Snow Flakes and Kittens

I had no idea it could be this cold and still snow. From somewhere in my distant grade school history, when my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Roberts, made us do an unholy boring weather TERM, I have been under the impression that snow could only happen in some relatively warm range (now I live in Minnesota where I thought the mid-20s was unseasonably warm last week, so relatively warm is a BROAD category). I'm wrong. It was quite cold tonight. And snowing to beat the band, as my mom would say. And windy. I had to go to the grocery store because I am in charge of a dinner night tomorrow night. I'm cooking the infamous potato leek soup and a chicken casserole I have cooked for BB before. In addition, I have green beans and ice cream. As gluten-free as you can get. However, because I needed a special chicken broth for the soup, I had to go to not one, not two, but THREE grocery stores to get all the ingredients. I eventually had to go to the snooty store, but I guess they're snooty for a reason. I am a dedicated girlfriend. All of my Christmas shopping is completed. I spent WAY more than I should have and I can't eat between now and when I go home next week so I can afford gas money, BUT I'm excited about the gifts I was able to track down. For sister: A matching hat, scarf, and gloves set (pink and very cute), some crap from The Body Shop including those gloves that you use at night to moisturize like mad, a handmade pendant from an online indie retailer, and this crazy cross-stich thing that says, "Life sucks" For mom: A Snowbaby (she loves them), bath balls from Origins, personalized writing paper with a needle and thread on it For dad: Some Craftsmen bibs (he asked for it, I swear), a book on tape about a galactic gumshoe, and the song CD from the Car Talk guys on NPR For BB: Some stuff that may or may not have been over the set spending limit. I also ordered some CDs from This American Life because I am in love with Ira. I will give them away as presents for people who I haven't been considerate enough to actually buy their own personal gift for , but when they give me a gift I will run and grab the convienently wrapped TAL CD, write their name on it in two seconds, and seem like a WONDERFUL person who has just opened someone's eyes to the WONDER that is Ira Glass. Furthermore, if there are any left at the end of this holiday season, I can keep them for myself. Hee. I'm so selfish.