February 16, 2014

What A Winter!

ice storm 2

Usually I am one of the moms jumping up and down, giddy and excited when it starts to snow heavily and school is going to be cancelled. I love a good snow day. The kids play outside until their cheeks are red and their fingers are raw with cold. I shovel the driveway, stir hot cocoa and bake cookies. We watch movies while munching on popcorn. And if I’m lucky, a closet or two gets cleaned out with the help of the closet’s whining owner.

But this winter – this winter is kicking my trash.

We have already had eleven snow days this winter. We are allotted fifteen until we start having to make up days. We’ve had as little as two inches of snow cancel school. Those days have killed me. Especially when I look outside and realize the kids totally could have been at school.

We’ve also had a lot of ice cancel school (see above photo). The roads, sidewalks, trees, railings, everything is covered with ice. It is treacherous and no sane parent would want to attempt to send their kids to school in it.

We had a good eight inches a few weeks ago. That would normally cancel school for at least two days. We ended up missing an entire week and having midterm exams cancelled because the temps got below zero, everything iced up and nothing melted for days. That week was torture for me.

Then this past weekend, we had a whole, whole lot of snow cancel school. I was happy about it because it was finally the kind of snow that the kids could enjoy – heavy, wet, perfect for snow balls and igloos. Little Owlie was outside for SIX HOURS the first day! When I finally had to drag him inside, he came kicking and screaming, protesting, “I’m not done! I’m not cold!”

Here’s the thing. One snow day is a novelty. Two in a row is fun. But anything past that and I am seriously done. My kids get sick of each other that quickly. Then I turn into the mean, yelling, sending people to their rooms momma.

And honestly, I don’t feel like I’ve really recovered from Christmas break because we’ve only had one full week of school since then. It’s crazy.

This weekend we are supposed to have weather in the sixties. I hope it happens. I need some sunshine. I need my kids to go to school. I need the almost two feet of snow outside to melt.

In short, what I’m trying to say is that this winter is seeming a little too long for this momma.

Who’s with me?

8 comments:

Apis Melliflora said...

It's been a true Cleveland winter. We've shoveled, broken sleds, learned to ice skate, been sick twice and almost maxed out our snow days.

End of week thaw. Bring it.

AllisonK said...

15 snow days before you make them up? Crazy! We miss a day we make it up.

I'm with you on the mom thing. Hoping you get warmer weather. You can send the snow to us, we need it.

The Queen Vee said...

Warmer weather on the way and time for the kids to get back into regular school attendance…..they'll probably be in shock.

Jonah and Samuel have come to the knowledge that their snow days are quickly coming to an end. Ut students go to school when it snows unlike VA.

Michelle Johnson said...

AMEN!!! I need my routine back, desperately!

Aiketa said...

Ollie 6 hours outside playing with the snow!!! Wow! That's a lot! But I totally get it, I had the most fun I had in years the other day playing with the snow too! I was like a little kid!
I hope from now on, weather is not as bad and there's no more days of skipping school!

Dan and Bec said...

Hi Samantha. I love your picture of ice. We lost power during that ice storm and Dan was out of town the entire week. I sure learned a lot about being prepared and on my own! The kids head back to school tomorrow and I'm with you, snow days have lost a lot of their fun! I'd love to come over and check out the Hobby Lobby you have now. Maybe we could do lunch?

TracyS. said...

I am with you!! I am over the snow days. I'd love to see the sun and get the kids back to school on a regular basis.

Janie said...

I'm with you! We had a long Christmas break and then my youngest had all of January off too. My middle schoolers seemed to have all sorts of days off, end of quarter, etc. It seemed like no one was ever in school consistently. I'm still not on top of a normal schedule for some reason and the next off track is looming!

I don't have a kid at the high school yet, but Caden does play on the Sophomore Basketball team and goes over every day to practice. He just told me that his practice and game are cancelled today and there is no High School in session today because there is a gas leak. One more day off....