Snow Snow Snow Snow Snow!

You may recall my September lamentations about the predictions for this winter. Winter did get off to a slow start here but once it started it really hasn't stopped. We have had big snow storms nearly every weekend. Sometimes we are even lucky enough to get a big mid-week storm too.

Maybe it's because I have been mentally preparing myself, that I have lots of good books to read or that I have new boots. I don't know, but for some reason I am not that bothered by the snow. I think it helps that the many snow storms have kept things nice and white so we have yet to get to that dreaded period of dirty snow. I do hate that my kids come home from school snowy & soaking wet every day. I am not sure what it is that drives them to walk through big piles of snow but it is a force that cannot be denied. I could do without the cold, it has been freezing--like shatter your garbage can cold (it happened). This weekend is forecast to warm up into the 40s. Noah will be begging to wear shorts.

Last Monday we had a serious snow storm. It was pretty nice weather in the morning until about 12:00 when it unleashed winds and snow like I haven't seen in a long time. I've been in a few snow storms in my day and this was right up there in the crazy category. The visibility was almost nothing so it was hard to drive in. I was up at the elementary school (shocking I know) and they couldn't get the buses in to take the kids home. After about an hour, it finally settled down enough that it was safe to go. That might be as close to getting a snow day as my kids will get. Too bad they were stuck at school. Noah & Ben wish they lived in Idaho so he could miss as much school as Ashtyn has.

This picture is of the house across the street after that big storm. The wind blew snow all over on the houses which completely fascinated Matt.

Here are some pictures from Sunday morning. It snowed nearly all day long. Matt went out and shoveled the driveway and sidewalk and, to his credit, he didn't pass out from fatigue and hunger (it was fast Sunday) or use it as an excuse to eat something even though we don't get out of church until 4:00.

The day before our driveway was completely clear. Matt had his work cut out for him.

The sidewalk was also clear on Saturday. You can't even tell where it is. These pictures are from Monday once the storm was finally over. That tree is 15 feet high. Not really, but the snow is deep. Maybe someday I will take a measurement.


I blazed this path yesterday. Matt doesn't do the main sidewalk, I guess that is my job? I didn't want my kids covered in snow when they got home. Ha, guess who got the last laugh on that one?
When I was little, Dad would pile up all the snow on the West side of the yard. In a good year that pile would be huge. We could sled down it or use it for forts. This is our version of it. If we had more property and a tractor with a loader, ours would probably be as big, but winter isn't over yet.