Cozy and Bright

Snow. We got a lot of it this past week. The unofficial measurement, according to the ruler stuck in the snow on our back patio, was 8 inches. And now, the unofficial measurement three days later is 0 inches, give or take the random patch of snow still lingering in the shade.

Last week it was cloudy and blustery and in the upper 20's. This week it is slated to be mostly sunny and in the mid-60's. Perfect, if you ask me. A taste of winter and then back to the not-too-hot and not-too-cold temperatures that make being outdoors just right.

When the boys and I left their art class last Monday afternoon, the temperature had dropped several degrees in that short hour. By the time we went to bed that night, flurries were mixed with the rainy drizzle we'd had all day. No fears: schools were already scheduled for an early dismissal in anticipation of the snow yet to come.

My kids awoke a bit bummed on Tuesday morning because there was no sign of snow on the ground, but by 10:00 it began falling fast and furious. And it continued for the rest of the day - beautifully piling up and covering trees. We made it a shorter-than-usual school day so that the boys could play in the snow. Since we don't have proper snow gear, it meant several short times to go out and play so that they could dry off and warm up in between. And that meant multiple refills of hot chocolate and listening to the dryer hum almost all day.

Wednesday was more of the same: big, puffy, white flakes dropping throughout the day. The soft snow changed to icy sleet later in that afternoon and lasted through the night. Thursday morning we discovered a shimmering layer of ice on top of the snow and it wasn't long before a couple more inches of snow began to fall. This time it was heavy, wet snowflakes - perfect for snowmen and snowballs.

Friday the sun was out and the temperature had climbed to the mid-40's. The snow was slushy and melting fast, and snowmen were toppling in yards all around our culdesac. My boys were happy that schools were closed all week so that they could play with neighborhood friends. Grady's office closed as well and we enjoyed having him work from home and sneaking in a few breaks to play in the snow, too.

Grady Lee has a high tolerance for the cold and didn't seem to notice it. Micah enjoyed the snow for the first hour and then beelined it inside when he decided his fingers and toes were cold. Annalyse was the most excited one of all as the snow fell - she parked herself in front of a window with a stack of books and her dolls to watch it fall. But getting bundled up and playing in the snow? She wasn't a huge fan. Sweet Jaxton wasn't fazed when I bundled and plopped him in the snow for a couple of minutes. It wasn't until several flakes fell and melted on his face that he let out some ornery whines.

My boys gave their best shot at sledding on their beach boards down the side hill in our yard, and once we got a fine layer of ice on top of the snow it seemed to actually work fairly well. When not sledding, it was football, football, and more football. Apparently a face full of snow from a tackle isn't a big deal.

The cold, snowy weather mandated my need to bake cookies and make soup; my kids were happy to light the fire and play board games; and my husband was content to watch the Winter Olympics and drink hot tea. These Rockwell-ish moments were wonderful, but deep down I'm happy that the snow is gone and the hunt for matching gloves and dry hats is over.

I've been in the south for a short seven years, but that's been enough to take my northern cold blood away. I'm no southern belle, mind you, but I'm content with the four Carolina seasons that involve more blue skies than not, and more warm days than not.