Small layer of snow on the ground. Doubled the drive time in this morning. Definitely feeling more like winter.

Merel: Tell your grandma a Merry Christmas from Mt. Pulaski, too.

It snowed last night so we definitely have the Christmas feel here. It's 32 degrees. Hopefully we'll miss the frigid weather that's been out in Montana.

This was my Dutch grandmother, she wishes you all a merry Christmas and a very happy new year. She also thinks of you all.

Hallo allemaal,
Hier is de oma van Merel, Ik wens jullie een zalig kerstfeest en een heel gelukkig nieuw jaar. Ik denk aan jullie.
Oma

3 layers of leggings, 5 on the chest, 2 pairs of gloves and socks, hat & snood. It's really not that cold then, except around the eyes.

Go Lauren! (and Michele)

My race didn't go as well...why are there so many people in my age group? Anyway, it wasn't as cold as MT, but it was cold.

Yay Lauren!

video made public. PBKAC

Well taod decided to put her livelihood ahead of her health and didn't come cross-country skiing. Instead she sent her ringer to leave coca-cola in my fridge. It's not gonna work, I'm movin' on up the ladder. Just need to do this another dozen times...

Also, this was the first time I went out cross-country and did not fall, so that's pretty sweet too. Unfortunately I rediscovered the cross-country skis I tried so hard to locate are actually skate skis, so I may have to go to the second hand store yet.

So how do I make sure that I accepted your invitation to see the private video on YouTube, Eric?

Do you have flights booked yet?

AO- I am in for the Santa Land Diaries on the 19th or 20th. If you get tickets I will pay you back.

One of the perks of international dating: being unexpectedly woken at 5am to meet the relatives ;)

I just noticed they lowered the prediction for Monday:

Sunday
high: 4° F
low: -15° F

Monday
high: -1° F
low: -24° F

Tuesday
high: 0° F
low: -19° F

Wednesday
high: 2° F
low: -3° F

Statement as of 4:04 AM MST on December 06, 2009

... Wind Chill Advisory in effect until 5 am MST Monday...

A very cold airmass will continue to move into the region today and tonight with temperatures remaining in the single digits above zero this afternoon and falling into the teens and twenties below zero overnight tonight. North winds will continue at 10 to 20 mph through this afternoon then diminish to around 10 mph tonight. Wind chill values of 10 below to 20 below zero are expected through this afternoon with wind chill values dropping to 20 below to 30 below zero tonight.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Wind Chill Advisory means that very cold air and winds will combine to generate low wind chills. This will result in frost bite and lead to hypothermia if precautions are not taken. If you must venture outdoors... make sure you wear appropriate winter clothing.

I wasn't the winner but was happy to get out and run this morning. Lauren did her first kids run too. Pics to come later.

well I chickened out of the sub-freezing cross country last night, but I extended the rock climbing session today. Big points there, but still not hockey points. Will have to try some sub-freezing cross country in the daylight.

Cash and Nickel Creek...among others.

What I want to know is what you put into Pandora to get dueling banjos?

I checked out Mystery Google and got the search results for: you should work. stop slacking

get you going where? On one last float trip? Thank you Ned Beatty.

A little dueling banjos in the morning will definitely get you going. Thank you Pandora.

krabopple... I'm rethinking this plan... office mate is complaining of painful thawing and she went out skiing in daylight.

Current conditions: -1.8 °F Clear

Monday now has a high of 2 °F listed.

Ok, I've got my strategy mapped. I need 12,000 points before I travel. Can't count on a new zamboni driver every week, and you never know when Eric's gonna start eating his fruit. I figure about 750 points per day, though I may be able lessen that with a strong weekend. I'm picking up the cross-country skis tonight.

Exercise today was a little surreal. Went in at noon to find only the owner at the gym. Went upstairs and ran on the only treadmill while staring out at the mountains and a field of snow knowing it was 13 degrees outside. Unfortunately my legs are a bit wobbly from that, so I'm not sure how well this plan is going to start off.

Happy Birthday Kurt!

not above freezing today. nor tomorrow. nor saturday or sunday or monday or tuesday or wednesday. I think we'll be ready for balmy IL.

If I'm challenging Eric it's by accident. I've just added the yoga, the rest is my usual routine. Actually I've been trying to figure something to do for nights Patsy and I don't walk. There have been too many of those lately because of rain.

So my disadvantage (or excuse)is that our treadmill is broken - funny story why. A frog crawled into the electronics board and shorted out the speed control board. Not sure if it will be fixed in the next 3 weeks.
One alternative I started last night is walking with a neighbor. Since I'm not a fan of getting up to run in 30 degree weather when its pitch black out I have to find an alternative. I'll also be working from home more starting today so maybe I can get some lunchtime runs in.

Great job Sandy. I hope you are seeing physical results in addition to seeing your score challenge Erics!

for those trying to map out a strategy, there are six hockey games and one wine party left before broomball.
challenge is just barely 1/2 over. Jingle bells.

I can see the snowflake in all three.

Go mom! Creeping up on Eric there, though I think he is at hockey tonight.

Hurray for me! I've been awarded an opportunity to attend LEAD 21!

Sorry, Veronica, this means I'll be in Indianapolis instead of Penn State in June.

ahh, visible in firefox but not IE or Chrome. much purtier.

lack of unicode support or missing unicode font?