Woah Snow and Other Matters

*Rhode Island is a small state. And evidently, they have a small amount of snow removal equipment. Because when it snows here, the state pretty much shuts down. Thus, church yesterday was cancelled because of a paltry (at least by Utah standards) amount of snow. Not that I'm complaining or anything! It was awesome.

We decided that it would be okay to play in the snow on the Sabbath as long as we communed with nature and appreciated the beauty of the earth while we were at it. So the boys (reverently) built an awesome sled run down our hill, and then after dark built an igloo on the back deck. I mostly stayed inside with Babe though D did get me out on the sled for a few runs. (It was pretty awesome. And spiritual.) Go to Doug's blog to see a movie and pictures.

*Dear Friends and Family,
Some of you have the extremely smart and thrifty idea of posting your Christmas letter and picture on your blog. That's fabulous! Now, if you could just print both of those out, put them in an envelope and mail them to me, that would be great. I really really like getting Christmas cards in the mail. It's pretty much my favorite thing about December. That's not going to be a problem for you, right?

*Many of you know that I'm somewhat addicted to Hot Chocolate. In San Francisco, there were LOTS of cold, foggy mornings to break out the Spray Whip and tea kettle. And lots of friends nearby to partake with. Here...not so much. So, whereas before I was a social drinker, now I'm a closet drinker. But I'm fine with it. Don't judge me.

Anyway, my favorite "basic" hot chocolate is "Stephen's" brand. I used to buy it in bulk at Costco whenever I was in Utah. (It's a product of Utah.) I could find it in California, but it wasn't common and it was very expensive. Of course, I had no expectation or hope of finding it here in RI, so last time my mom came to visit she had to pack a #10 can for me.

But then...a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! I was in Sam's Club the other day, (I hate it, but the nearest Costco is in Massachusetts) and what to my wondering eyes did a appear?
A box (of 28 single serving packets) of Stephen's Peppermint Candy Cane Hot Chocolate!
I couldn't believe it! I grabbed a box and raced home with my treasure. When Doug saw it, he was about to protest my splurge until he saw that it was Stephen's. We made some immediately. And guess what. It is SO GOOD! SO GOOD! In my opinion, it's even better than Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate because it's a little bit sweeter.

Conclusion: It's good. Really good. If you ever see it in the store, BUY IT!
(Yes STEPHEN'S, you can send me some free product now!)

*Merry Christmas!