Polar Vortex 2014

Yep that's our picnic table! We got just over a foot of snow in the Polar Vortex of 2014 or as I like to call it SNOWMAGEDON 2014. But then we got wind and freezing cold temperatures.  Now I am NOT a winter lover.  I don't like the cold, I don't like being stuck in the house, and least of all I don't like wearing a big heavy coat and freezing all the time.  I am currently typing this in a long sleeve shirt, a sweater, a scarf, and only just recently took off my hat.  And YES I'm sitting in my kitchen.  It's just cold! I refuse to crank up the heat to 80 because I don't want to be paying off my heating bill until next winter.  So we all just add a few extra layers and get on with the day.  I should note the cold does not seem to affect my children? The boys walk around in pj pants and no shirts and my daughter is currently in pj pants and a t-shirt.  How is this possible?  Do children just naturally have high body heat? Do they just not feel the cold? I just do not understand! ANYWAYS!  After the big storm this is currently how they are eating breakfast! 

A little hard to see but they are sitting on the ground in front of our back door just staring outside.  I will agree the snow is gorgeous!  There was nothing like watching it fall last week. It just came down in these big wet flakes that covered everything.  The trees were loaded down with snow, the deck was covered, the bushes, EVERYTHING!  It was like a winter wonderland.  And it was pretty.  THEN we got the temperatures from the arctic.  Now I have nothing against Santa but he needs to take his temperatures BACK!  The other day it was -14F with a windchill of -45!  Now when it's warmer in Alaska than it is here I have a serious problem! It has been freezing the last few days.  So let me give you a little riddle.  What does 12+" of snow plus freezing wind equal?  SNOW DAYS! When I was a kid this was the BEST thing EVER!!! I loved snow days!  You could go outside and play and come in to hot chocolate and snuggle in blankets and watch movies.  But somehow as an adult this is not exactly what a snow day looks like.  It's something like thing . . . 

Disclaimer: I would NEVER drug my kids!  It's a joke!  Lighten up!

But seriously!  It's been too cold to even let the kids go out and play so that means we are all stuck in the house. We have a good sized house and each have a room we can go into but it seems like everyone want to be in the same 2 rooms (living & kitchen) and that makes for some tension.  I'm trying to do my normal dishes, laundry, cooking schedule and the kids want a hot cocoa & movie day.   I LOVE them and I'm TRYING my best to soak in these moments.  Just this morning they covered the boys' room floor in blankets, handed out tickets, and had a dance party.  Best part of my whole day! Yesterday afternoon we have movie time.  We all got blankets and pillows and snuggled and watched "Wreck it Ralph".  I have tried to make each day a little special but seeing as we are currently on snow day #4 (although I have high hopes we MIGHT make it back tomorrow) I'm running low on ideas, and patience!  But I am trying my best.  Mr. D is already in 1st grade and in just a few short years he will be off to college and snow days to him will be spent sleeping in his dorm room.  The other two will follow in the years after and then soon snow days will mean nothing to me except a slow drive to work or a day spent with Mr. J if he stays home.  What is it about the bleakness of winter that makes you re-evaluate life and your goals? I wrote out some goals for 2014 in this post.  But I have been making more and making plans for some family time this summer.  Life is going WAY too fast.  And while I'm wishing these snow days would end, a part of me never wants to give up dance parties and movie days.  

Love, Lacey