Snow Day

This morning was a storm warning for the state. They canceled the schools, people stayed in. Blah, blah, blah. At 9:45 the kids and I met up with friends at a trail for a hike. We were out for more than an hour and a half (hiking with kids...) and saw nothing. We got home, brought in some wood, checked on the chickens. Nothing. We had hot chocolate. Ate lunch. Nothing. Finally, right when I put Petya down for a nap and Madie and Finn went down to watch something, it started coming. Not fast and heavy, but wicked swirly. The chickens disappeared into their coop. They hate the snow. 

When the kids came back up, Madie wanted to go outside to play in the storm, so they bundled up and headed out. Even P. They stayed out there--P shouting for a push from the seat of a tricycle she insisted they bring out from the garage--and played for about an hour. When they did come in, it was with P screaming because of her frozen fingers and Madie and Finn acting like they've never cleaned up the sleds in their lives. So, nothing new.

Petya screamed and climbed out of the tub when she put her fingers in. I tried to make her wait so I could rub them a little warmer to keep them from burning, but she insisted on getting in. Eventually she calmed and sat in the warm water with her hands pressed to the floor of the tub for a good five minutes before she started to play around in there. Poor girly.

I hung the last of the Valentine's garlands we made. A couple weeks ago we made felt hearts and strung them up for Family Night. This past Tuesday, I taught a short lesson on loving our family and we wrote things we loved about each other on paper hearts, and I strung those up as well. They're cute. I love Finn's laugh. I love Madie's laugh too--her witch's cackle. I love Petya's singing. The girl really has an ear for music. She will start humming tunes I don't even realize she's heard very often--yesterday it was "Come, Thou Fount." She also hums/sings the "Imperial March," "Frosty The Snowman," "Jingle Bells," and "Follow the Prophet."

It's been a long week--the evenings have been particularly difficult without Mike to relieve me a little. Not to mention, my mood isn't usually fabulous when I'm pregnant. That being said, despite Madie's vocalizations, I feel I have been very patient with the kids for the most part. Especially considering a snow day and a delayed start. I explained to Madie on more than one occasion that I was not angry with her all the time--which is her view--but that I don't like repeating myself; which is a repeat of almost every day of my life since I've had a talking child in my house. But Mike comes home tomorrow. He may not recognize the 50-year-old banshee running the house, but I will certainly recognize him.