Friday Favorites - Hibernation.

I don't know about you, but I feel like it's been for-EV-er since I've written a Friday Favorites's post.
It hasn't.
It's only been two weeks, but still, I'm pretty excited.

I'M BAAAAACK

You guys, I've been in deep, deep hibernation for the past 10 days.

Could it possibly have something to do with THIS??

Wind Chill predictions for last Sunday.
Does it really matter if they were accurate? (They were)

And THIS:

Get. Me. Out. Of. Here. 

Can those of you in warmer climates even imagine it? (Can those of you in warmer climates please offer me your spare room for the next three months?)
Tuesday the girls and I had to run to Target in the -4° weather, and as we all held our breaths to run through the parking lot (so as not to breathe in the freezing air THAT BURNS THE BRONCHI IN YOUR LUNGS) I was struck by how busy it was: people pushing their carts to their cars; a lady texting -- gloveless - by her car door (she's since lost three of her fingers); mothers carrying baby carriers (covered by about six blankets and a few space heaters) into the store...
Life goes on.
Even though WE ARE ALL ABOUT TO DIE BY FREEZATION. << will be a new medical term very, very soon, mark my words. 

At least it can't get worse, you say?
OH, BUT IT CAN.

Apparently those 18mph winds on Monday will make it feel like 60 below. 

If I do not make it past January 7, please point the authorities to the above images for evidence if needed.

Quick, let's get to some favorites before I start googling how to make and administer my own IV.


1. Animoto
For years a big favorite of mine has been making photo videos on iMovie. They pretty much just stay trapped in my computer eating up memory space, though, and I never seem to get them onto DVDs, but it's still a favorite.
A few years ago I discovered Animoto and it blew. my. mind.
It's super easy (and fast) to make fabulous, professional looking videos using photos, text and even video footage.
A couple of months ago I upgraded from the free plan to the $5 a month plan so I can make videos up to 10 minutes and use my own music (with the free plan you can only make like 30 second videos). This past week during my hibernation I've been having fun making videos using photos from our year and even started Thing 1's graduation video (oh, the tears!).

I just threw together a very short video using images from a few of my favorite posts from the year so you can see what an Animoto video looks like. No kidding, this took me less than 5 minutes to make.

Check out the site if you like this sort of thing.

2. My favorite Christmas photo - re-created
You asked for it, so on Christmas Eve, we delivered.

A couple of weeks ago I told you the real story behind the original photo. If you missed it, click HERE. Or if you'd rather just think that Thing 1 was really, really pissed to have to share Christmas with her new baby sister, skip it. I have to admit, the real story kind of ruins it.


3. Snow Tubing
We take our snow tubing seriously in Minnesota.

Last week, on a rare 35° day while we were up at the happy place, we hit the slopes.
And by 'hit the slopes' I mean sat our asses in an inflatable tube with a solid bottom, got pulled up a mountain by a very high-tech (for the 80's) cable/pulley mechanism and then spun and slid at squeal-inducing speeds 100 yards back down. It's every bit as much fun as it looks and sounds.

If we had more than like three days where you weren't in jeopardy of losing an extremity or two during the winter and could do stuff like this more often, I might consider giving up my mainline of Cabernet from December through March.

I said might.


4. Me Before You
Do you need a good book to read?
Read this one.

There's not a lot I can say without giving major plot points away, but here's the nutshell:
Man has accident and becomes quadripledgic.
Girl hired to be his caregiver.
Man is angry about the full life he's lost (as one can imagine) and destitute about his future. 
Girl makes it her mission to change his attitude about life.

I couldn't put it down.
For about two days it made me forget the fact that I LIVE IN A FREAKIN' DEEP FREEZE.
Anything that can do that is an automatic favorite.


Oh, last thing: I know the other day I promised more on Britney and her comeback, so if you're one of the two people who remember that, it's gotten bumped to next week. There was simply too much to say (which should make your decision easy as to whether you'll be reading it or not).

~Things that you might have missed on Facebook because Mark Suckerberg hates bloggers~

Okay, before (some of) you think we're a horrible family for discussing whores around the dinner table....never mind. But there is more to the story that might it seem not as terrible. 

Actually, the only thing I can add is that the 12 yo (and the rest of us) were laughing so hard I'm quite certain one or two of us peed a little. As in, when she asked "Why's she so dirty?..." the words were coming out between hiccups of laughter. 

But really, she does raise a good question.

And just so you know that she's fiiiiine and her knowledge of the word "whore" at age 12 hasn't wrecked her - 

Have a great weekend, my friends.
I'll be the one wrapped in fleece and drinking copious amounts of whatever it takes to numb my soul.

Don't forget to check back here on Monday. Sunday night ABC is airing a Bachelor Juan Pablo special and I'll have all the delicious deets.

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