Poor Poor Walter....

Poor Walter.  Our friendly snowman must have gone wandering on Sunday night and decided to take a siesta on the driveway.  Sadly, when P left for the office on Monday morning, he didn't see Walter (guess it was still dark outside) and ran him over.

Now my husband is not a cold blooded killer, I'm sure it was purely an accident. My children, however, are not so convinced.  Their first reaction (besides tears and wailing) was that they always knew Dad hated winter.   They think his "burnt orange" blood has infected him so much that he would even kill a snowman!

Dad came home from work that night full of remorse and was apologetic.  He claims that Walter must have blended in with the little dusting of snow on the driveway and he never saw him. 

We've all learned a lesson.  Next snow, we are going to have to tell our snowmen friends that nighttime journeys around the neighborhood are not allowed!

Sisters Sledding

The title sounds likes an 80's Hard Rock Band, but in actuality, it's just two sisters having a blast at sledding down the hill at the school yard.  Dad took the girls up to the school on Sunday afternoon and there was much rejoicing in the land!

Miss A and Miss M had a wonderful few hours of going up and down the hill at the school yard sleds in hand.  According to P, there was much giggling and screaming and jumping of moguls.  The girls were thrilled to see that a group of boys who had been there earlier had set up a fabulous "jump" on the hill.  According to A, the "Air" you could get was out of the world.  Miss M might have even tried skiing a little bit. 

Maybe we should take these kids skiing!!

As a bonus while Dad was keeping an eye on the girls, he cleaned out the inside of my van and even found my sun glass clip!  Of course he also found the battery charger for the camera that I had lost last month.  Sadly, I'd just replaced it days before!

Snow Day: Wait It's Winter? Who Knew

It's been the strangest winter in these parts. In fact, it's barely seemed like winter at all.  Last Monday, it was nearly 70 degrees so Miss M and I walked to the elementary school and picked up Miss A after school. By midweek, they were forecasting a "winter storm event" even though we were setting another record and we were playing outside.

Thursday when I went grocery shopping for the weekend ahead, it was as if the world was coming to an end. The Grocery store was packed at 10:30 a.m. Really.  I've never seen so many people at Trader Joe's either.  I told my husband all I wanted was some wine for the Super Bowl.  I'm thinking that the grocery stores were paying off the weather forecasters telling them to illicit fear in the people and send them shopping for supplies.  Wouldn't it be a shame to run out of Wheat Thins?

Friday night, they were forecasting anything from 12 to 24 inches of snow and something very "dangerous" called Thunder Snow!  Really scary sounding, isn't it?  Of course, it didn't happen.  We ended up with a measly 10 inches of snow. Nothing really.  Way more than we've had lately, but not a blizzard or Armageddon.

That didn't stop the kids from having a blast playing in the snow on Saturday afternoon.  It really was the perfect snow for playing and the temps were warm enough that you could actually enjoy some time outside making snowmen (that is Walter with the girls), sledding, and even shoveling the driveway.  Mr C even trekked through the neighborhood to a friends' house to watch movies.  We told him to put his name in his pocket in case he got lost in a snow bank, but he didn't!

It was a great snow day with tons of homemade hot chocolate, no plans forcing us to venture out of the neighborhood, and time to start some new knitting projects while watching movies! 

If this is winter, it's not too bad.  Of course, those 70 degree temps are welcome to return anytime.

Old Fashioned Snow Days

The many faces of a snow day: books piled up ready to read, science fair projects completed, snow angels, and "sled runs" down the hill. Rosy cheeks and happy faces!

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Snow Days.

Pj's late in the morning, hot chocolate spilling on the counters, wet boots by the door, and frostbitten faces. As a mother of school aged children, I have a love/hate relationship with Snow Days. I love the laid back attitude of the day, the fact that my kids will all play together in the snow, work together to clean the driveway, and even scoop the neighbors walks as well. But the mess can sometimes frustrate me.

Boots, hats, gloves, coats, socks, snow pants, and then repeat. How did my parents ever survive taking our family snow skiing. We are finally at the age that at least they stay outside long enough to make it worth the effort, but when they traipse back into the house, its all the "stuff."

Sometimes I feel like it's fluff the clothes in the dryer, find new dry socks for them to wear, make hot chocolate with Reddi Whip, Mini Marshmallows and then REPEAT.

By Tuesday morning (the 2nd snow day), I had finally convinced M and A that we could substitute hot tea with honey for the usual hot drink.

Seeing their chilly faces, watching the fun from inside by the fireplace with books, and knitting projects aplenty, I know that these are the days I will want to remember. Years from now, I'll forget about how crowded our laundry room was or how many times I've mopped up the kitchen floors and counters of strawed chocolate and snowy mud. I'll just remember their rosy cheeks, and smiling faces.

Help me Lord to remember these "moments" in time as precious and try to live in the moment a little bit more each time.

Not to worry, there is more snow in the forecast this weekend. It's only January, I'll have lots of time to practice.

Snow Day in Pictures

As we prepare for Day Two of the Blizzard of 09... here are some photos from our afternoon in the snow.

M and A on the new sled; making a path down our front yard. In their words the sled was "super fast and awesome."



C helped me shovel the snow, but wanted it all piled on one side of the driveway for fort making. Today the wind took care of making it's own "drifts."




Inside the snow fort, plenty of room for all. Look at those huge flakes.






M took an inside the fort picture so we could have a look at how perfectly formed and packed the snow was. I'm thinking C has a future in igloo building!


School is out again today, but with a windchill in the -20's I'm thinking this will be an "inside" day with movies and crafts to keep the natives entertained. Dad gets shoveling duty this morning, since I shoveled three times yesterday before 1:00 when he hubs called it a day and worked from home!


Guess we complained too much about the lack of snow earlier this fall/winter. I'm keeping my mouth shut from now until March about the weather and just taking what God gives us!

What A Difference A Day Makes

Yesterday, I took my youngest on a field trip to the Pumpkin Patch.

Today, she made snow angels in the snow.

Yesterday, I mowed the lawn to rake up the leaves in the front.

Today, my front tree went into shock and starting dropping leaves like crazy. I think it was afraid it missed fall.

Yesterday, we all went on a Hay Rack Ride and Roasted Marshmallows by an open fire.

Today, the kids huddled together under blankets and warmed up with Hot Coco and Redi Whip.

Yesterday afternoon, the kids played kicked ball in the backyard.

Today, they built a snowman in the middle of the backyard.

Yesterday, I cut back my mums to allow for new growth.

Today, they were covered in snow and wilted like crazy.

Yesterday, I lined up our three pumpkins and prepared the new "pumpkin patch pumpkin" for display on the porch. I didn't get it out there until after the snow. Thank goodness A said it would not have been happy this morning.

Today, the pumpkins had a blanket of white stuff on their tops.

Yesterday, the kids were throwing Hay at each other and their Uncle while bouncing down a country lane.

Today, the kids were throwing snow balls at each other.

You might have guessed that Old Man Winter Made A Surprise Visit This Morning To Our House. Yes, I realize the calendar might only say October 10th, but obviously that doesn't matter anymore.

Oh, please don't say this is a sign of things to come. A Winter filled with snow, cold and lots of "inside" time.

I'm just glad I thought ahead this week and got out all the "snow gear".

We have all the coats, gloves, hats and snow pants we could want. All that's missing are some new sleds.

I was thinking that Santa could bring some new "snow" things. Looks like by Christmas, we'll have had plenty of time to use them.