The Snowbound Edition

You guys, I don't remember when we had enough snow to make snowmen. Or the right KIND of snow. And I have made TWO people-sized snowmen so far. I've dragged my kids around on a plastic disc borrowed from our friendly neighbors. I've oohed and ahhed over the winter wonderland that is my tree-filled neighborhood. I've put hats and mittens in the dryer. I've made many cups of hot cocoa for the kids. I've exchanged the "isn't this NEAT!" happy face with the not-friendly neighbors, because snow on a holiday weekend IS pretty neat. 

But now I am over it. To be honest, I am over it as soon as it begins falling, because Seattle is not known for its snow-handling abilities, both practical (the city continually falls down on the snow job) and emotional (I've seen ninety-thousand cars slide down Capitol Hill streets into downtown on the news thus far.) Also it means I am stuck. 

See, Seattle's kind of weird, in that it will snow in certain pockets of town, or the snow will miss entire ribbons of neighborhoods, or it will DUMP in one particular area and only dust another. It started falling on Saturday and by Sunday morning it was pretty clear that we were not going to church OR the baptism reception for which I bought a VERY CUTE PRESENT. Disappointing! 

Usually you're fine once you get out of the side streets, but according to the news, our chunk of I-5 was a skating rink. Also, our side streets are BAD. My side street is a VERY STEEP HILL and even though it's one seven millionth of a mile long, it's still a launching point for flying into a house and/or sliding backwards into the creek. For this reason Phillip parked HIS car (did I tell you we have two cars now? gah) on the street above the steep hill, like everyone else on the two cul-de-sacs below. 

So we're not STUCK stuck. Phillip could drive out and get us whatever we needed (although he'd still have to make it off the side streets and they are gleaming sheets of white). But for all intents and purposes I AM STUCK and I am stuck here with THREE RESTLESS CHILDREN and there is only so long we can all do this. 

It was fine when Phillip was home this weekend. He's actually still home. He's WORKING from home, which you may all agree is worse than being at work. I used to think it was awesome that he could work from home, but now I know it just means he's HERE but UNAVAILABLE. I do a lot of stomping and shouting when he works from home, just so he KNOWS. 

But anyway. Hopefully this will all be over by the time Phillip leaves for his trip on Sunday morning. Right, God? 

I haven't been doing much of anything except, oh, standing in every room in my house deciding how I will decorate/redecorate/remodel/redesign. It's a sickness. Especially because I have every intention of DOING these things. It's not just, "Oh, wouldn't it be fun if we knocked down this wall?!" Like, I want to email the dudes who took out the fireplace and ask HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO KNOCK DOWN THIS WALL. 

I spent a couple hours yesterday planning and measuring for a wall of DIY built in bookcases, before I realized that Ikea only sold one style of bookcase in the depth we want (as far as I can tell anyway, feel free to refute!) and my plan would not work after all. I did a lot of computery work. I folded a lot of laundry. I made brownies which was BAD because 1) I'm still hoping to lose four pounds by my trip (HA HA HA!) and 2) I am beginning to suspect that eating copious amounts of chocolate makes my baby uncomfortable... 

BECAUSE SHE WAS UP ALL NIGHT AGAIN. This is not helping with the snow. She is actually sleeping better during the DAY, which is great. That's helping a lot. She's even napping in her bed again, after we tried it out one day and she slept three amazing hours. So. Better during the day, but still crap at night. Even though we 1) moved her into her own room and own bed/car seat and 2) I am no longer nursing her in bed and 3) we tank her up as much as possible before we put her down for the night. Last night she still ate ALL NIGHT LONG and I finally ended up putting her in bed with me because WE COULD NOT HANDLE IT. And I suspect she didn't REALLY need to eat, but when you're dead tired and it's 4 am, you are not particularly principled. 

So I don't know. Whatever. What am I going to do with us today? More snowmen? BLARGH.

Comments

[Reading (and chickens)]

It isn't even really snowy in Wallingford but we're trapped, too, because of how bad it is everywhere else. I am going equally insane and I don't even have a baby. And I was supposed to get a haircut today but can't because instead am watching multiple children whose parents need to go to work but have no daycare because of the nonexistent snow. This is all to say: I AM WITH YOU, SISTER.

[AmyRyb]

Make snow ice cream. I was going to do that with my son when we got snow last week but then my husband brought home REAL ice cream treats so it got shelved. There are a ton of recipes online, and it should kill some time to retrieve the snow, make the ice cream, and eat it :)

[Jaida]

Do you have any spray bottles? If so, fill em up with water and food coloring and "paint" the snow. Good for at LEAST 7 whole minutes :)

[HereWeGoAJen]

I think you should take group naps. And if the children aren't into that, I think you should take a nap.

[Carrie]

No snow in the city still. I'm okay with that until d gets home from work. And I SO agree about husbands working from home. Makes me nuts. Hang in there!

[Katie]

Im in Ohio and we normally get ALOT of snow and they are pretty good about keeping us functional, but this year it is January and in the 50's today!(normally in the 20's if not in the teens or lower) we have had a dusting of snow TOTAL all winter so far and they think we might have a "snow drought". I hate the snow so I am fine with it, but I am seeing all the news stories about the crippling snow comming your way..i feel so bad for you and hope you and the kids and keep your sanity of you get snowed it!! ( and that your cable/internet keeps working if it gets really bad!!!)

[Mark]

Time to give the kids an epic task: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU-yJpVweeY

Or, just be glad you're not up here because I'm starting to get the feeling that we may truly get snowed in. Thank goodness for the internet.

[Lori]

Paint the snow! Use spray bottles filled with water that has been colored with food coloring! The possibilities are endless! It was great fun for my son when he was that age.

[Lise]

Seattle needs to borrow snowplows from Spokane. Our winter storm warning today resulted in a dusting of snow. (Though we're supposed to get hit tomorrow.)

[ac repair houston]

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