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Snow Day!

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A Snow Day is a gift so special, you will likely remember it the rest of your life!   A “surprise” Snow Day?  Is that even possible anymore?  In our world of satellites, computer models, 24-hour weather channels and wunderground.com, can a snowstorm really still sneak up on us?  Yes, and it is pure delight!

From the moment you hear, “Mommy, it snowed!  Everything is all white!”, wipe the day’s schedule clean and prepare to just have fun!  Don’t get me wrong, a Snow Day is a LOT of work for parents, but so very worth it!  First, make a big breakfast so that everybody has a nice full tummy.  While the kids are eating, I sneak off to the rubber bins that house the snow gear, and sort piles for every person in the family (always collect an assortment of sizes, “thank you” hand-me-downs!).  Snow pants, coats, gloves, hats, boots, sweaters, scarves, fleece leggings, wool socks… a monster collection of warmies.  It takes a good 45 minutes to layer everything on, stop for a potty break, then begin again.

Stepping out into the crisp air and fluffy snow melts us all into wide-eyed children.  The kids toddle awkwardly in their 17 layers, blissfully noticing how their toys look covered in ice and snow.  Everyone scatters to explore the scenery, stop to eat mouthfuls of snow, pack a snowball and throw it, roll around to make snow angels, or just look up and catch a snowflake on their tongue.  These are universal actions of delight!  The world is still and quiet, and beautifully white.

Standing boot-deep in our yard, loving the sheer joy on their little faces, I am reminded of many a Snow Day I had as a kid, doing the exact same thing.  The first thing we did on mornings like this was dial (on our burgundy rotary phone) the school hotline to find out the all-important question, “were the buses coming?”  After getting the “OK” and quickly suiting up, we’d meet our friends in the meadow by our house to make snowmen, then head to the “Dumps” for sledding.  We used to hike about 1/2 mile into the wilderness where an abandoned dump had been carved out of the forest.  Never-mind the rusted-out appliances from the 1960’s, piles of broken glass and shot-gun shells, or tangled masses of old barbed wire, that was (mostly) all covered in snow.  It was the only place that was clear from the pine trees, lots of deep snow, and had good, straight, down-hill runs.  We’d hike in our “moon” boots and full-body snow gear, lugging all forms of sleds, discs and giant inner tubes for an entire day of fast sledding and jump building.  No one would leave until it got dark or there was an injury.

It’s a little different today, my kids are still so small we can sled down the driveway for a big thrill.  We pull them on the sled down the street, and head to our meadow.  On the way we meet some older neighbor boys and play with them for a bit.  Joel runs the kids around on the sled, skidding and flying over the powder!  We find a little hill to push them and the sled down.  They fall over, roll around, and giggle like crazy.  My daughter suddenly wants to go home, “Snow Days are very special,” I tell her, “we have to stay outside and play as long as we possibly can, because it will melt tomorrow.  This could be our only chance this winter!”

After a while, we head home for some hot chocolate and a nap for the little guy.  I strip everyone down at door, lug the giant piles of snow pants, coats, gloves, hats, boots, sweaters, scarves, fleece leggings and wool socks to hang by the fire to dry.  We slurp down hot chocolate and melty marshmallows, then rest.  When the little guy gets up from his nap, I tell the kids we’re going back out.  They actually whine and ask for the iPad!  I bribe them with more hot chocolate after another “snow-walk”, so they agree to gear-up again.  I grab the snow pants, coats, gloves, hats, boots, sweaters, scarves, fleece leggings and wool socks and start the layering once more.

The snow finally stopped falling, and the birds are chattering and hopping around looking for snacks.  We pull the kids down the road again on the sled, this time we meet a snowman someone had built by a stop sign.  Joel runs through the meadow with them again, and they take more rides down the little hill.  We wander around until the light has almost completely faded to gray, and the kids are both crying.  I look at my husband and smile, “Now, it’s time to go home”.  As we carry them home through the snow-heavy pines, I feel nothing but gratitude for today.  I hope they always remember this simple, carefree, magical snow day… but if not, we’ve got the pictures to reminisce over.  I’m happy for my SoCal husband, too.  Every kids deserves a “surprise” Snow Day.

I help everyone out of their clothes again, and arrange the snow pants, gloves, hats, boots, sweaters, scarves, fleece leggings and wool socks back around the hearth.  We “unpause” the Super Bowl and cook some wings for dinner.

snowman stop

 

Pulling sled

Jessica
Jessica
Take a peek into my world of Eating, Gardening, Making and Mothering, authentically and with meaning. Thanks for visiting!
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