Snow Day Number Four

Four snow days this season. We have two built into our calendar, so we have now added two days to the end of the year. Now, I am not panicking yet. We were out pretty early this year anyway (like May 24th-ish.) So I am not completely hating these snow days. But more than one or two more will be a problem. And isn't everything about me? Shouldn't the weather do what I tell it to?


To be honest, I don't even really remember the first two snow days. They were early in December. And it was really cold, so I don't think we got out and did much.


Yesterday, the Little Man actually had to go to school while the Little Miss and I stayed home. As we were coming home from dropping him off, we tried to turn but the car had other plans. So we went straight. Heh. We finally got home and guess what? They dismissed his school early. *sigh* Luckily, the second trip into town to pick him up was much easier. The roads were a bit more clear and we were able to go in the direction we intended.


Once we got him home, we suited up to brave the elements. I tied a sled to the back of the Gator and off we went! The kids had a blast!




To top the day off, I got a package from the BFF! Woot!


Martini shaker, chocolate, Starbucks...does this girl know me or what?! Thanks, Deb! I miss you !

Did you hear that she moved down South? And is on her third snow day THIS WEEK?! One of the things she was looking forward to living down there was the warmer weather and mild winters. Ha! Biggest snowstorm in 20+ years! I think it's a sign that she is to come back home!

As I sit here sipping my second cup of coffee with the weather channel in the background, it sounds like the majority of the country is snow covered! What about your neck of the woods? Do you have snow on the ground? Are your kids home from school driving you crazy yet?

Snow Day #6

Holy l-o-n-g winter!

I blame myself.

A few weeks ago while looking outside at the mushy brown yard, gray skies, and muddy driveway, I sadly thought, "I guess this is it. Just 2 snow days in the first week of January. I guess we won't get more snow this winter."

Heh.




We are under yet another winter storm warning. Lots of new snow has fallen upon the old snow that never melted.




I need to make a list and get some things done around here today. I have been much too lazy on my previous 5 snow days.


It's time to get busy and make the most of this time off...



as soon as I finish another cup of coffee.

Snow Day #5

We are currently on our fifth snow day of the year. Our school has two days built in. Let me do the math for you...that means we have 3 days to make up at the end of the year. Currently, that puts us at May 28. I am okay until we get to June. Once we get to June, this teaching momma gets crabby.


And despite being stuck in the house for 2 days straight, I am enjoying these snow days. They are really the first 2 days that have been truly SNOW days.



We had a couple days just after the New Year that didn't really amount to much. We ended up with a rain day last week...forecasters didn't quite have that storm timed out quite right.



But this week? We have had so much fun in the snow!


We went sledding at the hill behind the barn. The kids could have spent the entire day there...they loved it!


I finally had to make them get in the car to warm up...at which point the Little Miss realized just how cold she was!


Even the cows were cold!




The husband went out on the tractor (with no cab) to push the snow from the driveway. About 10 minutes into it, the winds picked up, it started snowing again, and at one point it looked like a blizzard. Hello, frozen husband!

(Doesn't he have cute lips?)


We had a little extreme backwards tractor driving...which didn't end well. If you look carefully, you can see two doggies frolicking in the snow. They just love to run in the snow, sticking their snouts down into it, chasing and wrestling each other.



Some of the smaller drifts made the perfect forts for snowball fights.



This little guy loves a good snowball fight!


Once the tractor is off and the snowball fights are over, I love how quiet and peaceful it is with a blanket of snow on the ground.


But then the kids start arguing or parachuting from the couch, and I realize...


I'm ready for spring.

Hello, There

I am enjoying my 3rd snow day of the winter, and therefore finally have some time to update this little spot of the Internet!

* My husband was out of town last week. Not surprisingly, the bathroom sink clogged and the phone jack (which connects the computer to the Internet) broke. Therefore, I had little to no Internet access last week. Thankfully he fixed everything right up when he got home!

* We took the Little Miss to preschool open house this week. She absolutely loved it and is SO ready for it. On one hand, it seems hard to believe that she is old enough for preschool. She's my baby! But on the other hand, she is so very smart and so far above where Cole was at this age...that it seems she should have already been in school! She joined the class right away and participated in everything...even picked her nose at circle time. She fit right in!

* The kids are taking swimming lessons twice a week. They love it. It's good for them. But, do you know what a pain it is to get two soaking wet, freezing little bodies dry, warm, and dressed before heading out into 20 degree weather? It takes longer to get them out of the pool and into the car than their actual lesson!

* The Little Miss had a rough week. She has had a bad cough and sore throat. Tuesday night she was up for hours coughing, crying, and having bad dreams in which a crab was pinching her finger and Grandpa's nose. Luckily we had "no more dreams" medicine (read: Benadryl) and she finally settled down to sleep.

* Last night while watching the Weather Channel, Cole heard them talking about the 6.0 earthquake that rocked northern California. He slapped his forehead, groaned, and exclaimed, "Oh, no! Now we're going to have to give money to California!" He's quite the little humanitarian...but he has his limits, apparently.

* The Archbishop has canceled Catholic schools (including Cole's school) for Monday following the Super Bowl. (Go Colts!) They are making the day up...on Good Friday. Ironic, no?

* I am super excited about Amazing Race starting up again next week! Other than that, I am watching American Idol, Ax Men, Man V. Food, and Chopped.

* Not that I am counting or anything, but we have 25 days until Spring Break. I don't mind the cold and snow...I kind of like that, actually. But the kids? And the hormones? And the rolling of the eyes, arguing, talking out, and general drama? I need a break.


That's pretty much what's going on with me. How about you? Whatcha doin? Whatcha watchin? Are you ready for spring?

I just love this.

Snow Day #1

You know how much I love a snow day. But I have to admit, this week wouldn't have been my choice for the first snow day of the season. We just came back from Christmas break on Tuesday. I am not in that "I need a day away from these kids before I lose it" state of mind yet. That won't come until WAY later in the semester...like next Thursday.

With an inch on the ground and another 4-5 inches expected during the day, my school was canceled at 5:30 this morning, followed by nearly every school system in the state.

The one school that wasn't closed today?

His.



How unfair is that? His mommy and sister get to stay home all day eating fresh-baked cookies, watching cartoons in our jammies, playing games, and he has to go to school?!

And I have a feeling this will happen quite a bit this winter. It's not that my school system cancels at the first threat of a snowflake, but it takes a Level 5 disaster for his school to cancel. I hate that. I just feel so guilty that he has to go and we don't.

However, when the Little Miss is in school and they BOTH have to go to school while I have a snow day...I will not hate that. Nor will I feel guilty. I might even feel a bit giddy.

Mother of the Year, indeed.

Edited to add: They just canceled my school again for tomorrow. There goes our two built-in snow days. Anything more will be made up at the end of the year. Grrrr.

Yet ANOTHER Snow Day

Kids-OneMom-Zero

Send alcohol help immediately.

Snow Day, part deux

Yesterday was our first snow day of the week. We are off again today and the snow is still coming down!

Yesterday we ventured out to play, but not for long. The wind chill was so cold, our cheeks couldn't take much! We did get a few minutes of playing in...although I think it took longer to prepare to go out to play than we actually played. Oh well...that's the fun of a snow day, right?

The dogs love to run and get crazy in the snow. They bury their snouts, then run and jump on anything nearby. Mostly that was Little Miss, who kept getting knocked down. But she didn't seem to mind.In this first picture, she had walked up the "steps" to the porch. But the steps were completely covered in snow. She forgot there were steps on the way down and slid right down on her tummy. Luckily it was soft and fun...so no tears!

Thankfully there are tractors around here that can clear a driveway in no time flat. Cole thought he would get a head start using his little snow shovel. After about 2 scoops he decided the task was a bit more than he could handle.
What's better than curling up on a cold snowy day and taking a nap?! Nothing, if you ask me. Most of the creatures around here decided that sounded like JUST the thing to do. Look, even Barbie and her friend Alexa decided to take a nap.

Did you notice any children napping? Um, no. No, you did not. Because naps are SO boring. The kids spent the majority of their day skydiving from the furniture.

I would like to take this moment to thank Blogger, YouTube, and Vimeo for not only taking 4 hours to try to upload a 2 minute video of my children jumping from the furniture, but then failing to upload. Good times.

When we weren't jumping from the furniture, playing in the snow, building castles out of blocks, or eating popcorn while watching Tom and Jerry, we were making (and eating) cookies.

Who knows what tomorrow has in store for us. A regular day? 2 hour delay? Snow day? It's rather exciting not knowing what the day will bring!

Edited to add: Snow day AGAIN tomorrow! Okay, part of me is excited to sleep in and stay in jammies all day. But the other part of me is not looking forward to yet another day stuck in the house. I'm pretty tapped out on all my creative mommy ideas. And I really need to get out of the house! Ack!