Okay, well no pictures because I am getting worse and worse at thinking when to take pictures to capture moments but here is a quick update on our life: Ice Storm 2009........mean anything to anyone???? Well, if you are in central Kentucky it should. We, along with most everyone I know, have not had power OR WATER since Tuesday. Even my school and clinic have been closed along with Brandon's factory. These things Never close, mine because we are considered an emergency facility (you know, dental emergencies....) and we stay open no matter what, and for a factory to close down and lose all that money.....well, it has been bad. It really wouldn't have been that big of a deal had it been Brandon and I (I mean we love to camp right?) but having two young children (one of which has just been in the hospital and is supposed to have daily breathing treatments...electricity run breathing treatments, makes the whole situation a little less of an adventure and a little more nerve racking. Speaking of camping, thank goodness we are campers. We pretty much just pulled out all our camping gear and tricks and went with it....okay the gas fireplace helped, sure, but lets face it, we were roughing it. I sit here tonight with a much greater appreciation for electricity (having just boiled bottled water for a bath merely hours ago, but I also am painfully aware of how many fossil fuels we use every day....just our house alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!It really is ridiculous. We bought a generator, almost $1000, and it won't run our heat pump, our washer or dryer, or any other large appliances in the house. For example, our microwave uses approx 2500 watts, this thing we bought ( and haven't opened) can do a max of 5500 watts, so not very much is going to be run off of it, and you have to keep pouring gas into it constantly. I just can't believe how much it really takes to run our house.....not good for our environment at all, but I just can't live like the omish and still keep up with my career. I almost died without my internet these few days, and I could do without all this, but I have to get emails for school. My husband tells me I should start practicing what I preach and be a better environmentalist........yes he has become quite the "green machine" although he would never admit it. Anyway, we're plugged in again and wasting as usual. Right now I'm on the couch, heat turned to 70 degrees, had the gas as a second source of heat on most of the night, flat screen on even though I am not watching it (those use a lot of energy), bathroon light on upstairs for the boys....while they sleep, and I can see three lights on from where I am sitting, none of which I need. We basically suck as a species. Well, enough rambling, no pictures captured, just more of our life.....