March 16, 2013

Last Snow Day of the Season (or so I hope!)

 
our homemade snow gauge
I find myself in the minority of school personnel--I do not like snow days.  Of course, I do not like driving on treacherous roads.  Nor do I like being separated from my family during severe weather.  (Before I received word that school was called off during the most recent storm, I had been laying awake trying to figure out how to pick up my son on my lunch hour and bring him back to work with me.  If we were going to be snowed in at school, it was going to be the same school!) 
 
Who wouldn't want to stay home on a day Mother Nature dumps 8+ inches of snow on the Midwest?  Someone who wants to stay home on a day Mother Nature provides sunshine, green grass and temperatures in the 80's.  You see, just as there's no such thing as a free lunch, all snow days must be made up at the end of the school year.   That's in  JUNE!  Glorious June!
 
 
On what I hope really was the last snow day of the season, I was determined not to sulk.  Both boys were excited to hear the news that there was no school.  I was relieved that I didn't have to worry about us being in three different locations during the storm.  During the morning hours, we kept busy with Scooby Doo cartoons, jigsaw puzzles, trains and a craft (Penguin Snow Gauge).
 
In the afternoon, we ventured to the sledding hill but I almost turned back when I realized how bad the roads were.  It was then that I knew it had been truly necessary to call off school.  No one would want school buses out in these conditions.

We arrived safe and sound at the park.  We did not even consider the big hill.  We stayed on the gentle slope and practiced our moves.  I had no intention of sledding--I was just there to watch and help the boys get up out of the drifts.  But we found that the snow needed "packing" and what better way than to have mom go down the hill a few times.  Liam loved sharing his sled with me.  It really was fun!  (Note to self:  Next year pick up a pair of ski pants.) 
 
 
And of course, boys will be boys--Henry and Liam soon decided to climb the playground equipment even though it was covered with ice.  They found that if you put snow on the slides, they are much faster than usual. 

We returned to the car when we could no longer feel our fingers and toes.  I had prepared hot chocolate ahead of time and with the help of some marshmallows, we quickly thawed and drove away with smiles.  I guess snow days aren't so bad after all.
 


4 comments:

  1. Aside from the treacherous driving it sounds like a perfect day!! But I'm in the minority who would take a day like that over a glorious day in June. Minus the treacherous driving ;)

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  2. What a fun day! I am not a big fan of snow, but every time I get out in it - skiing, sledding, etc, I always have a fantastic time. And coming back to warm cocoa - you are a good mom!

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  3. I love how you had hot chocolate and marshmallows at the ready (and that you had a few turns down the hill). Your such a great Mom. x

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  4. You are such a great mom. I love the hot chocolate idea. We never make up snow days but that's cuz school is always open even when busses are cancelled. Plus we teach right til the end of June.

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