snow days

well we finally got a bit of snow this week after several let-downs and close-calls this winter.  a few inches early in the week, and then 4-5" last night.  we made a snowman and snow angels, pumpkin pancakes and maple hot cocoa and maple snow cones.  she did 'homework' (she regularly sees kids doing homework when she comes with me to after school art classes and so she often asks us to make some up for her), we boiled down what was possibly the last of the maple sap, we cheered as tomatoes sprouted and more and more onions showed their little heads through the soil.  there is a lot of hot tea, a lot of oatmeal with cream and butter, cinnamon and maple syrup.  a lot of sitting by the fire and watching as the wood pile really, truly reaches next-to-nothing-ness (the photo above is of stacked wood for next year- stuff that is nowhere near seasoned yet).  we decided to tea-stain bear to a soft brown so as to help him not look quite so grungy once (finally) re-stuffed and given a new life.  it's challenging to keep a white stuffed bear clean, you know.  there has been art by her, some writing by me.  seems we are both nursing chest colds.  or rather, trying to keep them from taking hold.  last night I took over her room with a warm humidifier and a slew of herbal remedies.  after taking them almost hourly all day and part of the night, I am feeling much better.  hoping she kicks it before long as well because tomorrow morning we're headed to Savannah for the weekend.  a dear friend is getting married so we get to go on a mini adventure.

I wanted to take her sledding today.  or at least I really, really wanted to want to take her sledding.  I didn't feel like it, still coughing and such this morning, but I wanted to be the mom who doesn't let her kid miss out on what is possibly the one and only chance at some real sledding for the year.  but alas, we were (um, I was) lazy about things and by the time we made it there most of the snow was melted and we took two lackluster runs down a moderate hill.  she was surprisingly not disappointed.  me too.  at least we can say we tried.  now we're hunkered back by the rekindled fire drinking tea and watching Fantasia.  fantastic.  and now to pack.