Snowcation (Day Five)

Yes, folks. We have made it to the end of the school week, effectively without sending the children to school. If you remember I reported we had five inches of snow Sunday night into Monday. Apparently according to my friend Christy, there is a standard ratio in Georgia that one inch of snow is equal to one day off from school. Or as I heard a Weather Channel meteorolgist report, "Five million people, five plows. You do the math." So yes, we were at home once again. Or were we?

NO! We broke free from our house arrest and we ventured out into the wild white yonder. No problems to speak of, except for a few shady areas where sunlight hadn't had a chance to fully melt away the ice pack.

The girls and I went out for lunch (Mmmmm, yummy burritos at Moe's) and then went on the hunt for more Rainbow Fairies books. My oldest just can't get enough of them, and I figure if she hasn't been in school all week but keeps pleasantly busy reading to herself, then I will do my part to keep her happy.

So with today's addition, 'Juliet the Valentine Fairy', that brings the count up to 10 that the girls own. The girls not only love to hear the stories and act out their own vignettes, they have also decided that the black and white illustrations inside the books are too mundane, so they have begun coloring the pages of the chapter books, too. That's a lot of mileage out of a paperback for $4.99 (or 75 cents if you're lucky enough to score one at a consignment store!).

Snowcation (Day Four)

OK, we're on to Day 4 of this snowy week. We've got to start getting creative to keep from going batty. Thankfully my two girls have deep wells of imagination, and they are proficient at entertaining themselves.

For instance, M is still getting a thrill out of her Rainbow Fairies books.

And B can find fun just in playing hairdresser to her Doggie and ballerina.

While I spent an hour 86-ing some of our expired pantry items (ew),

the girls were excited to decorate the remaining Hello Kitty cookies (purchased at the Target bakery) from M's birthday party. B's are the top two which were given pink grins and eyelashes; M's two have "rainbows" over Hello Kitty's head and a cherry pattern on her jumper.

We had some neighbors join us for indoor fun like making jewelry with pop beads and more hairdressing.

And now that our mail delivery has resumed (!), M was able to open a couple more gifts that were delayed by the storm.  

Our mail lady even paid us a compliment and said our driveway was the best clearing job she had seen by far. Do we own a shovel? Um, no. My husband dug through the garage and came up with a tile scraper he had bought at a home improvement store 3 years ago.

It's not meant to clear snow, but it sure beats a sheet of ice on our downhill driveway. Then again, he probably unearthed my ice skates while searching for the tile scraper, so maybe the sheet of ice would have been useful after all.

Snowcation (Day Three)

What's on the docket of fun for Snow Day #3?

Get a manicure from Mom

Play a few more games on the new laptop
(Get excited for your little sister when she gets 10 out of 10 right)

Bundle up like characters in 'A Christmas Story' and head outdoors
(Do not attempt to lick any sign posts)

Try out a makeshift cardboard sled

Get excited when neighbors come to the rescue with snow tubes
 
Come in to warm up with a toasted bagel;
Design a zen garden in the cream cheese with a fork
(This is not a 'Snow Day thing' - my daughter has always done this.)

The girls also spent a half hour chatting with their friend in England on Skype, and an hour playing with neighbors at a friend's house down the street. During that hour I inflated our air mattress intending to have a movie night by the fire, but the girls wanted to use it as a landing pad instead while they practiced their flying skills as 'Ruby' and 'Icilina' the Ice Dance Fairies.

I know some parents are having a hard time coping with the kids being home from school at length, but we are having a really fun time spending long mornings in our pjs just not having to go anywhere. It would be nice to have the mail delivered sometime soon, though. We have had no deliveries on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. What is the possibility they will make it through on Day 4 after the storm?

Snowcation (Day Two)

Looks like it's going to be another day at home. Let's see what kind of fun can be had on Day Two:

Try out the new "laptop" from Grandma (runs on 2 AA batteries)

Catch up on your "Rainbow Fairies" book series while snacking on Doritos

Take a break from reading to watch a neighbor shoveling the roof of his SUV

Craft some necklaces with a new bead set from Aunt N & Uncle J
(all of these are original designs strung by my 5 year old - I only had to tie them off)

Spend a little time outside collecting ice "trays"
from the top layer of snow

 Scout the neighborhood for five foot snowmen

Ask Daddy to join you in a Shaun T "Insanity Workout" directly after dinner (even if there's a fire blazing and you are wearing pants, long sleeeves or fleece jackets)

Pretend you are a workout instructor and make up
new moves like "Twist Kick" and "Flower Grow"

Snowcation (Day One)

Well, the weathermen were right about the crippling snowstorm in the South. We had FIVE inches of snow on Monday. And if you can remember how much of a tizzy a third of an inch caused last year, you can imagine the shut down five inches of snow brings about.

To start the day off right, with just the right amount of sugar, I put together these edible snowmen.

Start with a mini powdered donut, add regular chocolate chips for the eyes, mini chocolate chips for the "coal" mouth, and a triangular slice of a marshmallow dipped in orange sugar sprinkles for the nose.

Other clever moms would have saved a handful of candy corn from Halloween for a proper nose, but I'll just have to be more diligent next year. You could also use orange m&ms if you had those around, too. 

Roads are treacherous and cars have been abandoned all over, and they are predicting that temperatures won't get above freezing until Saturday, so we'll have to wait and see if the kids make it to school at all this week. We'll make plenty of good fun with the white canvas we have outside our door. 

Christmas 2010 Wrap-up

Merry Christmas to Everyone! Ours was one of much joy and many sweets...

Cookies for breakfast? Check. Skyping with family on East Coast and West? Check. New Christmas outfits for Doggie and Teddy? Check.

 Very own Pillow Pets to squeeze tight? Check.

 Fistfuls of Rolos in stockings? Check.

 An adorable husband to sit by the fire with? Check.

And snow making a white Christmas to top it all off? Check!

I hope you've all had a wonderful, memorable Christmas wherever you may be.

Wet Snow = Indoor Time

A new (half) blanket of the white stuff came to Georgia again today. It stuck on the grass, rooftops, and parked cars, but not much else.


There were several hours of rain before the snow arrived, so even the snow that accumulated was too wet to play in. My two little ones are a bit under the weather anyway, so we took advantage of our time indoors and read some of our favorite snow-themed books.

Snow, by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
A quick read and appeals to anyone with a deep, nostalgic appreciation of snow (it spans a generation of snow-appreciating rabbits):
The Snowflake Sisters, by J. Patrick Lewis
Twin sister snowflakes, Crystal and Ivory, take in the sights of New York City. The poetry in this book has an unusal flow - in a good way - and by that, I mean if your book stash is heavy on Dr. Seuss material, you will enjoy it.



Snowballs, by Lois Ehlert
The most creative parts make up this snowman - pieces from nature, fabric/cloth from different parts of the world, and other recycled materials.

Then for lunch, I made the girls a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup. Did I say make? Uh, between you, me and Mr. Campbell...

I have one child who is fond of soup (well, at least the carrots and 'doodles') and the other, not so much. So I always try to provide a little selection of accoutrements that they can dunk or crunch on along side their soup. Today we had biscuits, crackers and pretzels on hand, but I often offer toast triangles, croutons or Goldfish.

Maybe your kids would enjoy corn chips, bagel rounds, itty bitty pita triangles or Shirley Temple's favorite - animal crackers. Another must: be sure to add an ice cube or two so they can stir their soup to their preferred temperature.

Snow Prayers Answered

We had a great dose of snow last Friday. Big Fat Flakes of February Snow! It was great watching it come down and create a blanket of white.

M got off the school bus and got right down to snow business.

B tried her best at catching snowflakes on her tongue without getting pelted in the eyes.

Saturday morning was sunny enough, but not too warm to melt everything instantly, as it so often does following a snowstorm in the South. The neighborhood kids (and adults) were out in full effect taking advantage if the sledding opportunity. Sleds and saucers are impossible to find (and impractical to own) in the South. Only one out of 6 families had a proper sled (thanks for sharing, Patty!), so that meant the rest of us were dragging out every other possible sledding device we could conjure - slick cardboard boxes, baking trays, and lids from giant plastic tubs. What a blast!

And what better way to top off a snowy play day? A blazing fire and hot cocoa with marshmallows, of course!!

Hope your February is just as sweet!