Just hear those sleigh bells jinglin', ring ting tingle a tune....
How about that snow, folks? I'm sitting here lamenting about how I didn't have any Christmas spirit and then we got a beautiful snow fall Friday night into most of yesterday and now, hear we're gonna get hit with another "5-8"". It's powder. Perfect for skiing and snowshoeing, we're gonna break them out today. The kids aren't as happy about it as we are since it doesn't make great snowman/fort building, but they are enjoying the fun of wooshing down the hill on their saucers.
Music Man and I were discussing the kids and their snow adventures yesterday. I told him, so far, my favorite part about winter has been watching them sliding down the hill on their saucers, giggling like mad men the whole way down. And my most favorite part is that I'm not out there, pulling them back up the hill a thousand times because they can't figure that part out for themselves. Now that Maestro's got the hang of it, and Little Red's legs are long enough to navigate the snow, I get to watch from the warmth of the window as they slide for hours on end. As a child, I used to love to slide. Of those of us fortunate enough to have the luxury of a fresh snowfall to explore, it was a highlight. I'm utterly amazed as well at the number of snow days they call for the kids here. Where I'm from, they go to school. Your bus isn't running because the road's not plowed, oh well, your father can bring you. Streets are icy? Oh well, just be more careful. I had literally 2 snowdays called in the 8 years I went to school in northern New Hampshire. Here, they call it off if there's over 4 inches of snow. Now, Maestro has not had school in over a week because of the ice storm, and that's a little different, I guess, but they're gonna be in school until July at this rate.
Watching my little men sliding, and learning to do things that older children can do makes me tear up. It's no surprise to you that I'm a big softy, I've eluded to that before, so cut me some slack with that. Seeing them grown out of last year's snow pants, carving their path down the newly fallen glitter, hats caked in snow as they twirl around time and again flying down the hill and giggling like it's the happiest moment of their lives. It's a wonderful site to see. And you can be sure, I'm ready with the cocoa and warm popcorn when they come in. We sit at the table and enjoy those treats together (okay, I'm South Beaching it now, so I drink tea, but you get the picture), warming up and talking about this fast run, or that terrific crash and I know that these memories will stay with them.
These are the times as a child I remembered with my barn friends. We'd hook the resident pony, Snooper, up to plastic toboggans (oh, such a dangerous and foolish idea, but hey, we were kids and no one was telling us not to. Seemed like a good idea at the time). We would ride on the toboggan like a surf board, with him merrily pulling us along, often times completely freaking out from the sound of the toboggan behind him, and trotting along way too quickly. But, we'd fly along, feeling the bitter breeze on our cheeks and feeling somehow that sense of perfectness. Moments not to be repeated and unfortunately I can't provide for my children not having that homestead we aspire to. However, I treasure the memories I know they are making for themselves, and we'll have more, now that they are older and can appreciate the fun of snowshoeing and cross country skiing and spending that time together outdoors. We hope that when they are older, we will have the house the friends want to hang out in, and the snowshoeing adventures that include their friends and let them make those memories for themselves in whatever way will come.
Newly fallen snow is a time to rejoice in being a child, isn't it? You don't have to worry about clearing the walkways and driveways and the horrid commute that's coming your way as soon as tire hits pavement. None of those things are your concern. You merely need to worry about who's saucer goes faster and keeping the snow out of your boots and that pesky helmet your mother makes you wear from pushing your hat too low over your eyes. But the moments I hope they also remember are the ones that I take concerns to provide, like warm popcorn and hot cocoa with the BIG marshmallows and sitting around the table talking about the fun runs down the hills in the fading light of day. These are the great memories that form a childhood and a life, don't they?
Have a cup of cocoa and some popcorn for me, ~Peacemom
How about that snow, folks? I'm sitting here lamenting about how I didn't have any Christmas spirit and then we got a beautiful snow fall Friday night into most of yesterday and now, hear we're gonna get hit with another "5-8"". It's powder. Perfect for skiing and snowshoeing, we're gonna break them out today. The kids aren't as happy about it as we are since it doesn't make great snowman/fort building, but they are enjoying the fun of wooshing down the hill on their saucers.
Music Man and I were discussing the kids and their snow adventures yesterday. I told him, so far, my favorite part about winter has been watching them sliding down the hill on their saucers, giggling like mad men the whole way down. And my most favorite part is that I'm not out there, pulling them back up the hill a thousand times because they can't figure that part out for themselves. Now that Maestro's got the hang of it, and Little Red's legs are long enough to navigate the snow, I get to watch from the warmth of the window as they slide for hours on end. As a child, I used to love to slide. Of those of us fortunate enough to have the luxury of a fresh snowfall to explore, it was a highlight. I'm utterly amazed as well at the number of snow days they call for the kids here. Where I'm from, they go to school. Your bus isn't running because the road's not plowed, oh well, your father can bring you. Streets are icy? Oh well, just be more careful. I had literally 2 snowdays called in the 8 years I went to school in northern New Hampshire. Here, they call it off if there's over 4 inches of snow. Now, Maestro has not had school in over a week because of the ice storm, and that's a little different, I guess, but they're gonna be in school until July at this rate.
Watching my little men sliding, and learning to do things that older children can do makes me tear up. It's no surprise to you that I'm a big softy, I've eluded to that before, so cut me some slack with that. Seeing them grown out of last year's snow pants, carving their path down the newly fallen glitter, hats caked in snow as they twirl around time and again flying down the hill and giggling like it's the happiest moment of their lives. It's a wonderful site to see. And you can be sure, I'm ready with the cocoa and warm popcorn when they come in. We sit at the table and enjoy those treats together (okay, I'm South Beaching it now, so I drink tea, but you get the picture), warming up and talking about this fast run, or that terrific crash and I know that these memories will stay with them.
These are the times as a child I remembered with my barn friends. We'd hook the resident pony, Snooper, up to plastic toboggans (oh, such a dangerous and foolish idea, but hey, we were kids and no one was telling us not to. Seemed like a good idea at the time). We would ride on the toboggan like a surf board, with him merrily pulling us along, often times completely freaking out from the sound of the toboggan behind him, and trotting along way too quickly. But, we'd fly along, feeling the bitter breeze on our cheeks and feeling somehow that sense of perfectness. Moments not to be repeated and unfortunately I can't provide for my children not having that homestead we aspire to. However, I treasure the memories I know they are making for themselves, and we'll have more, now that they are older and can appreciate the fun of snowshoeing and cross country skiing and spending that time together outdoors. We hope that when they are older, we will have the house the friends want to hang out in, and the snowshoeing adventures that include their friends and let them make those memories for themselves in whatever way will come.
Newly fallen snow is a time to rejoice in being a child, isn't it? You don't have to worry about clearing the walkways and driveways and the horrid commute that's coming your way as soon as tire hits pavement. None of those things are your concern. You merely need to worry about who's saucer goes faster and keeping the snow out of your boots and that pesky helmet your mother makes you wear from pushing your hat too low over your eyes. But the moments I hope they also remember are the ones that I take concerns to provide, like warm popcorn and hot cocoa with the BIG marshmallows and sitting around the table talking about the fun runs down the hills in the fading light of day. These are the great memories that form a childhood and a life, don't they?
Have a cup of cocoa and some popcorn for me, ~Peacemom
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