Winter Weather

It has been a really cold winter this year in Michigan.  We've already gotten more snow than the average snowfall for the entire previous year.  Its also been much colder than other winters we have been here. We've had temperatures of -15 with windchills that make it feel like it is -20 or -30.  As a result, they have canceled school four days already this year because students aren't allowed to be outside in the cold (even to walk or wait for the bus)if it is below a certain temperature.  Ainsley's enjoyed the extra days off dressing up and playing at home.  Sam has loved the company.  It made her winter break 19 days long, but by the time it was warm enough to go back, we were all more than ready:) 

On one of the warmer days-it was 12-15 degrees outside:), the kids went to play outside in the snow.  They got a sled for christmas and enjoyed riding it down the little hill by our house.  Ainsley also loved climbing on the giant snow pile left from the snowplows.  We even pulled out our beach toys and dug in the snow. 

 The entire midwest has experienced a "Polar Vortex" as they are calling it.  It has had record temperatures.  It got down to -15 one night and unfortunately our pipes in our kitchen froze as a result.  Tom was in Las Vegas when it happened and I awoke to no water in the kitchen despite having taken precautions the night before.  I went and bought heaters to help defrost the pipes to prevent them from bursting.  But our kitchen is over an uninsulated garage and so there wasn't much we could do but try to heat the garage.  The cold water came through first at the end of the first day, but when it did, I discovered that the drain was also frozen because no water would drain.  So I had to let the water drip into a 18 gallon plastic tub and empty it every few hours.  As a result, I didn't leave the house or get much sleep for 3 full days before the drain pipe finally thawed.  Every night since, we have done what  can to try to prevent it from happening again, but unfortunately the hot water froze again one night when temperatures reached -9.  Luckily it thawed by evening the next day, and nothing has burst.  We are going to look into finding a more permanent solution if possible.  We've been staying warm inside drinking lots of hot chocolate and watching movies.  Its been a beautiful winter though with blue clear skies that makes it hard to remember that it is so cold until you step outside.  We still have three more months of winter here, I hope it doesn't get any worse.  I don't know how much more bitter, bitter cold I can handle:)