The Big Snow

Today, after a few small snowfalls, we had our first big snowstorm of the season with over 9 inches of snow. There was no PM preschool, and they released school 2 hours early, something that hasn't happened in over 20 years. It started around noon and by 2:00 there were several inches on the ground. My oldest got off the bus at around 3:20, and of course the boys wanted to go right outside in the smack middle of the flying snow to play. There were five minutes of gathering up all the gear: hats, mittens, coats, snow pants, boots, extra socks, and scarves times 3. Ten minutes for figuring out how to fasten the straps of the snowpants so they actually stay fastened instead of sliding out of their buckles. Seven minutes of cramming feet into boots while keeping pant legs pulled down and tucked in the boots and snow pant legs up and pulled over the boots. Jackets on, and zippers pulled. . .uh-oh forgot to ask about the bathroom. Zippers down, jackets off, snow pants unfastened. Now, snow pants back on, jackets on and zipped, mittens-check, hats-check, scarves-check, hoods-check. All this times 3, plus me. Thirty minutes later we head out into the nor'easter. The older boys had a blast, sledding down the backyard, shoveling, falling in the snow, and catching flakes on their tongues. The youngest was content to sit in the sled quietly watching as the snow just drifted down on top of him. Good thing I was paying attention or he may have been completely buried in a matter of minutes. In less time than it took to get all their gear on, the two younger ones wanted to go back inside. But not my oldest, he stayed out until it got dark. And he didn't catch flakes just on his tongue, he caught them on his lashes people refer to as "rakes". I guess they're also shovels, too.