Rescued

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3rd - 2009

Today was game day.  We hung out and played games all day - Settlers, Rock band, Yahtzee, Scattergories, you name it.  We even taught the boys how to play hearts.  By this afternoon, the boys were a little restless and wanted to go on a ride on the ranger.  I was about to take them, when Brian suggested that I stay and he would take them for a ride.  I insisted that I didn't mind taking them.  He insisted MORE that he would take them, and I let him.  

It was nice to have some time alone.  After about 20 minutes I was feeling happy.  How sweet, he's taking them on a nice long ride.  After 30 minutes I started to worry a little.  I know Xander gets cold easily, and it was late afternoon, almost 5:00.  The clouds had moved in and it was much colder than yesterday, also, it would be dark soon.  At 40 minutes I decided that I would give them 5 more minutes, and then I would go out looking for them.  Just when I was about to leave to go out looking, I hear a car pulling up.  They are being towed home.  I barely had time to grab my camera.  I didn't even make it outside.  Luckily I had the glass part of the door open, and I got a quick shot: 

I know this one is blurry, but I was on the run, and they were on the move.  They don't look too upset about having to be towed.  I think they must have been relieved to have been rescued.
Apparently as they were driving, they heard a funky noise and then all of a sudden, they couldn't get the ranger to work, it wouldn't steer or drive or anything.  Thankfully Brian had his cell phone on him, and thankfully it worked.  A lot of cell phones don't work up at the cabin.  He called information and got the phone number to the Crane's (our nearest neighbors).  Brother Crane so graciously came out and rescued the boys.  Did I mention that the Crane's are awesome neighbors?  

I am also thankful that Brian insisted that he drive.  If I had been driving, we would have had to walk back to the cabin.  I don't have a cell phone.  I wouldn't have been able to call for a rescue.   It would have been dark and freezing before we got back.  Can I say it again?  I am SO thankful that Brian was driving.  

Here's my last photo today:

Around midnight I was getting ready to go to bed and I was checking all of the doors to make sure they were locked.  I noticed it was snowing.  I had seen the clouds moving in all afternoon, and felt it get colder, but I didn't think it would snow.  Brian and I went out on the porch and watched it snow for a good 15 or 20 minutes.  It's like a different world when it's snowing.  Everything seems so quiet and peaceful.  It is beautiful to watch it come down.  When it's dark out and snowing, and you look up into it, it looks like you are making the jump to hyper space (you Star Wars fans will know what I mean).  Some of the snowflakes were huge.  There's nothing like catching giant snowflakes on your tongue at midnight with your sweetie by your side.  It's magical.