alphabetical tag. Listen, when you are descendants of 13 children in one family - - - - it can get rather cornfusing as to who belongs to and comes from whom. So, we have devised our own little system to help us all keep track. You'll just have to BEAR with us here - - - - -

Keri with her second cousins. Brad 8g1, Brandon 8b3, Keri 9a1 and Donny 8b1. What fun they had - - - can you tell?

Talk of Venezuela. (Dan and Marilyn just returned from visiting their daughter Janelle 8b2 there.) Marilyn 8b, Aunt Virginia 8s, Phil 8f, and Linda 8fs.

Just before the games began. Keri 9a1, Michelle 8gs, Dan 8bs and Marilyn 8b.

No, Marilyn has NOT taken up smoking a pipe!!! That's a matte cup which holds a special Latin American tea - - - - at least that's what they CLAIMED!!! ;-)

Mackinley 9a1a, by the time this photo was taken, the only child in the midst of it all!! Don't worry - - - he held his own just fine!!!

Mini Reunion Takes Over The Hotel Lobby - - -

When the pizza arrived, we took the party to the cafe area of the hotel lobby. Yep - - - it was the traditional, noisy, Heavilin gathering with everyone talking at once!!

Seated at the table from left to right: Dyan 8b1s, Michelle 8gs, and Marilyn 8b.

Seated in the background watching basketball : Brad 8g1 and Linda 8fs.

Hovering in the middle with pizza in hand: Dan, 8bs.

"Grandpa, what nice whiskers you have!!" Dan 8bs and Danielle 8b1c.

Kamma's "Pride and Joy" - - - Mackinley 9a1a.

Just feedin' our faces!!! Peetie 8g, Phil 8f (way in background by fireplace), Keri 9a1, and Macky 9a1a.

Jason 9a1s with Mackinley 9a1a pizza face held high.

Hey, if you think I have too many pictures of the 9's and especially of little Kinley on here - - - - just suck it up, it's a Grandma's prerogative!!!

Little Donny 8b1ta, Jamie 8b3s, and Aunt Virginia 8s.

Proud Grandpa Paul 8 with two of his grandsons, Brandon 8b3 and Donny 8b1.

Peetie and Philip. (8g and 8f)

Two anti-social outlaws (don't worry, our two most infamous out-laws dubbed themselves with that title) join the lobby crowd. (Greg 9as & Jason 9a1s)

"Let me get some of that popcorn!!" (Mackinley 9a1a, Jason 9a1s, & Keri 9a1)

Donny (8b1) on his way out the door - - - sportin' his Colts pride!!

What a fun reunion - - - let's do it again SOON!! Only next time - - - how about representation from all 1 - 13!!!!!

Here It Snows Again - - - -

Yesterday on my way to school, for only the second time this week, it was 7 below zero with clear skies at 7:30 a.m.

Today it's snowing again - - - - layering powder on top of piles - - -

Tomorrow I don't know what it will be!

The weatherman says its going to be 40 degrees next week. YIKES I can't keep up!!!

Korie Chipmunk

Normally our daughter Korie looks like this:

But after having all her wisdom teeth removed at once - - - here is her chipmunk look:

I promise - - - I got her permission before I took and posted this photo!!

To All of You in My Blogging World:

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Northern Wisconsin Blast in Central Indiana

OK - - - so I was wrong. Totally, and unspeakable wrong. It WAS a big snow storm.

I'm still not sure I would call it a blizzard - - - I think blinding, whipping snow with massive white-outs when I think blizzard, and this wasn't that. BUT - - - over a 24 hour period we did amass quite a bit of snow which is piled in drifts and etched like sand dunes.

This morning we have sunshine and plunging mercury. I do rather like the colors in these early morning photos - - - they make it look as cold as it is.

It is rather difficult to show depth in a photo - - - - so I took some rather strange shots that I hoped would do that.

Path to our front door. Makes me think of the little path my dad used to shovel across our backyard, behind the church, to the side street so my sister and I could run through it on our way to the elementary school.

This shot was to let you see how deeply buried the mail box is and also to show the height of the plowed snow edges. I'm glad all you can see of my early morning condition is my shadow!!!!

Our snowed-in house from the street. Check out that mailbox nearly buried beneath the plowed snow. Also, look carefully between our house and the neighbors and you will see nearly bare ground - - - with the bulk of the snow drifted up right in front of our porch pillars.

The red car belongs to Korie who weathered the storm here with us while she recovers from a really nasty removal of four wisdom teeth at once. Poor thing is in the chipmunk phase.

Adventure For a Supper

Those of you who know me well know I don't keep groceries in the house. No, I'm NOT exaggerating, our refrigerator is nearly always NAKED but for some condiments in the door, and lately a few dozen eggs which I scramble for my breakfasts.

So, yesterday in the midst of the winter storm, Greg said he'd take me to the the grocerystore so we would be able to eat.

I've said before how deceptive that storm was - - - by looking out the window, it didn't look like a blizzard (no huge flakes, no white out in the air), and it didn't even seem that we were getting much accumulation as there were still large nearly bare places in the yard.

The trip to the store was a high adventure, even in an off road, 4X4, honkin' big, sky high, Dodge pickup. Every few feet we had to plow through drifts which were scraping the underside of the truck and threatening to mire us.

But, mission was accomplished and I got the ingredients to make Joel's "Skillet Lasagna" recipe which he so kindly posted for us on Thursday Table. I never "do" a recipe exactly as written - - - so here are the results with my own slight variations.

Hot and fresh from the oven. That was my main change to the recipe. When the noodles were cooked, I not only layered on parmesan and cottage cheese (in place of the ricotta) but also shredded co-jack and mozzarella, then popped the whole thing in the oven for about a half an hour.

With some servings missing! Yummy!!! Thank you Joel for the idea and the recipe.

Old Man Winter Giggles

Not a blizzard, but not an outright laugh either.

The air has fine flakes blowing through it - - - the accumulation doesn't seem to be piling up - - - - but the drifts across the driveway and front street are growing by leaps and bounds.

So, Greg is using his favorite winter toy AGAIN.

School's Out for the Blizzard???

That's right - - - school's canceled today for a blizzard.

Only problem - - - I'm not seeing a blizzard.

True, the weatherman is calling for snow today- - - up to 12 inches or more. However, at this point it's just not happening. Which makes me wonder, did they call this cancellation too early?

Stay tuned for the next installment. Will it be:

"Blizzard Strikes Central Indiana"

or

"Old Man Winter Has The Last Laugh"

Winter Strikes Indiana Again - - - -

After days of subzero weather but no snow - - - today we had a heat wave which brought temperatures near ten degrees and snow. YIPPEEE we LOVE winter around here. Take a look - - - - -

Greg's truck and Kyle's car - - - poor pitiful things can't find a home in our three car garage, so they have to "weather" the outdoors. (Greg's boat and our camper have "dibs" on garage space, and my car won't give up her section - she's stubborn that way.)

Snowy deck in the late afternoon light.

Greg "shoveling" the driveway with one of his toys.

My snowmen - - - See them on the porch? (Hehehehehehe)

Our "street." Can you find it?? Just follow the mailboxes!

Super Sunday Bowl Party

The NFL doesn't approve of Super Bowl parties - - - so we didn't have one. We did, however, gather for a Super Sunday bowl party. And what a SUPER SUNDAY it turned out to be. I've never been prouder of our COLTS!!!

My cousin Pete and his wife Michelle traveled two and a half hours to watch the Big Game with us.

Our friends, Mike and Diane, braving the chill arctic air.

The Eyes Have It - - - -

Anon, what fun we had during our party making these pictures just for you - - - -

Party comedian/impressionist.

Incognito and Incognita.

Under-Cover "Blues"

It's Contagious!!!

Even Greg is getting Colts Fever. (I "borrowed" this picture from Keri's blog - - - - thank you, Keri!!!)

Blue Friday

Yep - - - I taught school like this ALL DAY LONG!!!

Wow - - - it really does make my eyes look blue, doesn't it?

Yah, I'm lookin' old. Three reasons: 1) I AM old, 2) I'm a blue-hair, everyone knows blue-hairs are old and 3) I'm sick. (Missed school yesterday, but FORCED myself to go today - - - mostly so I could do the whole blue thing.)

GO COLTS - - - - 49 hours, 29 minutes, and counting!!!!