February 16, 2015-Snow Day!

Very, very excited to try these sleds out!

(click here for today's pictures)

• I will tell you this: snow days are tough.  I am pretty much exhausted, here is a run down of our day.  I was pretty much as excited as the kids and sat up to look out the window at least 4 times during the night.  And every time my phone buzzed, I jumped up to look at it.  
• The kids started talking at 6:50 and they gradually got louder and louder until 7:00.  As soon as that clock struck seven, everyone ran down the hallway and Graham was the first one to reach the window and he was heard all over the house shouting "It snowed, it snowed."  
• Seconds later they were all standing around our bed-even my sleeper, Reagan.  She was also the one who was the group spokesperson.  Reagan started with asking if they could go outside this morning just on the drive way to touch the snow.  I said sure so she tried for more and said "if you just let us all go out now to play, then ya'll could stay in bed."  Well, how could I refuse that!  I said yes and they all ran to put on their clothes-Keaton even ran upstairs with the others even though her clothes were downstairs.
• Of course staying in bed lasted for about 3 minutes since I had to get the sleds out of the attic, put on socks and gloves, zip jackets and then wake Whitman up. He certainly couldn't be left out so I put on my winter gear and then his winter gear and out we went.  Robby was outside soon after us.  
• The kids had already tried sledding in the yard but the ice wasn't that great for that.  They were having some luck on the street in front of our house when we came out.  So we all headed down to the big hill to do some sledding.  My Keaton was a trooper during the hike to the hill and back-sometimes it is hard to think she is just 3.  But my Whitman enjoyed the snow for about the first 5 minutes and then he was done.  He wanted me to hold him and even when I was holding him he was often fussing.  Poor thing was probably upset since he was cold and hadn't had breakfast yet.  
• Back to the hill, the sleds were pretty hard to steer but the kids didn't mind careening into the ditch.  I stood at the bottom of the hill holding Whitman and Robby was at the top-we both were busy looking for cars so we didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked.  I probably should have put the big lens on the camera but I couldn't have managed that while holding Whitman.
• Reagan, Anderson and Graham were sledding as fast as they could up and down the hill. Campbell went a few times but somehow she managed to get her pants wet and she was pretty miserable and the one begging us to go home.  Keaton went down the hill once with Robby and loved that.  And my fussy Whitman was happy as he could be sledding down the hill with me-until we crashed into the ditch.  The crash didn't bother him but he didn't like me putting my arms around his head when we did stop.
• We hiked back home and I passed out hot chocolate.  After our breakfast, the kids started on their school work (no snow day for us!) and between work, most everyone had a shower to warm up.  School lasted until lunch with only a quick break for Campbell and me to work on her Valentines (we are celebrating a bit late) and we had soup so we could stay warm.
• After their lunch, they quickly helped me pick up and out they went.  Robby and I had to practically stand on our heads to keep Whitman distracted so he wouldn't see everyone else suit up and leave the house.  They played and played outside.  Lots of sledding in front of the neighbor's house but my favorite was Anderson laying on his tummy on the sled and pushing himself with his hands-reminded me of a walrus.  
• Keaton was the first one to come in and I am sure that she was cold.  She joined Whitman in eating a cookie and the kids continued to play outside.  It was about an hour that they were outside and towards the end Anderson even took his coat off.  Reagan and coatless Anderson asked for bowls so they scoop up enough ice/sleet for some Snow Dew.  
• Once they were all inside, they had some Snow Coke (we were out of Mountain Dew this snow day.)  As they ate, we did science and some of our memory work.  Then there were showers for everyone because they smelled like they had been outside!  
• As soon as showers were over, the highlight of the day (for Reagan) started: decorating their Valentine's boxes.  We laid out everything they would need and let them at it.  The girls of course worked the longest but my Anderson spent about 2.3 seconds on his box-he had me wrap it up in paper and then he wrote his name on it.  
• The kids worked on those boxes until almost supper time.  We ate and then the kids had some free time this evening-there was lots of kindle playing and perler bead making.  It was a pretty relaxing evening after a very busy day!