Snow days

With the snow that moved in on Sunday, the kids got a snow day called for Monday.  I was not sad about this, as anytime I don't have to drive the bus on nasty roads, I am thankful.  More snow fell on Monday, and the back roads are still not in good shape, which meant that the kids got a bonus day, and Tuesday was also called off.  

They were delighted to not have to go to school, mostly because they think they will get another day like yesterday, where they made treats, watched movies, read some books, played in the snow, and snuggled with critters.  It remains to be seen whether we can pull off any more fun!  :)  

When my kids were little, any time we had any measurable amount of snow, they would play in the snow and then make snow ice cream.  While other families were drinking hot chocolate, my crazies were eating frozen delightfulness.  When I got home from work yesterday, Preston proudly produced his contribution to the snow day from the freezer.  This was bowl number 2 apparently!  I was amused when Cameron texted me a similar photo, and said he had made 'snicecream" for Lauren.  I did not talk to Lauren, so I am not sure whether she was impressed or completely weirded out by this!  I am proud that they are keeping our traditions alive!  

I do not love the snow, but I will admit I enjoyed a lazy afternoon with Jewwy the cat, reading a book and being thankful for our furnace!

The dogs love the snow.  Mallory was bored, so she brought Olive out to play.  The dogs and the kids ran and ran, went sledding, slipping on the deck, snow ball fighting, more running and Mallory said that she was so happy because Olive slept all night and never made a sound!  I tried to make Ollie sleep in the bathroom.  He ate the doorknob, tore down the shower curtain, and scratched up the door.  Guessing he doesn't like being told he should be inside!  

On another note, last week, my Aunt Penny died.  My Aunt Penny was my grandma Shirley's sister.  They could have been twins!  I remember once when I was a young kid asking my grandma for a drink, and having Aunt Penny respond "I am not your grandma, but I would be happy to get you a drink!"  I also remember telling my grandma that I saw her smoking.  My grandma did not smoke, but Aunt Penny did!  They really looked alike!  My grandma and her siblings were close.  They got together several times a year, and it wasn't unheard of for my grandma's sisters to come and spend days or even weeks at a time.  Aunt Penny's kids would come in the summertime and spend a month or more at the farm.  Needless to say, losing Aunt Penny is hard.  She and my cousin Brenda came down for Madison's wedding.  I had no idea that cancer was ravishing her body.  She didn't know either I don't think.  I wish I had known, I would have hugged her a little longer, visited with her a little more, told her I loved her more than when she was leaving.  She was a great woman.  I have so many memories of waiting for her and Uncle Ernie to arrive so that we could play with our cousins.  Card games, New Year's eve parties and trying to stay up for the ball to drop, 4th of July parties with filthy kids running everywhere and my Aunt Penny singing the National Anthem.  I grew up surrounded by great people, and I am very lucky to have had an Aunt Penny.  I will miss her for the rest of my life. One good thing about school being out today, is that I will be able to go pay my last respects to her.  I hope she is surrounded by those other people who we have lost, playing cards, accusing each other of cheating, and waiting for us to get there so we can be together again.