Snow Days

The kids have missed a lot of school lately.  It started back on January 10, with what should have been a 4-day weekend in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Those 4 days morphed into 10.  We didn't have that much snow, but it was so cold that the snow never melted and the back roads remained super icy. Unfortunately, super icy roads and buses don't mix, hence the cancellation of school.

I am sure there are some parents that would be overjoyed to spend 10 days in a row with their children.  I certainly enjoy our time together during summer break. But, we are prepared for it then.  We have things planned and even when we don't, I can always shove them outside for a few hours. Not the case in January. In January, the entire routine is disrupted and uncertain and that is most of the cause for frustration.

So, how did we spend our 10 days off?  During the planned weekend, we went to the Smithsonian and visited the Museums of Natural and American History.  We also took a trip to Ikea (as we pulled into the parking lot, Jack asked in a suspicious voice, "hey! what are we doing at the airport.") to buy some shelves for the playroom.  We organized the basement into a workout area and a play area (theater area to be created at some point in the future).  Then, we still had 6 days to go.

One day we went sledding with some neighbors.  That was super fun.  I even tried it (unfortunately, getting out of a sled when you are 8 months pregnant is not the easiest thing to do).  And, the kids weren't really dressed appropriately.  We have never really needed snow pants or boots, so I didn't bother buying any this year.  Subsequently, we didn't last long.  But, it was great while it did last.  It was nothing like what Thomas experienced in Lake Tahoe (where his backyard provided several great "runs") or even my trips to Potato Hill as a child in Massachusetts, but it was still impressive; and I am sure there are places around here with even bigger hills that we can find as they get older.  It was definitely a good childhood experience for them.

So, what else did we do?  Thomas took time off and played lots of games with them.  We let them have extended electronics time. And, we read a lot of books. That really is pretty much it.  I had to go to work one day, which was actually on the worst of the weather days.  The high was only something like 9 degrees and the windchill was below 0.  When I got to the base none of the roads had been plowed and I found myself waddling across an icy parking lot to get to the necessary building.  Fortunately, the kids were safe and warm at home.

This week, they have already missed one day to snow and there are a few more bad-weather days predicted in the 10-day forecast.  This is definitely not the mild winter weather I expected when we moved here.  The kids were clamoring to get back to school after the long break, but as Jack said, "it wasn't really as fun as I remembered;" they are happy to wear their pajamas inside out and flush ice cubes down the toilet to entice the snow gods into granting even more days off.  Me, I am ready for Spring.