Tuesday, September 30, 2008

A Little Old Fashioned Gambling--When Is It Going to Snow?

The Average Snow Fall in Anchorage, AlaskaOkay you may have heard me mention once or twice that it's getting chilly up here so I thought it would be time to heat things up with a little old fashioned WAGER. Because I'm just so full of vice--with my four kids and my big fat minivan and my hot chocolate spiked with cinnamon . . .

Yes, I'm trying to bring you all over to the dark side--of winter that is.

According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks the average day of the first measurable snow fall in Anchorage, Alaska is October 5th. As in next week. Sigh. Time to get those snow tires on.

So what I propose is a little Snow Pool (the only kind of pool you get up here). You get to pick the date when you think the first measurable snow fall will occur and if you get the date right you will . . . hmmmm . . . let me see, what will you get? It ought to be something good if you're going to all the trouble to join in the game . . .

How about this? I have four cute little Plaja Pets left over from the giveaway two weeks ago that I was hording for just such an occasion. You get the date right you can walk away with a cute little guy of your choice--first guess, first serve.

So here are the rules:

I have a calendar with every day between here and Christmas on it, first person to pick a day gets it with up to four people per day (I only have four pets so four is the limit). I will keep the calendar current on this page, plugging in guesses in the order they come in, updating it regularly, and if you guess too late and the date you want is already full with four people then I'll automatically bump you down to the next available date, just for convenience sake.

I'll list the dates and who is taking them on this page with a link to your blog if you have one, updating several times each day. If you don't have a blog I'll just list whatever name you leave in the comments. It'll be up to you to keep checking back to see if you win because if you don't have a blog or an email address listed with your comment then I won't be able to contact you to let you know you've won. So keep an eye on things.

One guess per person (let's not be piggy now) and to make an official guess just leave a comment on this post. That way there's a record of the guesses for the auditors to examine. I want this completely above board.

I will declare a winner the day after the first measurable snowfall--but it must be the first measurable snowfall as seen in my front yard. I'm not going to go by what it might look like at the airport or higher up on Hillside or down in Girdwood--if there's white in my front yard then that counts. I will defer to my four children to be the official judges of what is "measurable."

To give you an idea of what kind of weather we're seeing right now, there is snow on the top parts of the mountains but no sign of it in the city, our house is in a warmer microclimate and it's been very wet and drippy here lately--the kind of rain that could turn into snow with a 15 degree nudge. It's 50 degrees right now and no sign of snow.

You may put in your guesses up until Saturday October 11th. If it doesn't snow by Christmas? Then I'll do a random drawing and let the chips fall where they may.

Okay that really does sound like gambling.

Good luck! Who's first?

Oct 2 - ~TAMY 3 Sides of Crazy~
Oct 3 - Rachel, Mumple, Grace
Oct 4 - Alison, Elaine Candeloro, Mean Mommy, MaryAnn Johnson *CLOSED*
Oct 5 - Miriama, Kathryn, Motherboard, Andrea *CLOSED*
Oct 6 - Pumpkin, Tiff, Heather, Tracy B. in Kentucky *CLOSED*
Oct 7 - Tammy, Christine, Arlene, Jen2010 *CLOSED*
Oct 8 - Nate and Stacia, MommyTime, Melissa, luke *CLOSED*
Oct 9 - Jolanthe @ No Ordinary Moments, Blog o' Beth, Library Girl, kkryno *CLOSED*
Oct 10 - Saratogajean, txmommy, Patricia, Laura *CLOSED*
Oct 11 - Ayda Sue, Missy, Duke, Kathryn & Seamus, hotomom *CLOSED*
Oct 12 - Nikky, mum2twelve, Sheila, kadusey *CLOSED*
Oct 13 - Lis Garrett, Planet Nomad, Lara, Chas *CLOSED*
Oct 14 - Mom24, Angie M, CountessLaurie, Krissy A *CLOSED*
Oct 15 - KristenM, Kasey, Ren, Darkness U.S.A. *CLOSED*
Oct 16 - mGk, Kim, outnumbered2to1, Steph at the Red Clay Diaries *CLOSED*
Oct 17 - Mary Avinger, Stephanie, Mirien, Susan *CLOSED*
Oct 18 - Andrea, Kirby3131, JennaG, Minda *CLOSED*
Oct 19 - Kristy, Blessed, carol at A Second Cup, Rachel C. *CLOSED*
Oct 20 - Erin, Allie in Tok, Anonymous (aka Aunt Ann), Karye Luppen *CLOSED*
Oct 21 - Heather, Krista, Derick and Becky, Summer *CLOSED*
Oct 22 - Ellen, Megan, the Novakavichs, Allie P. *CLOSED*
Oct 23 - Mrs. Who, Organizability, Kitty, Traci P. *CLOSED*
Oct 24 - Cathi, Bobbi in AK, Alicia, ailsa *CLOSED*
Oct 25 - Jill in MA, Jill, Karen B, Pete *CLOSED*
Oct 27 - Caffeinated Cowgirl, Pippa, fruitfulwords, Virtual Homeschooling *CLOSED*
Oct 28 - Kris, Sarah, The Random Muse, Roo *CLOSED*
Oct 30 - Katherine, TJ Hirst, Sarah Hub, Sloopy *CLOSED*
Oct 31 - JoBee, Cherie, Chris, fidofido *CLOSED*
Nov 1 - Patty W, Jennifer, Mean Mommy, Kathy G *CLOSED*
Nov 2 - Annette Lyon, cndymkr / jean, kerianne.org, Killashandra *CLOSED*
Nov 3 - Jackie @ Our Moments, Our Memories, jen in nagasaki, ewe are here, Sandra *CLOSED*
Nov 4 - Rani, Brenda, Kathy, Linda *CLOSED*
Nov 5 - Perilloparodies, Linda, All-American Preppy
Nov 6 - Deb Mom of 3 Girls
Nov 7 - Sam
Nov 8 - Marie N
Nov 9 - Teresa from Seguin, TX
Nov 11 - ellen stevens, DoeeyesTn@aol.com
Nov 19 - fortyb4forty

***

I haven't yet heard from our Trendy Tadpole and Cuddly Books Giveaway winner yet--check the emails people! You have until tonight to respond then I'll have to pick another winner.

Sponsored by: Beau-Coup--Fine and unique baby shower favors.

Technorati tags: Alaska

141 comments:

Jo-Bee said...

I am betting on 31st October cause it is wedding minum 1 year (Hopfully)

Caffienated Cowgirl said...

Okay, I'm game...I will say 27 October :)

Stephanie said...

October 17

Jolanthe said...

I will go for October 9th. :) And I don't envy you one bit.

Anonymous said...

I choose Oct 12th. My best friend is in Alaska (anchorage) and every other day I get to hear him cry

"You should see it. The snow is coming down the mountain and what seems like a fast rate!"

LOL

Candid Carrie said...

It just doesn't seem right to be betting on something I dread, especially when it will happen earlier to someone I kind of "know" so I will refrain from choosing a date.

Besides that, the only thing I have ever won in my entire life is a frozen duck (yes, for real) and that was about thirty five years ago when I was fifteen and had no use for a frozen duck so we used it for a spontaneous football game and later for some late night drunken bowling in a parking lot.

For the record, however early the snow falls in Alaska, please try to keep it away from Wisconsin as long as possible. As a new reader, I really haven't asked for much but as a now faithful reader I believe it to be a realistic request.

Thank you.

Mom of 8 said...

October 15th

It's not a gamble, since I am not risking anything. :-)

Andrea said...

It was 87 degrees in Atlanta yesteday... the thought of snow is not that bad to me! I will guess Oct. 18. (But for your sake, I hope it's MUCH later!)

Anonymous said...

Eeks! I can't stand the thought of snow at such an early date, but we've certainly had some in October. I brought Jacob home from the hospital during a snow/ice storm, and that was on October 25.

I'm going to guess October 13.

Anonymous said...

Ok. I'm torn between Oct 10, my mother's birthday, and Oct 13, which I just sort of like, and Oct 23rd, which was my father's birthday.
Plus it was a cool summer in OR. Does that mean anything?

I'm going with Oct. 13th. Why not?

LOVE that pic, btw.

Mary A said...

How about Oct 17 my husband's birthday. Wow! It seems only like yesterday when you were blogging about the start of warm weather.

Mom24 said...

October 14--my brother's birthday. He would have been 52. wow.

Patty Williams said...

I'll throw caution to the mountains and hope for the best for you :)

Nov. 1st.

Jennifer said...

Hmmm... I hate to lose, but seeing as this really requires no skill that a FL girl could possibly have, I'll take a WAG - November 1.

Kristen M. said...

I'm going with Oct. 15.

Tammy said...

I'll guess October 7th.

Two years ago we had our first snow on October 13th here in Michigan but thankfully it didn't stay around!

Christine said...

I'm going with October 7, since that will still give the weather guys a chance to almost be right.

Great post...yep, you are livin' on the edge!

Rachel said...

I will guess October 3rd :)

Jan Ross said...

October 23rd. I'll be jetting to sunny California, so it would be fun if Alaska had some snow that day!

saratogajean said...

October 10th!

Blog O' Beth said...

I'm going to go with October 9th - it's my husband's birthday and it seems like a good day. It is this time of year that I miss living in Michigan -- it would actually FEEL like fall versus in Texas where it is going to be 86 degrees today - not exactly Fall weather.

Kristin - The Goat said...

Birthdays seem to be a theme, but I'm going to pick my birthday - October 18th.

Anonymous said...

I will say October 3oth.

Alison Kerr said...

I go for October 4th, but, for your sake, I hope I'm wrong!

owlfan said...

I'm going to guess Oct 30th, just in time for a white Halloween. My kids would love to come visit your snow anytime this winter - we haven't seen snow in several years down here in GA.

Annette Lyon said...

I'm thinking it'll continue to be drizzly and wet--but not COLD for awhile. November 2.

Anonymous said...

my guess is my birthday Oct 22nd...

ellen

Ayda Sue and Violet Anne said...

i'm going oct. 11th

mum2twelve said...

I am betting on October 12th: my 8th child's 12th birthday. While I now live in the sunny south and rarely see snow, I used to live in the frigid north, including 6 years in the frozen wilds of Quebec, in a small mining town called Gagnonville - which no longer exists - other than in our memories.
I remember how EVERY year we had to don our Halloween costumes over our winter gear and clamber over huge snow banks to collect our yummy treats. When we moved further south to where we no longer needed winter clothes as early as October, my last costume fir me for three years. That is how big it had to be to fit over a snow suit or coat and ski pants.
Sometimes I really miss the snow. But only sometimes.

Jill in MA said...

I'll go with my son's birthday, Oct. 25.

Heather said...

Oct 21st!

Missy said...

October 11th my little mans b-day :)

Missy

Erin said...

I say October 20. A Monday - doesn't Murphy's Law state something like Mondays and snow go hand in hand? (both Mondays and snow are blah to me)

miriama said...

My birthday. October 5!

Sheila said...

October 12, because it's my birthday. I have lived in Colorado two years now and I haven't been 'won over' to winter yet. :) I'm longing to live someplace warm!

Lara Neves said...

Going to go with October 13...my daughter's birthday. :)

Mirien said...

I'm picking October 17th. Also, I'm offering to exchange weather with you. I shouldn't complain about 85 degrees and sunny but I'm 38 weeks pregnant and I'm tired of being hot! I want fall!

Anonymous said...

I'm not the gambling type but my guess would be Oct 23rd.

Robin Green said...

I'm saying the 18th of October!

Unknown said...

My guess at the first measureable snow is October 14th.

Elaine Candeloro said...

04 october....my daughter's 5th birthday:)

Anonymous said...

i want to bet on october 20. my dad flies in from kentucky that day!!

ps, it's already snowed here in Tok AND IT STUCK!! Time for snow tires *sigh*

[Stacia] said...

Being that it's 33 degrees there right now, I'm going to have to go with sooner than later. How about October 8?

mGk said...

October 16th, my birthday! Who doesn't want snow on their Birthday!

Kristy said...

October 19

Fun giveaway!

Lana said...

Is October 10 full? If not I want in :)

MommyTime said...

I'll go for October 8 (not to wish early snow on you or anything). This is a fun game!

CountessLaurie said...

OH BRRRRRR .... I'll give you a couple weeks, but no later than October 14th!

countesslaurie.blogspot.com

WoozleMom said...

October 5, I think...

Darkness U.S.A said...

I say october 15th

Megalicious said...

I am guessing the 22nd of October (but I haven't actually been in AK during the first snowfall in like 7years...sad :(

Megan

Anonymous said...

I'd like to add my name to 10/10 T

Thanks!

Kris said...

October 28th...that's the day I am due and it has snowed for every baby I have ever had (and those kiddos were born in March and April!).

Pumpkin said...

I am betting on October the 6th.

It is getting colder here in the Jura of Switzerland and we may get snow this Thursday! Yuck.

Melissa said...

I'll take October 8th, just because I don't see it taken yet. ;)

Unknown said...

Birthdays galore in October, we are expecting our 4th child and it will undoubtedly be another October birthday. My birthday is November 4th, election day. I am going to be selfish and pick that day. I never win anything and I am feeling quite lucky this year:) Thanks for the fun!

Kim said...

I wanted October 15, but it'll be full by the time you get this so go ahead and plug me into the next open date after that!

Let it Snow, Baby!

Diane said...

Oct 25th.

Cathi said...

October 24th is my guess!
How is it doing Halloween in the snow?

Anonymous said...

October 20th feels like snow to me.
Don't you think I should be able to tell??

aunt ann

Outnumbered2to1 said...

October 16th, fingers crossed!

Stephanie Wetzel said...

October 16 because it's my favorite number. (Cuz if you're gonna gamble, you might as well do it right!)

Karen B said...

Oct 25 - middle son and granddaughter's birthday!

Kathryn said...

I'll take October 11th if it's still available!

Marie N. said...

I'll choose November 8, 2008! This is a fun idea :-)

Arlene said...

Hmmm... October 7th! I just hope it doesn't come to our parts that soon, though! :P

Sarah said...

October 26th is my bet.

Laura said...

put me down for October 10 please

Krista said...

hmmm, I'm gonna say, October 21st. Just because weather is weird. And the 5th was only an average! ;)
We get snow here on Halloween almost religiously. It's weird. But it never stays, first real snow isn't usually til after Thanksgiving.

Chasity said...

I would like to guess October 13th, please.

Heather said...

Oct 6!

Jackie said...

November 3rd!

Anonymous said...

I feel lucky...Oct 19th

Derick and Becky said...

October 21st! Random guess, but I am feeling it!!

Unknown said...

October 6th!!!!

Anonymous said...

October 18!

Anonymous said...

Put me down for Oct 14th.
Here in Kodiak, I'm hoping for 3 weeks longer than you.
Krissy A

Anonymous said...

Put me down for Oct 14th.
Here in Kodiak, I'm hoping for 3 weeks longer than you.
Krissy A

Mormon Mommy Blogs said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mormon Mommy Blogs said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Ooh I'm in let me guess October 10th. Seems like a good date to me. Doesn't it seem like we were all just so excited because it was finely getting warm/summer? Time flies.

Elisa said...

I am going for October 4th or 5th. Cause it usually is yucky weather over conference weekend, right?!

(sorry about those 2 deleted comments... I forgot I was signed into something else!)

Anonymous said...

My guess is October 24. We had snow the past two years right before Halloween. October 24th is a Friday. It would be nice to have snow on a weekend, so I don't have to drive in it first thing the next morning.

Unknown said...

What the heck, I'll go for october 17...formerly my anniversary when I was married, so I say, "Let it Snow"!

Jen2010 said...

Our wedding photographer always told us that she'd never had bad weather the first weekend in October. She's been right the past 9 years, so I'm gambling for snow on October 7.

Rachel said...

I'm going to say October 10th.

luke said...

Oct 7

Blessed said...

I'll go for Oct 19th - no reason....

EngAkWaSdKy said...

October 6th is my guesstimate...

Tracy B. in Kentucky

:)

Mean Mommy said...

I will skew early with my daughter's birthday - Oct. 4

mumple said...

I'm want in on October 3--it's my birthday!

Anonymous said...

I am betting on October 3. This is exciting!

BTW, it's still 35C maximum in Dubai at daytime at 24C at night! What a different world.

Anonymous said...

I'm going for October 24, which was my mother's birthday and is also United Nations Day for the trivial among us. ;) October 5th is just too early, even for you poor Alaskans. I'm in Minnesota and it's coming far too soon here for my liking too. Sometimes you have to defy reality and convince yourself winter is not that close! I realize it's totally delusional though...

jan in nagasaki said...

Nov. 3.

Anonymous said...

Oct. 21st!
I would have said 13 'cause that's my birthday but it's already closed

Unknown said...

Ok, I will take October 25th. Maybe you'll be blessed with a warmer winter this year.

Unknown said...

I think October 20th sounds like the best day for a first snowstorm:) - Karye
kluppen@aol.com

threesidesofcrazy said...

Okay I'll vote for Oct 2nd. I know our first one albeit a small one was on October 14th last year and they're predicting a worse one this year.

ailsa said...

I choose October 24th!

kkryno said...

Pretty chilly in Eagle River, so I'll jump in on OCT 9th!

Pippa said...

I am in the wrong part of the world to have anything but a wild guess! So I guess Oct 27th (wishing you mild weather for a little longer)

Tiffanie N. said...

October 22 - Tiffanie

Allie said...

October 22 for me please

Allie P.

Anonymous said...

October 9

Anonymous said...

Oct. 22nd

Cherie said...

I am going for October 31st. I hope the snow will hold out for at least that long!!

Roo said...

Well my first picks are closed already so, I'll go with October 9.
http://itsjustme-roo.blogspot.com/

SarahHub said...

October 22

Abby said...

Darn I missed out on this. The three years we were stationed there it seemed like you could almost bank on Halloween = snow!

daysease said...

November 5Perilloparodies.blogspot.com :-)

Anonymous said...

Oct 22 is my guess. This is the first time I've done somnething like this. :-)

Chrisbookarama said...

Put me down for Halloween (I've Trick-or-treated in a snowsuit before here in NS).

Unknown said...

Hi, I evidently missed getting in on October 25 so how about October 22, 23, or whatever the first date available after that? I leave it up to you.

God a Have Faith said...

I will take the 9th of October if its still open.

God a Have Faith said...

I will take October 9th please!

The Random Muse said...

I'm going to say October 9th

Anonymous said...

I would choose Oct 4th, just cause we have some bad weather heading in for this weekend and we're in Utah.

MaryAnn Johnson
jellybelly210@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I would choose Oct 4th, just cause we have some bad weather heading in for this weekend and we're in Utah.

MaryAnn Johnson
jellybelly210@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I'm going with Nov 10. I don't think it's realistic, but after a "summer" like we've had, we Anchorage folk deserve a little Fall. Please? Pretty please? Come on...

Andrea said...

October 4th - although I think it will be sometime next week (I had to take what I could get :0)). The windshields are getting frosty and there is that chill in the air...all we need is a roll of dark gray clouds looming overhead and poof! we will be covered in white. For a day or two, then it will turn brown, then it will melt, then it will snow again on and on until the end of the month when it will really stick. Mmmmm yeah... snow... woo... hoo...

threesidesofcrazy said...

Michelle I think I jinxed myself with my guess for you last night, LOL. While I was making dinner tonight they said our over night showers will be mixed with wet snowflakes, nothing measurable, but still way to early!

Superstahr Mom said...

I'd like to put a date like the 21st, but since that's already taken and I don't know of a Halloween in recent memory that DIDN'T have snow, I'm going to have to say 30 October.

ewe are here said...

Late, but in. I''ll opt for my birthday date: November 3rd.

:-)

Sam said...

wow - I knew that Alaska was cold and all, but I never know that you got snow early in October!! Kinda makes me grateful for the weather that we have the in UK, no matter how much I might complain about it!!

fidofido said...

Please stick me in the first available if you have any left. I really feel it will be later this year and then it is going to hit hard!

Sarah said...

November 1st- I need a month.

Kathy G said...

Put me down for November 1st

jean said...

ok, put me in for what is available after november 1. I'll take what ever you have left.

Kerri Anne said...

November 2!

Deb said...

I don't see November 6th on there? If it's available I'll choose that day - because it's my birthday and we usually get the first snow here right around then. Guess who usually gets blamed? ;)

Killlashandra said...

Ok, my husband is sitting here and he thinks November 1 so I'm going to go with that. Sign me up! :)

Sandra said...

October 21

Anonymous said...

I'll take November 2nd :)


Brenda

BrendaB1625@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I'll pick Nov. 4th since it's my son's birthday. He would love snow for his birthday, but I guess living in Miami, that's asking for too much. So, if you get snow, we'll get to see photos of it right?
Kathy
bigfamily8 (at) yahoo (dot) com

fortyb4forty said...

I'll say November 19th, my oldest son's b'day.

Linda said...

Awww... day I wanted is closed so... will have to say: November 2nd. I have friends in Sitka & Wasilla they have emailed that it is rather looking like snow soon!
Good luck with your winter! :) We usually get snow Halloween night! LOL
Linda

Anonymous said...

OMG it looks like all the "Good" guesses are already taken~~so I suppose I will go with Nov. 11th since its Veterans Day : ) ~~~sounds good to me lol

Linda said...

I'm late to the party so I'll go with the first open date - November 5.

Ginny said...

I'll take November 5th too- day after Election Day!

Anonymous said...

im betting 8th novemebr though thats a gamble

kings four said...

It's starting to feel like Anchorage here in Newfoundland lately...snow before November? Unheard of.