A Snow Day

Ever since we cancelled cable, I kind of miss out on things. Like- anything thats going on outside of my house. I have no idea what shootings are going on in what cities (because it seems like people are constantly getting shot, right?), I don't know whos fighting what war where, and when it comes to weather- I just stick my arm out the door and say "hmmm, feels warm, no jackets today!", which in Texas, can be dangerous. This is both good and bad.

My lack of local and world news is kind of refreshing, in the sense that I no longer get depressed about all of the crap going on outside of my own little world. But its also kind a downer, because- well I don't know whats going on!

I had heard something about a chance of snow, the other day, but kinda brushed it off. So last night when there was thunder and lightning and an inch of marble sized hail banging on the windows- I was caught a little bit off guard.

...and then came the winds. And the freezing rain.

And the thunder and lightning, the thunder and lightning, THE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING!

(do you get that it was intense?)

Well when we woke up this morning, after a freezing cold and somewhat sleepless night loaded with bright flashes, house shaking booms, and a constant rain of ice bullets hitting the window beside our bed- we peeked out the mini blinds, and there it was.

We had survived the blizzard. And even though we're all fighting upper respiratory infections (ugh, you should hear the poor baby's cough, its terrible), we couldn't wait to play in it.

Now I know what you're thinking- shame shame Tia, keep those kids in the house and bundled up, they'll catch pneumonia! ...oh no they won't. Because I know my kids, and I know that they're great big babies, and when it comes to cold they chicken out (they don't even like popsicles- weird, right?).

Twenty five minutes of pre snow prep, for 5 minutes of adventure.
Promptly followed by complaining of frozen hands, a mess of cold ice water all over the floor, and non stop begging for hot chocolate.

But because we've had a warmer than normal winter, and it might not snow again this season- fine, lets do it. Lets get warm, and then get cold, and then complain, and then get warm again.

The kids went straight for the bird bath. It had a heaping rounded top of white crystal snow, and they destroyed it.

Eleanore lost interest pretty quickly, but Charlie stayed and made himself comfortable for awhile.

He dug around in there, looking for birds I guess, until... well just like I had predicted- it started to get cold.


And then it wasn't so fun anymore.

So I looked down at the imaginary watch on my covered-in-Christopher's-over sized-jacket wrist, and- oh looky here, a freckle past a hair, and you're ready to go inside already.


So Christopher and Charlie went inside, while Eleanore and I stayed out.



Ya know, for another 2 minutes until she gold cold too.

So then it was time to go inside and take all of the icy layers off.


We tried to kick off all of the ice, but some stray snowflakes clumped together and followed us in.

We tossed everything except for the rubber boots into the dryer, for round two, which we knew they'd be begging for as soon as they could feel their fingers again.

So we used checking the mail as our excuse to get bundled up and catch hypothermia.


Notice how Charlie wasn't in that last shot?
(and look! They plowed the road! I got to see a snow plow!)

...thats because he fell down, got stuck in the snow, which got his Lovey wet.

He had pleaded with us to bring Lovey outside. And I knew that he'd drop it, and it would get wet, but- its time to start teaching Charlie some lessons, so "sure Charlie, bring Lovey out into the snow with us", we can always toss him into the dryer with your pants.

Want to see the face of heartbreak?

Not because he fell.
Not because he got stuck.
But because Lovey was wet.


Oh there there, kiddo.

I couldn't help but laugh, while he sobbed standing in the snow, suddenly unable to move (because Lovey might fall again!).

Daddy had to come to the rescue. Whisk him away, take off the wet clothes, and put in Cars movie.


Away they went, into the warm house, away from the pillow eating snow. And again, the only two left were Eleanore and I.

Wait- are you wondering where the baby has been, this whole time


She was so mad, to be wearing her adorable vintage snow suit, that while we were getting her brother and sister dressed, she screamed herself into an I-can't-move-my-arms, deep sleep.

Its probably better that she stay inside, anyways.

So right, then it was just me and Eleanore-


And I had to bribe her with a homemade sunbutter cookie to get her sassy snowy butt inside.

As you can see, shes feeling much better now.
It was a nice change of pace, from our new normal routine of tissue boxes and doctors offices. We lucked out that Christopher got to stay home from work, since they closed down the base, but- its back to the regular tomorrow, even the snow is probably going to stick around for the rest of the week. I doubt we'll be going out for another round of frozen fingers and pink cheeks.

Unless Lovey wants to go out for another romp, because... that we can probably arrange.