SNOW DAY

Do you remember when you were a kid praying that it would snow so you'd have a day off of school and could play outside? Yeah? ME TOO! What I don't remember is how much effort it took on my Mom's part to get us ready and out the door and then how we'd play for 30 minutes and come back in sopping wet, cold, tired, and did I mention, WET? Yep, I did.

So, this morning, the kids were begging from the moment they woke up at 7:30 am until I finally said, "OK" at 9:30 am to go out in the two inches of white powder that dusted our lawn. The older girls, gathered the snowsuits, boots, gloves, hats, and coats that were their's respectively and layered on the socks, sweatshirts, and jeans themselves. That only took like 30 minutes. Then I had to dress the twins because I couldn't let the older two play down the street on the hill without supervision. Of course, the twins aren't the best walkers, so I had to dig out the wagon first. Then I put on two snowsuits, two sets of snow boots, the layers underneath, the hats, the gloves, and the coats for them. They couldn't stand up when we were done, but they were warm dog gone it! Then I had to get myself changed and ready for snow - so another set of snow pants, and snow boots, hat, gloves and coat. Finally at 10:20 am, we were out the door and in the wagon. I also grabbed the camera, because what good is snow if not for pictures.

At 10:50, Lydia was crying because she took her gloves off and her hands hurt after I told her to leave them on and she was freezing and ready to go inside - the babies were pretty cold too, and Quinn was just gearing up for her sledding extravaganza. So, Quinn went with the neighbors and the rest of us went inside to unload four snowsuits, 8 gloves, four hats, four coats, and four sets of winter boots into laundry baskets I'd already set out for just such a reason the night before.

Little did I appreciate the bread bags my Mom put on my feet under my red galoshes when I was six or seven and the layers of clothes she piled on me to just go outside and play in the snow. I appreciate it now, Mom, believe me!

After all of that, then there's the onslaught of hot chocolate, the pantry being raided all day long, and the endless drone of Nickelodeon, Disney channel and Boomerang shows from the living room where they veg out until dinner and the return of a daily schedule/ritual, baths and bedtime at the end of a very long day.

Let's hope there's school tomorrow. PLEASE......