Blow-Out

MAN is it windy here. I don't know the final numbers because I wasn't really in front of a TV/computer most of the day, but I know it was supposed to be up around 45 mph gusts and that Indy got gusts upwards of 55 mph. I believe it. Walking outside required effort to stay upright, and sitting in my warm living room right now, I can hear it howling out there like something from a scary movie.

We had a slow start to the morning, sleeping in a little bit, and then we leisurely got ready and piled into the Jeep with our comfy lawn chairs. We stopped at Kroger where I picked up our relish plate and a cart load of drinks, and then headed out to Nathan's hangar. We arrived first, so we had time to get all the drinks we could fit in the refrigerator/freezer, and we set the rest outside to chill off just fine in the icy wind. The hangar was set up nicely with decorated tables, a small tree, fireplace, the 58" tv, and a smaller tv set up off to the side hooked up to a Wii for the kids. People started arriving, and soon we had 40 or more people milling around, eating, and just having a good time. The Colts game started at 1pm, but it was not exactly a challenge of a game, which is both good and bad. Good because we won by a landslide, and bad because it wasn't exactly an overly exciting game. ;) We spent the day eating, drinking and being merry, and it was a fun, relaxing day. Kaylee had a blast playing with Maggie and several other little friends, riding around on a scooter on the hangar floor, playing with the Wii for her first time ever, etc. She *really* liked that Wii; she got a few strikes and spares in bowling, and liked doing a girl make-over game too. She said she wished she'd asked for one for Christmas. He he.

Two nights ago I got all our Christmas presents wrapped, and after Kaylee went to bed, I put them all under the tree, and Steve put a new light-up star on top of our tree. Then I put Deenie the Elf in her sleeping bag by Kaylee's door. Deenie the Elf first visited Kaylee last year for Christmas. Every night after Kaylee is asleep, Deenie gets up and hides, makes a mess, does something fun. Kaylee was SO excited to wake up and see all the presents and Deenie. I had put a note with Deenie that said "Hi Kaylee! I've missed you! Love, Deenie." Kaylee shortly after that came out and accused me of writing the note, saying "I recognize that "y", Mommy, YOU wrote that! And that's MY purple pen, too!" Later she told Mom that I had written the note, but that Deenie had come to her door all on her own. Kaylee also correctly guessed one of her presents under the tree, though of course I wouldn't tell her she was right. So today, Kaylee decided to test Deenie. She sprinkled her with her "dots", and then said "we're all leaving. When we come back home, if Deenie has moved, I'll KNOW Mommy didn't move her because nobody will be here." So on our way out the door, Kaylee was in front of me, and I grabbed Deenie and moved her to a shelf without getting caught. When we came back from the hangar, the first thing Kaylee did was check Deenie...and she screamed and was quite excited to find Deenie had indeed moved while we were gone. Hey, it's the last year she's going to let herself believe. She asked me the other day if Deenie was real, and I actually told her that I'd answer her, but that sometimes it's more fun NOT to know all the answers, and that maybe she should wait to ask until she'd be okay with the answers. She then said she didn't want to know...

Well, it was a fun day. I put up some of the photos from today on my site, so you can check them out if you wish. :)