You can bet that left me Wordless! For more Wordless Wednesday, click here or visit 5 Minutes for Mom.
Snake Hunt!
Category Archives: activities for kids
Random Thoughts on Snow Days and Life
I missed Wordless Wednesday yesterday even though I was totally planning on it. How does somebody just miss a day?
Ah, well, it was a SNOW DAY here, our second of the season. And, hey, guess what? Today is the 3rd! I haven’t braved the beautiful white outdoors today, but the weather people tell me the wind chill is -3, which reminds me of the good old days living in Green Bay, WI (and that reminds me of my second favorite quarterback, Brett…)
Since I’m strolling down memory lane, here are a few more random thoughts for the day.
***
When we took our kids to hear the symphony’s Holiday Pops last weekend, we couldn’t have predicted that they’d be models of behavior for the six giggling, talking, drinking women sitting in front of us. These women, who must’ve met for drinks a few hours earlier, were still tipping back a few during the performance. It was so nice to know that the “tsk, tsking” around us wasn’t because my kids were chewing gum with their lips open.
***
I’m very disturbed by this whole Amanda Knox ordeal, much more disturbed than I expected. When I first heard the reports of the story I figured, along with many Italians apparently, that she was mixed up with some bad dudes, doing drugs, and deserved what she got. But you know how it is with any story: the more you hear, the more you wonder. I see her and my heart breaks on all accounts. Did she do it? Could she have? Or didn’t she? Was she in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people? What on earth went down two years ago in that tiny village of Perugia, Italy? This is bothering me, friends. A lot.
***
When I studied abroad it wasn’t in Italy, but in Vienna, Austria. Since that time, I’ve been a firm believer that if kids have the opportunity to study abroad they should take it. (Yes, that’s part of my conflict in the aforementioned case.) When I was in Vienna, many of my friends were from Colby College and Williams College. Imagine my surprise this week when I opened my e-mail and found a note from two of them. They’d gotten together to reminisce and found this blog. It is a small world, isn’t it?
***
I had 3 hours set aside to write yesterday. SNOW DAY. Didn’t happen. I have 3 planned this afternoon. Hmmm.
***
This is the time of year that I love the snow. Right now, looking out my window, everything is blanketed in the soft, white stuff and it’s beautiful. Even the mailbox and the trash can look prettier. The kids are laughing and playing and snow days are fun. Talk to me in March. It’s a different story then.
***
Happy Start of Winter, everyone!
Best Winter Gear for Kids?
It’s cold here. Really cold.
When I grew up, in North Carolina & Virginia, we didn’t know cold like this. Sure, winter was colder than summer, but all that meant was we didn’t go to the beach every day. I’m not sure I even wore gloves.
But here, way up in the cold north–almost Canada for goodness sakes!–it’s different. I realized just this weekend that I’m still reacting to the cold like a girl from North Carolina. It makes me run into my kids’ closets, giving them layer after layer, afraid that without three pair of socks, their toes will freeze and fall off during sledding.
But my kids don’t fear the cold at all. They don’t know anything else. Winter, to them, means cold and snow days and sledding and skiing and hot chocolate with marshmallows. And kids who grow up here shouldn’t walk around looking like the Michelin man just because their mom is dreaming of warmer climates.
So I need cold-weather clothing advice.
Warmest boots?
Best socks?
Gloves?
Least bulky, warmest snowpants?
Coats?
Toasty socks?
Should I just go for LLBean, because after all, they’re located in Maine, their stuff must be warm? I don’t know…it seems like I bought their boots for my kids years ago and they all came home with cold, red toes. But maybe I didn’t buy the right kind. I need to embrace some new gear myself, so please, any and all comments are welcome. If you never commented before, but know what I need, please! Tell me!
We need your help so we can live like northerners, not southerners who somehow got stuck way up here.