We spent the day playing with dogs at the annual IKC show at McCormick Place in Chicago. There were lots of Tollers, good friends, and good competition. It was a benched show so we got to show the dogs off all day and it was a lot of fun.

Check out these photos from google maps.  I could not believe the photo of my truck just sitting there and Ashlee’s car from the satellite view.  I tried to read the license plates, but couldn’t.  The resolution is not high enough yet… but it is still a little scary.

I have copied the weather warning for our area and pasted it below.  Currently, it is -16 and feels like it is -30.  When Aaron checked the temperature this morning the actual temp. was -20.  You can not possibly imagine what that feels like until you walk outside, unbelievable.  It literally takes your breath away.  Washington sounds so nice, thankfully we will be there next weekend.  Schools are closed here because it is so cold.  Stay warm

Here are the official temps from weather.com and weather underground.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Chicago, IL
2:47 am CST, Fri., Jan. 16, 2009

… WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST /1 PM EST/ TODAY…

WEST WINDS AROUND 10 MPH COMBINED WITH TEMPERATURES WELL BELOW ZERO WILL RESULT IN WIND CHILLS OF 25 TO 45 BELOW ZERO THIS MORNING. TEMPERATURES AND WIND CHILLS WILL SLOWLY MODERATE AFTER SUNUP AND RISE OUT OF WARNING CRITERIA BY NOONTIME.

THESE LOW WIND CHILLS ARE VERY DANGEROUS. IF YOU VENTURE OUTSIDE… MAKE SURE TO COVER ALL EXPOSED SKIN.

The family dinner is an interesting entity. Mainly because it is really three families that get together. The Paces, Scheffers, and Flinns. We all each bring something yummy and lighter on the deserts than in the past. They occur sporadically, but it seems like we get to do it about twice a month in the winter and even more often in the summer. They usually occur on Sunday evening. Always a lot of fun. I linked the photo gallery and there are some cute pictures of Abbey and Hannah. Click the photo for more.  (By the way, we played a six person round of Settlers after the babes had been put to bed and Brian stompped us with a come from behind sneak attack.)

We wish you all a very Happy New Year and hope that 2009 brings you many great joys and blessings.

My poor mother is flying into this tomorrow.  Hopefully, we will not get hypothermia and die.  When it is that cold here you can not even breathe outside and it feels like your eyeballs are going to freeze.  This really makes Aaron and I miss Washington and makes Hannah mad that she had to be born here.  Stay warm  and enjoy the snow in WA.  We miss you!

Issued by The National Weather Service
Chicago, IL
11:02 am CST, Sat., Dec. 20, 2008

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM CST /4 AM EST/ SUNDAY TO 12 PM CST /1 PM EST/ MONDAY.

WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY SUNDAY. THE STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH TEMPERATURES NEAR TO JUST ABOVE ZERO TO PRODUCE WINDS CHILLS OF 20 TO 30 DEGREES BELOW ZERO

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE WIND CHILLS OF 20 TO 30 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. ONLY VENTURE OUTDOORS IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS

This vocal species is not as large as its Alaskan counterpart and no one is sure of the migratory pattern. What is known is that it bites, has thick fur to stay warm in cold climates, does not truly hibernate and sleeps in fits instead, prefers to move on all fours, but if guided can stand on the haunches, when provoked it will growl but not attack like its more wild relative, typically has a pink face and lacks full dental development, prefers well cooked food, and spends more than one season in the care of its parents.

Ursus arctos ssp. sapien

Yesterday evening we flew back to Washington. We must have been quite a sight. It was myself, Ashlee, Hannah, the two dogs, their crates, our bags, and most obvious of all a big silver case. As I stepped to the counter with my posey, I boldly stated, “I have gun.” Then we really got some attention and we were promptly checked in and through security and attracted even more attention. Hannah was even feeling a little feisty and decided she want to fly like a big girl.