Arctic Blast 2008

Wow, what weather we have been having. It all started the last week of school before Christmas Break. Although at the time there were only a few inches of snow, school was cancelled for the entire week! Here are some pics when that was the situation. It was Heath's first snow experience and he seemed to like it for a little while. He didn't mind the extensive clothing it took to keep him warm!

Mid-week we decided to go downtown to Macy's and see Santa. It was deserted, probably due to the weater conditions, but a little snow won't stop Santa!Then, on Friday of that week (December 19th), Halle and I and Andy's parents flew down to Salt Lake City to see her cousins in the Nutcracker. They were getting their fair share of snow too...The Nutcracker was great and the girls did fantastic, very impressive. We knew it might be a little challenging to get back to Portland due to the weather forecast, but little did we know...our first flight was cancelled, our second flight (the next morning), was delayed by 2 hours. then when we flew over Portland, the runways weren't ready--too icy--, so we flew to Seattle and landed there. Weelll...we thought they would get us to Portland, but they said the airplane, crew, and luggage was returning to Salt Lake City and if we voluntarily got off the plane in Seattle, we were on our own to get to Portland. I called Andy, and always being up for a challenge, he said to get off the plane and he would drive up and get us. (I also had a full schedule the next day). Andy's parents flew back to Utah and Halle and I got off the plane. Out adventure in the airport for the day is for another post, but at 6:30, Andy came to the Seattle airport and picked up Halle, myself, and 3 other people who were stranded and trying to get to Portland. They were very appreciative and it was fun to help. Halle really loved that part! When we got home, the conditions were amazing! Downtown Portland...covered in snow. Buses sliding off the streets. Over a foot of snow and layers of ice in between more inches of snow! I have never seen Portland like that. Of course, no plowing to speak of, (nearly). Here are a few images of that. By the time I took most of these, the melting had started, but still amazing. We built a snowmen on Christmas Eve and loved it! This first one is our dental office and all of the shoveling Andy did to make it accessible to our patients, who came in spite of the deep snow drifts in the parking lot!

All of Halle's ski clothes were stuck in Salt Lake City in our stranded luggage, so we had to make due...however in this next picture she had just overheated and decided to shed some clothes!Our pond covered by ice and snowThis last picture is a snowman I made for my annual Christmas craft to my friend Jana. Kind of a fitting end to a snow-filled post!