Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Motto for Tuesday: Go with the Snow!

I found out why it took us so long to determine whether or not school was going to happen yesterday. Apparently, "FlashAlert.net" - the website the schools use to alert the media of closures crashed. No wonder it wasn't refreshing when I was trying to use it...

The kind of snow we got was very icy - not the kind that made for snowman making or snowball fights - as if we even had enough to do all that. However, it was just enough to make Sydney super happy (once she got brave enough to go out into it) - racing around the yard, and joining the kids on the trampoline to play.




As it was quite cold, the kids didn't take long to return inside for a little bit of this, while Mommy made Cocoa Candy Cane cookies, and we listened to Christmas music. As I posted on Facebook, with them harmoniously putting together a Christmas puzzle - it felt like the start of a Norman Rockwell day, for sure!

And, you know what? The day actually got better from there! Michele and the kids braved the "big, bad scary roads" (note the sarcasm, but hey, I'm not complaining) and joined us around noon. From there, Michele and I took off for some pre-Black Friday errands - and even as we drove around town, I told Michele, "We're going to look back on this day and remember just how fun it was". Snow on the ground two days before Thanksgiving, that just doesn't happen here!

With school canceled, my work day canceled, and volleyball practice canceled - it opened up a whole lot of time. The only thing, in fact, that I had still on the docket was our Bible Study getting together for our own little Thanksgiving potluck feast. I prepared some pumpkin pies - as well as the Coconut Lime Cheesecake. We then spruced up the house to be ready for our guests, only to realize that half of the group couldn't make it (mostly due to the fear of icy roads).

Kimmie and Kaela dared the elements, though - so, with it just being them, we decided to include Travis, John, and the kids on the "party". While I certainly missed the rest of the girls (we were all looking so forward to it), it really turned into an evening chock full of a lot of laughter and smiles. Kaela has been around enough to witness our little "family" in action with each other, but Kimmie hasn't - hopefully she wasn't too taken back by our goofiness. (Pictures to come, they were taken by Kaela....so I'm waiting for her. Have I mentioned before just how much I love the fact that she loves preserving memories as much as I do?)






As for today - well, the roads were not an issue, so school resumed as normal. However, my son woke up sounding like a sea lion with his cough (this happens to him every couple of years), so no school for him. And, you know what? Mysteriously, Mikayla wasn't feeling quite so "well" either, particularly in light of the fact that her two cousins were down for the day. I'm such a bad mom, huh? You know, I just felt like the amount of "education" she'd be getting on this day before Thanksgiving, following a snow day, in third grade.....well, it didn't compare to the joy of having her at home along with everyone else. =) (In case you are wondering, I had to remind myself of that "joy" a few times amidst the arguing among the kiddos this afternoon).

While Michele pitter-pattered around the kitchen, whipping up four pumpkin pies of her own (to share with Michael's side of the family on Thanksgiving), I sat at the bar and took care of a lot of stuff of my own involving our Christmas letter, Countdown Calendar, and typing up labels for the Giving Tree ornaments. It was a very cozy day - throw in a "Three Wishes" holiday movie and the company of Travis and Stephie, and I'd chalk it up to an ideal Thanksgiving Eve.

2 comments:

stephietoo said...

Hey! I was there too! Don't forget about me..... :o)

StephieAnne said...

My bad - just remedied that! =)