.jpg)
both filled with a promise...depending on how you look at it.
This past week has proven to be a usual one for our family, a week filled with the joys and sorrows of abundant living, a week filled with day to day chaos and a zest for the inevitable, whenever that might occur. This type of week seems to be typical for us, what we might refer to as something "normal", but heh, here's a deep question for you, what exactly is normal anyway? I heard a saying; "Normal is a setting on my dryer", so what is normal and who wants normal when you can have "adventure and excitement"! I know, I know, it all depends on how you look at it, is the glass half full, or is it half empty? That my friends is the true question of the day!
Lest you feel our home has merely been a den filled with the sole distraction of a sudden onset of chicken pox, a sprinkling of tooth fairy dust in the hallways, and the wet sniffles from the onset or continuation of sinus colds, we've been fortunate to also experience a red spotted cranky pirate and his sister battling upon stormy seas and forts were built atop of the highest mountains, all capable within the imagination of children living inside their home constructed tent formations circled around our guest room. Yes, we've had many assorted thrilling adventures this past week, all offering (eventual) memorable contentment at week's end.
She thought to work at this needlecraft first.
We've also had plenty of opportunity in serving others with plenty of nursing sessions, we enjoyed many opportune warm snuggles, and explored good old fashioned hobbies with eager children "creating", all revolving around instantly recognizable loss of sleep moments from "an itch syndrome sufferer" in the wee hours of the morning (caffeine never helps so much as this past week). To think much of this will be possible so soon later this week when our youngest child breaks out with the red spotty sores - oh joy!
It snowed, and snowed, and snowed all day long!
We've had stormy weather for buzzing out to assist in newspaper route deliveries in knee deep snow, discovering our newer vehicle is indeed capable of much abuse during snowstorm aftermaths and maneuvering around walls of road obstructing snowbanks.
Our dogs required much attention as they showed obvious delight in running around and exercising outdoors in the deep snow. They couldn't get enough of it, and our husky slept outdoors round the clock.
Snow is falling...
Snow shovel duty for renewing paths to doorways.
Last Wednesday, the snow continued to fall alright and within a short time span, we knew we had to get outdoors and shovel madly to stay ahead of our game. The night before when it began to snow, the wind howled and covered many of our walkways, so almost 2-3 feet in most areas had to be re-scooped and re-shoveled to create safe passage around the property again.
Trying to stay ahead of our game.
By the time we completed what we were able to accomplish ourselves, the telephone began to ring with voices at the other end wondering if our children were lucky enough to have a “snow day” like they were when their school buses were canceled that morning. This brings up a good point and one I would like to linger on for a moment.
When we lived in the west, all (any) snow days were a day to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh white stuff before it rained again! In the East, never would the children complete their schooling studies during a yearly syllabus schedule if we were tempted to take the day off our schooling every time it snowed. No way!
Therefore, the topic of snow days around here is not met with happy hearts resonating with glee filled giggles as in snow days gone by; rather we continue to pick up our schooling just the same as usual, attempting on the other hand to remain extremely flexible about the time of day it actually gets worked on.
If there is an ice arena in the back yard, the children are given permission take a P.E session when the very best time occurs to fit it in the schedule. And besides, come on, I’m not such a meany-mommy (laugh), we all want to have a bit of summer in our lives, summer without textbooks that is.
So, like I said, the snow fell…and fell (again) last Wednesday and when the teens down the road wanted to come to our home for some “snow day” entertainment, more wintry tales awaited the neighborhood as one of our son’s friends hit a patch of ice shortly before he was preparing to turn into our driveway, narrowly stopping on time before dipping into the ditch. His mother and sister came to the rescue, but it was not until our kind neighbor came to do his good deed with his trusty tractor, all was well…. While the farmer was near, he scooped up the rest of the driveway, because the friend’s mother was stuck in our driveway when trying to leave. Lessons learned, for all the young drivers out there witnessing the scene.
Window seats to a great lesson for a new driver.
The natural skating arena was covered with new snow, but it never thwarted all the teens from visiting with their ice skates in hand. First details – shovel off ice area, warm up for a bit, tie up skates and secondly - have a blast!
Okay, so we ended up having a snow afternoon this day after all the excitement!
DETERMINATION
Skates on, stick in hand, it's a workout just to get to the ice!
(Go Canucks Go! But win a game will ya!)
Just as the snow fell in huge clumps from the sky, so too did the rain fall drops full buckets of water, washing much of the snow away, flooding many areas of the property. As the dreary days continued for several hours, frowns upon youthful faces turned into super big grins. You see, as I looked out the window near them, I saw what they were grinning about.
Can you see the possibilities above for yourself, just look at all that water out there, water that will freeze to ice - especially when another snow storm warning is at the helm of the weather reports overnight tonight? Buff up those skates children, wax up the hockey sticks, and organize the snow shovels.
Bring it on!
Bring it on baby, just bring it on!
The snow is so fresh, so clean, and so lovely. Moreover, really now, we do not prefer the wet stuff from the west’s typical weather for this time of year.
