Yesterday, those of us in the DC area--heck, make that the East Coast, at least--got snowed in. We had one okay snow fall earlier this winter, and a few dustings of snow. But this was a major snow fall with more than a half a foot of snow! Schools everywhere were canceled, people couldn't make it in to work, and the world around us slowed down just a bit to enjoy the snow day.
The question of the week is:
What do you like best about snow days?
When I was little, I of course loved having a random day off from school. I loved big snow falls because there was enough good snow to make snow angels, snowmen, snowballs, and occassionally enough to build a snow fort, all of which were done on what should have been a school day!
As an adult, I generally work from home when it snows, so I don't really get a day off. Although working in my sweatpants in my own home is a nice treat. If I do take off the day, say to watch my child because the nanny couldn't make it over and Londo couldn't miss an all day training class (as happened yesterday), I have to take personal time off from work. That would be the personal time I'm trying to accumulate to extend my maternity leave when the baby boy comes. So the equivalent of getting off from school just does not provide me with the same joy.
But this year--yesterday, in fact--I discovered what I like best about snows days now: Playing with the Pumpkin in the snow! She LOVED the snow! She trudged through all the unshoveled snow, the deeper the better. She went down the slide covered in snow and landed in the snow at the bottom. She wiped snow off of just about everything in our back yard (she apparently loves brushing the snow off stuff). She tried to make a snow angel with me. She made snowballs (though not so well, she got the concept). She played with the beach toys the kids next door were playing with and let her use. And she did NOT want to come in for lunch!
It was really so much fun to watch her and play with her. A truly wonderful experience for me during a rough time of year. Exhausting, yes. But worth it.
When I finally got her to relinquish the neighbor's toy, I scooped her up and brought her inside to warm up, though she did protest greatly. We were both soaked and cold, but she still wanted to go back out. I tempted her out of her clothes and into dry, warm ones with the promise of a "special treat." And when we were changed and ready, I made her a little bit of hot chocolate. She. Loved. It. She didn't put the cup down until it was all gone! I didn't give her much, but it was enough to really enjoy and discover for her first cup. And what's better than a cup of hot chocolate after playing out in the snow? It was a great end to our outside play on our snow day.
What about you? Did you get a snow day this year? Did you get to spend special time with you little one(s)? If you didn't have any snow (you CA people!), what do you think you would enjoy about a snow day?
4 comments:
When I woke up yesterday morning and checked the weather map I totally thought of you and almost emailed you but then got caught up in the daily activities and forgot. We got the same snow on Sunday. 6-7 inches at our house and as you remember that is a BIG FREAKIN DEAL down here.
Unfortunately Boog HATED the snow. Seriously. Inside of ten minutes he was all "no like the snow, i go inside." I'm going to choke that up to not having the proper clothing for such and event. It prolly won't snow like that again down here for another 12 years or so and I'm bettin he'll love it then.
His favorite activity yesterday was when I set up his bounce house in the basement and let him jump. Mine was nap time. :P
Half a foot of snow and everything shut down? President Obama is right, you all need some Midwestern toughness over there in DC! :-).
Honestly, this winter has been so snowy and cold and generally awful, I have trouble remembering WHAT I like about snow days/snow-stormy days (becasue most of ours have been on the weekends). The first several times, it was nice to cozy up and watch the world get all white and fluffy.
Everything!!
I'm Australian so I still find snow a novelty despite it not being novel ( have lived in snowy climes now for over 10 years. )I even like shoveling the stuff out of our driveway and we have been snowed in twice this year too, and I'm talking 60 cm of snow each time.
Unfortunately the kids or myself were sick on both snow days and so no playing in the snow. But I loved the silence that comes with snow. NO cars, no voices, just the sound of the snow lightly tickling the roof as it falls.
Our equivalent of snow days are fire days, and those are really no fun. The air is smokey so we can't go outside, we're freaking out for our friends who live in the threatened areas, emailing people to see if anyone needs a place to stay, and fending off emails and calls from relatives and friends who are worried that we aren't safe.
When I lived in NJ, I got a snow day once. It was before the days of "work from home" and well before the baby, so I enjoyed the chance to snuggle into my bed and read.
During four years of college in Chicago, I never got a single snow day. Not even on the day when it was so cold out that the authorities were warning people not to stay outside for more than 10 minutes, for fear of frostbite. I had a 20 minute walk to campus, and I half ran the entire way with my roommates, tramping through snow that had to be over a foot deep (I remember it coming up almost to my knees at times). Fun in a weird sort of way. However, when it came time to apply for grad schools, I pretty much only considered schools in California.
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