Snow Day!

Yep, I haven't written an Out and About post in a while. I figure you  wouldn't be too interested in our excursions to Fred Meyer, or Ikea, or the dentist. Except for the occasional impromptu hike we've been staying home most weekends, happy to finally be working on the projects we put on hold to move up here. I couldn't let the recent Seattle snowfall go by undocumented though.

Monday morning I looked out onto our backyard and saw this:

Snow! After living in L.A. for five years and never once seeing any snow I felt like a kid again and couldn't wait to play in it.  As I drove Sage to school that morning both kids stared out the windows amazed at the white fluffy stuff falling from the sky. By the time school let out there was even more snow:

and I didn't want to drive in it so we walked on the path that leads through the woods in our neighborhood all the way to Sage's school -  it's probably one of my top 5 reasons I love it here.

 That's Sage and his friends walking home. Here's McKenna hitching a ride on a neighbor boy's sled.

Erik got out of work early but it took him 3 hours to drive a route that usually takes him 15 minutes.  Luckily though, he stopped by Costco and picked up some provisions and a sled.

The next day school and Erik's work were canceled so we got to try that sled out. First, I had to bundle up the kids. They thought it was the silliest thing in the world when I told them to put on 2 pairs of socks. I was wishing I had bought them real snow gear ahead of time because their clothes were embarrassingly inappropriate for playing in snow - jeans, a windbreaker, ill-fitting gloves. Hopefully next time we'll be more prepared.

 

The sled Erik got is like none I've ever seen before - it looks more like a boogie board. It does the trick though.

These are some things I learned today:

1. Rain boots do not make good snow boots. They're waterproof, yes, but they don't keep your feet warm.

 2. Our collie, born and raised in southern California, is surprisingly fond of snow.

3. but she does not like it when you make snow angels. She thinks something is wrong and licks your face until you sit up.

4. Make sure both kids are holding on tight before you pull them down the hill on a sled. (Note McKenna face down in the snow, and Sage flying off the back of the sled).

5. Regardless of the good picture you're going to get, remember to move yourself and your little one out of the way when a sled is coming toward you, or else you'll all land on top of each other in a ditch (not pictured).

 

 6. Remember to eat lunch before, not after you play in the snow. Otherwise you'll end up with cold and cranky kiddos who just want to go home.

7. Snow play is exhausting, but it makes for some sweet peaceful lounge-on-the-couch time when you get home.

Stay warm!