It is extremely cold!!! So cold that you get a nice surprise when you go to the bank drive-thru and can't roll your window down because it's frozen! So cold that the door leading outside in the garage is covered in frost and you risk losing some skin to open it! So cold that I haven't wanted to go grocery shopping in a month, so I stop for just a few things here and there and I'm losing weight due to lack of crappola! (that's actually a good thing!) It's so cold that I'm sitting here typing wearing: long underwear both on top and bottom, jeans, turtleneck sweater, wool socks, slippers, and a North Face Outerwear vest. I'm still shivering! We are having some furnace issues right now, so it kicks on here and there...when i just want it to continually blow HEAT on me. So such is winter wonderland in Minnesota.

A new story idea popped into my head this morning as I was driving. I had intended to listen to a sermon on the radio, and all I could think about was the new story idea. This is a common thing lately; driving in the morning when the ideas come. I'm cool with that! It's better than when I'm lying in bed cuz then I have to get up to write it down in fear of losing it in my sleep! I've got ideas popping out of my brain and that's a GREAT thing because I definitely don't struggle with writer's block.

My son is in the mood to ride his bike. He's been asking! Uhmmmm, well....you certainly CAN, my dear! In about 4 months! My daughter wants to start playing hockey and has been asking and kinda freaking out when I say not now. Uhmmmm, well....your dance lessons are already so expensive we can't afford hockey, NOR do we have even a fraction of time to do it! My other daughter wants to go on a trip next year with her dance group, and it's ONLY $1500!!! Uhmmm, well....better start fundraising, BABY! For YOU and for ME, cuz you certainly aren't going to Florida without me at age 13!!! Ahhhh, kids.