We got the white stuff!

I went to bed last night listening to the consistent pelt of a 13 hour sleet, knowing I had another day off school, and gloating in the fact that I was able to take my kids sleigh riding after all. When Al got off work earlier that evening, we bundled them up, loaded them in the TB, and headed to my parents. I had every intention of sledding on the hill I did as a kid. My parents were so surprised to see us. We marched to the backyard and stood in front of the hillside that used to look SO STEEP. Now, at 32, it wasn't nearly as intimidating, so I hopped on with the kids and down we went. I kid you not, it was just as fun last night as it was 25 years ago. My mom came out to watch, and she cried as she saw her grandkids zoom down the hill her daughters once did with their neighbors and best friends, Wendy, Randy, Mike, Jaime, and April. After playing in the sleet, that looked a lot like snow, we headed in for pizza and warmth. We came home around 8, and had hot cocoa to top off the night. Reese and I went to bed somewhere around 9 to read. Al woke me up some time after that. I was so surprised to see the clock read 11:00. "What?" I asked him. His answer made me jump out of bed and run to the window. SNOW! Sure enough, we got snow last night, and LOTS OF IT! So much that Al couldn't make it out of the driveway this morning for work, so... looks like dad is snowed in with us. Oh, I love a SNOW DAY!

Could it be?!?

Oh my gosh!!! I think this might really be it! The meteorologist predicts ice this evening and then 3-6 inches of snow on top of that. There was such a buzz around school today, and I for once am feeling HOPEFUL! I know you're not supposed to ask God for things, but on Friday for our dismissal prayer, my students and I said an "Our Father," followed by a, "God, we know we shouldn't ask for snow, but if you're planning on letting it snow, please could it be enough for us to play in?"
Tonight, Drew, Reese, and I are going to watch our traditional "snow dance" movie, Snow Day. I've had it since Drew was 1, and I watch it every evening prior to a so-called "big snow."
Well, I guess we'll see tomorrow morning if our little kindergarten prayer has been answered.

Anticipated list of things to do tomorrow:

1. Sleep past 5:15 a.m.
2. Watch snow fall while drinking french vanilla flavored coffee.
3. Make homemade chicken noodle soup and chicken salad for dinner.
4. Enjoy Al coming home early.
5. Bundling up all 3 kids and going out sledding.
6. Coming in and drinking hot cocoa in front of the fire.

I hope the next time I post a message, it's not one of disappointment.
I don't know if anyone truly understands my love for the white stuff. It is absolutely one of my favorite things!

Snow Day?

I didn't sleep well last night. Trey cried off and on all night long, and I finally went to check on him at 5 this morning. He'd leaked out of the cheap Dollar General diapers Al picked up while at a baseball conference in Greenville. I took him to snuggle with me, and snoozed until 5:45. Got up, and instead of hopping immediately in the shower as usual, I started picking up things around the house. Strangely, my phone rang at 6. I was wondering who in the world would be calling me. Now I've received calls this early for no school, but was there even a chance of bad weather last night? I answered and it was Valle's automated service - no school due to snow. I looked out my window. Snow - yes. A bunch of it - no. There is a "light dusting" of snow in my yard and on my driveway. Looks like we'll burn another day for not much wintery weather. Oh well, at least I can watch the inauguration and clean my house.

I'm starting to get a little worried as there are only 11 days left in January. WILL WE EVER GET A BIG SNOW???

Our brave little girl!

We were at the hospital for the second time this winter, but with Reese this time. Seems her preschool teacher noticed a large lump under her left eye on Wednesday a.m. I went over to check it out, and sure enough, it looked like she was storing a large gumball in her cheek. I took her to our computer teacher (who also happens to be an EMT, as our school nurse was out that day) for a quick eval. She took Reese's temperature and made a couple of guesses - cat scratch fever and mumps. Well, all three of our children are completely up to date on vaccinations and we have no cats, so she suggested I take her to the doctor. The doctor looked her over, and decided to do a ct scan. "What?" You mean my little doodlebug has to have a cat scan? I was so anxious for her. Little did she know what a cat scan even was. Well, Al got new insurance 4 days prior to that, so we got the run around from doctor to hospital to Al for almost two hours. ( I kept thanking God the arctic chill wasn't moving in until Thursday, as we were in and out of the car about 14 times). Finally, at 2:30 they admitted her, gave her a tiny hospital bracelet, and took her into x-ray. When she saw that big donut machine, she just started shaking her head. Our nurse was wonderful, and she convinced Reese to get on the table and ride the donut. Reese was so brave. She had a look of complete terror on her face, but she did not move a muscle. The technician said she was the bravest little girl ever! She got a ton of stickers and we left. That next day, Grammy and Papa sent a candy bouquet to "their brave little girl," and Aunt Mandy even got in on the action by delivering a bumblebee dressed as a nurse and a balloon. All that for a ride in a donut. In case you're wondering, the results were a sinus infection. She just had a very inflamed nasal cavity. She's on an antibiotic now, and no longer looks like a deformed chipmunk!

SNOW, Please!

We are off today for our third questionable ice day. I hate ice. There's nothing fun about ice. You just stay holed up in your house and watch kids bounce off the walls. I want snow - and LOTS of it! I want to watch it fall and pile up in my big yard. Then I want to bundle my kids all up like the little boy in a Christmas Story and take them out to sled, and throw snowballs, and make snow angels. Then I want to bring them all in and take off their wet, drippy snow clothes and make hot cocoa to drink in front of the fire. I love snow. It is one of my very favorite things. Today as I'm sitting in my house, after the meteorologist said a week ago that today would produce "accumulating snow," I'm grumpy. I didn't want to burn a perfectly good snow day for a light shot of ice. Where's the snow?!?