Candles, Flashlights, and Oil lamps...

Our car being buried in a snow drift.

Lucy, Chels, and Dave opening presents in the dark. The flash from the camera makes things seem a lot brighter than they were.

Opening my new camera from Jesse.

Jesse trying on his new robe.

On Christmas Eve as the snow continued to come down the power went out in Stuart and Church was canceled. We knew it wouldn't be much longer before our power went out and thankfully we were prepared. We had buckets and pitcher of water filled, the gas range going full blast, and we'd collected all the candles, oil lamps, and flashlights in the house. Good thing too, because as predicted the power went out and stayed out until sometime in the early afternoon on Christmas. As a tradition in our family we all get to open 1 present on Christmas Eve night just before bed. I made sure Jesse opened the big fluffy soft robe I got him, because I figured he would need it to keep warm. As pictured above Jesse got me a new digital camera. It's the step up from the one I already had and I love it. It's a 10mgp instead of 6mgp like the old one. The rechargeable battery wasn't holding a very long charge on my old camera and I have been complaining about it for some time now. I just couldn't bring myself to pay $60 for a new battery. Luckily Jesse got me the new camera and I passed off the old one to my brother. He got a memory card from my mom and found a replacement rechargeable battery for less than $40, so we both won big.