Snowed In!

So, for almost one and a half weeks we have been at home all day and all night. We can visit with each other twenty-four hours a day. Anyone who was missing any other family member is certainly not missing them anymore! We can cook time consuming gourmet meals...only we can't get to the store to replenish groceries. Previous to the snow dump we were lamenting our scant practice time. I guess we shouldn't have wished so hard for time. We now have more time than even the most ambitious practicer could use! Has cabin fever invaded the Bisceglia house? Decide for yourself:

Behind the scenes practicing!

So, each day I attempt to gather the family together for a practice. Its a next to impossible task. Each family member is scattered around the house doing important things like lounging and reading or playing on the computer or gazing out at the snow or watching the weather report hoping for a change in the forecast. Eventually I round up a couple people to tune instruments. Then they run off while other members take over the tuner. Someone calls the vagrants back. We're all assembled. We start up our vocal warm up CD. It won't work. We round up another CD. We warm up, then the phone rings. Mom leaves to answer and we decide to start without her. Suddenly Kathrina realizes she completely forgot about her mandolin. We all wait while she tunes. By this time the harp is out of tune and we wait for Janna to tune again. Krista realizes she needs her autoharp. Finally we are all assembled...one hour later than we meant to start. We'll be amazed if the phone doesn't ring next...

Snowy Entertainment
After exhausting our own movie collections, walking to Hollywood video and nearly depleting the pitifully stocked family section, and finding the local library closed, we are forced to find creative ways to entertain ourselves. A major source of entertainment is watching the snow fall again...and again...and again. And watching the weather forecast, which always says we'll get more snow, so I don't know why we take the trouble. We did learn the enlightening information that we have the most snow Portland has seen since 1968! Above you can (maybe) see Mom's Ford Taurus buried in snow.

Another major source of entertainment is watching the neighbors try to drive in the snow or walk to their mailboxes. Our means of exercise has been to shovel our own driveway. We have eaten so many cookies (ones that were meant for our concert refreshments) we are desperate to put the calories to good use!

We have taken some lovely photos while out on walks trying to keep up our exercise and warmth. You see, our electricity has been off and on a lot. We have no source of heat when the electricity is off so sometimes its warmer to be walking outside! We used our propane canning stove to make pancakes on one morning, only to discover we barely had enough propane to last the day! So much for a disaster prepare plan. We did manage to feed everyone, using the washing machine to put our cooking utensils on and cooking the pancakes in the basement with the door wide open because of the propane.

Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King! Who's dreaming of a white Christmas? We're just hoping we'll be able to get out of our driveway and spend Christmas with our Grandmother. Otherwise we will be eating leftovers, reading, watching the weather report, laughing at the neighbors...I think you get the picture. In other words, we will keep doing the same exciting things we've been doing for two weeks! How creative can we get? Maybe we can add reading the Bible and singing Christmas carols. Only we have been singing Christmas carols since before Thanksgiving... That's the life of a performing family, I guess!


May you have a blessed time with your family this Christmas season!
The savior reigns!!!!

written by Sarah Bisceglia