Snow Day

Yesterday was Sunday and before church I just didn't feel right about sending the kids out to play in the snow. Often I miss the mark, but I do try to keep the Sabbath Day holy. We decided when we got home we'd let them go out for a bit, but it was so cold and it got dark so quick that it just didn't happen. So the kids woke up and immediately wanted to go out. So after breakfast we bundled them up good, several layers of pants, tops, and socks, topped of with their warmest jackets, in Joseph's case, TWO and a pair of those stretchy gloves. I too bundled up to take them outside, the blogger in me just HAD to have photos of our winter wonderland. I decided I would stay out perhaps 5 minutes to click away and then come in where it is warm. We went out front and found that most of the snow was crunchy and not very moldable as far as snowballs go. We found some powdery areas, but it did not pack into snowballs very easily and usually disintegrated into a pea size ball by the time it hit its target. So we headed to the untouched(except by the dogs) snow in the backyard. The kids had fun for about 5 minutes. Annalina layed down to make a snow angel and when she got up she declared she was freezing and wanted to go in. I steered her for the door and asked Joseph if he wanted to stay out, he said no too. The back slider was frozen shut, and I thought it was locked, so we knocked and knocked until Richard came. He finally got it open, but by this time the kids were actually wimpering. So we lasted about 10 minutes. I would say it was probably those stretchy gloves that did them in. Those really are not meant for snow packing, snowball throwing, or snow angel making.

I find this very amuzing, and I am sure any of you living in areas of snow will laugh at us too. You can see from the photos we don't have much snow. In fact many of you probably get this much snow in May! But here in Oregon we don't see a lot of the white fluffy stuff and at some point it was decided that tons of snow plows would not be cost effective to the taxpayers. I must agree with that, but it does leave our area helpless in times of snow. I love that the newschannels decided they must name the "storm" each year. "Deep Freeze 08", or "Winter Storm Watch 07". Anyway, when I was between the ages of 7 and 13, we lived in Holladay Utah. And it snowed a lot there. Walking home from school in 2 feet of fresh powder was normal for us. We spent HOURS outside, coming in only for quick bathroom breaks or perhaps to watch Little House. But just as the city of Salt Lake was prepared and sent out the brigade of snow plows early every morning, we were prepared with our big insulated snow suits, warm hats, nice gloves, etc. So I cannot say my kids are really wimps when it comes to the weather. We just aren't prepared. At this time I cannot justify buying them all expensive snow gear for three COLD days a year, when they will outgrow them come next winter!

The forecast says it will not get up above freezing this week at all. And come Wednesday the next round of snow will be falling. The streets are all glazed over and the wind is howling. It makes me wonder if we will be getting an entire SNOW WEEK off from school, an extension of Christmas break. The ice won't go anywhere without a little warmth to melt it. I am feeling a bit bummed out though, since Tuesday night is Annalina's Christmas singing program at school, and Wednesday night is Joseph's. Will they get to make them up later? A Christmas program in January? I don't know. For now I am going to bake something, try to stay warm and help Annalina make the Gingerbread house kit she got from Leila and Nate at her birthday party. She has been begging to do it all weekend. In my yelling phase yesterday I think I finally got to the point where I told her if she asked again, she wasn't going to get to do it at all, and that when I was ready, I would let HER know. I know, mean mom!! So instead she would stand at the counter top looking at it longingly! I so remember doing stuff like that as a child! This morning she said to me "There is something we need to do that we didn't do yesterday, but I can't say what it is Mom". Hint taken, I will help her make it so we can all peacefully move on with our lives! It is a really cute kit, thanks Conser kids for giving it to Annalina for her Birthday, as you can tell she is SUPER excited about it!

Yes, that is bare sidewalk you see there! Funny how such a small amount of something can cripple an entire community. Good thing it is so pretty huh?
The wind is brutal, see how it knocked her hood off and is flinging her hair all around?! Brrrr, makes me cold!
The dreaded snow angel that sent her wimpering to the back door!
It might also have been eating the snow that made her so cold. They say not to eat the first snowfall, but when you only get one or two a year and they are weeks if not months apart...what the heck!! Look at that powder sticking to his gloves. No wonder they got cold so fast! Well it was fun while it lasted. It will be interesting to see if they want to go out on Wednesday after the next expected snowfall!