1 Snow Day in 12 Snapshots

 

We woke up to this. We were expecting it, but still... it was 'Wow!' We don't get this kind of snow around here very often (actually, never, since we've lived here). No school. No Margie. A "Mommy Day!!!" (Papi working from home). As overwhelming as this is to a working mother, one thing I've learned is to try to just take a few deep breaths, try to let go of all the missed deadlines and need-to-reschedule-meetings and over-flowing-email-inbox and just embrace it. With a lot of hard work over the past five years, I have become pretty dang good at embracing it. Today, it turns out, was just what we all needed. It is the depths of winter, I've been burning the candle at both ends, Braydon has been fully immersed in his work, and three out of the five of us (H, M, K) are currently on antibiotics for nasty sick stuff. Today we had a deep down good day. Probably a Top 20 Day of the past year. Thanks to the piled high and piling higher snow forcing us (well, let's face it, me) to just be home.

*

Breakfast (yogurt, granola, berries) and dominoes.

*

Meera took a 3-hour-long morning nap (yes, she still does the marathon napping thing often). The boys and I spent that entire time cooking together in the kitchen. They have become such great helpers in the kitchen. For real. They peeled carrots, boiled and peeled hard-boiled eggs, fried up bacon, grated cheese. And then they chopped up huge mound of carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes... for...

*

A big batch of lamb stew... which they seriously made almost entirely on their own (with only minimal coaching by me). It sat on the stove simmering for the rest of the day just waiting for dinner-time.

 *

Lunch was spinach salad and cantaloupe on the floor by the fireplace.

*

We spent much of the afternoon birdwatching. There was a bird bonanza at our bird-feeder all day long.

*

And finally!... after weeks of patiently waiting!... birds appeared today at the window birdfeeders at the boys' bedrooms. These window feeders were their Christmas presents this year from Mama and Papi. They've been carefully waiting for the moment the birds would come. And today was the day! K & O were so excited that they wanted to put slices of bread in the feeders. I let them. They watched, at their bedroom windows, so silently and still, on-and-off for hours all afternoon. Their baby sister created quite a problem by repeatedly running in being her silly-toddler-self and "scaring the birds away!!!" So I had to distract her for much of the time...

*

...with one of her new favorite activities: coloring. (Ah!!! finally I get a crafty one!!!!!!!!!)

*

We did venture out in the snow.

*

And I finally cheered "Video Time!!!" (much to the boys' delight) at about 4:00. Curious George, of course.

*

Dinner was the lamb stew. And a loaf of Braydon's bread. By candlelight as we watched the snow piling higher and higher on our deck.

*

Like I said, probably a Top 20 Day of the year.

And the snow is still coming down.