Blizzard of 2011

For a few days, the weather team has been calling for a winter storm for the Southeast. No big deal to us. We're what some might call professionals when it comes to snowfall. We are from the Midwest. This is what we know. Note that I said know, not like. I'm speaking for myself, D1 loves it. Like I said, the threat of bad weather doesn't intimidate us but I can understand why others not accustomed to this stuff might want to grab a few things from the store. However, I can't seem to wrap my head around the 'milk and bread' thing. It's even on the radio. 'Winter storm headed to the Upstate, be sure to get your milk and bread before settling in for the snowy weather.' Really? Because if we don't have milk or bread, we....might.....starve? I guess those could be considered some generic essentials. For my family, it might look a little different. If I'm going to be stuck inside for a few days, I want to make sure I have cereal, diapers and creamer. Cereal can be eaten with or without milk, diapers are obvious and creamer is to keep Mommy happy. I am a much, much, MUCH happier person after my four cups of cream-with-a-little-coffee concoction and if I'm enclosed with this energetic bunch, I need all the help I can get. And as the saying goes - 'if Momma ain't happy, ain't no one happy.'

I have to say that I expected the forecasted 6-8 inches to end up being closer to a 1-2 inch dusting so imagine my surprise when I awoke at 6am {thanks, d3!} to at least 4 inches. Unfortunately, the boys did not get the memo that it was a snow day that allows for extra sleep and our day started pretty early. Breakfast was eaten and cleaned up before 8am and they were ready to hit the battle field. Although I didn't drive in to work, I still had some tasks to complete for my job so I set up shop on the dining room table and, while the older boys ventured out, d3 and I stayed in and watched through the windows.

d2 all bundled up




Please take note of D1's facial expression in this picture. Welcome to my life. He is such a goof. Never a dull moment. Ever. He wanted me to make sure I captured this look.




My Snow Angels




D1 was awesome in helping to entertain them while I worked. They did some Wii, played a couple of rounds of Sorry Sliders, made some Snow Cream, even tried a nap {FAIL} but these kids were just wound so tight and acting like escapees from Marshall Pickens. Just out of control. Somehow we ended the day with only one bloody lip, which is a miracle given how many screams I heard throughout the day. d3 has really mastered the art of those blood-curdling screams - when he doesn't get away with stealing a toy from one of his brothers, it sounds a lot like he's being stabbed. Holy smokes, he has a set of pipes.

Don't let these pictures fool you - they paused long enough to say 'cheese' and then it was back to business as usual.






This morning, I thought how nice it would be to have time to catch up on some housework. Yeah. That didn't happen. Oh, wait. Now that was a false statement. I did clean the toilets but only because I went to use the one in the boys' bathroom and thought to myself how a urinal in the men's room of a truck stop was probably cleaner. Why can't we get this figured out? Where is the disconnect? You pull down your whiteys, you sit, you pee, you flush. Something tells me that is not the sequence of events when one or both uses the toilet. Maybe I need a hidden camera in the towel rack to determine the perp. Something's gotta give. I can't stomach this much longer.

We ended our snow day with a movie night - Toy Story 3 starring Woody and Buzz. Super cute movie but since when are animated movies doubling as tearjerkers? I was almost to the subtle hyperventilation stage when Andy was giving his toys to Bonnie and then found Woody in the bottom. Seriously, friends, I had to turn my head away so that I didn't upset d1 and d2 with my crying. {d3 was rummaging in the pantry for something to eat, as usual, and I just didn't care anymore} I don't know if it was the whole 'kid going to college' saga that I will one day face but it was gut wrenching. I think the last time I cried like that on a movie was when Josh Hartnett died on 'Pearl Harbor.' Whew. I was a mess then, I was a mess tonight. Glad the boys weren't paying any attention to me. Oh wait, no worries. They rarely pay attention to me or at least when I'm speaking to them.

So who's excited for snow day #2? Uh huh. Yeah, me too.