Snowy Day

It is snowing. When I first looked out the window at the snow this afternoon, I had a typical Iowa adult response. 'Oh cmon, really?' But then I stopped. I readjusted my attitude. It's snowing. And yes we're suppose to get anywhere from 6-10 inches but there are good sides. What you ask?

1. I can take my dd sledding. We haven't gotten to go yet this year (except right outside my house on a hill grandpa piled up when moving the snow out of the driveway)
2. We are going to build a snowman
3. I have no where I need to go today or tomorrow.
4. I get to make hot cocoa to share with my dd, brother and sister
5. It is making it look like a magical winter wonderland outside.

Remember back to when you were about 12 or 13 years old. You didn't have any responsibilities to take you out of the house (unless it was to shovel the snow). Several inches of snow meant getting an extra day off to do the fun stuff you wanted to. You may have looked forward to building a snow fort, a snow man, making snow angels, going sledding, maybe even skiing. You knew that when you came in mom would have hot chocolate waiting, maybe some mini marshmallows, and maybe, if you were really lucky, some hot cookies.

Why can't we recapture some that innocence? If you are lucky enough to get a snow day tomorrow, I have a challenge for you. Instead of sending the kids outside because you are ready to pull your hair out, before lunch, or even after, bundle up and go out with the kids. Help make a snow family. Build a snow fort with them (extra bonus, this way you know where the snow fort is in case you've been made paranoid by parents talking about the risk of it caving in and trapping your child inside). Have a snowball fight. Just get out there and have some fun. And head inside, just a few minutes ahead of the kids, and make hot chocolate for them.

I intend to enjoy the snowy day tomorrow in exactly that way. I am making potato soup for dinner tomorrow to help warm us all up inside. And then tomorrow night, when the magic of the day begins to wear off, I'm going to cuddle up in a pile of blankets with my dd and read snow themed books.

On a different note, I finished 2 more projects today.

1. My bowl cupboard. This cupboard holds everything from shallow bowls for soup to cereal bowls to tupperware for storing leftovers. And in the last few weeks it has gone from barely disorganized to needing a sign warning of the danger of falling bowls and lids. (In fact my mother had gotten to where she was scared to open the door). It is now back to organized. How long will it last? That depends on my family putting their things back where they go. Same as the rest of the house.

2. The toys. My dd has her toys in the living room, since we share a room and there isn't space in there. However, since Christmas it was organized chaos. While everything was put away, it wasn't in it's home, nor did it make sense where things went. I tore the entire room apart and put everything back in its home. Yay!

I also started a few new organizational tactics.

1. I have a 14 year old brother and a 17 year old sister. And I am frustrated from having to clean up after them. My brother has xbox games, controllers, movies, belts and clothing scattered throughout the house. My sister has movies, CD's, clothes and shoes scattered throughout the house. And as I was straightening up this morning I decided that it was ridiculous that I put away more of their stuff than I did of my dd. She is 4. And now they each have a basket. I put their stuff in the basket and give it to them when they come home. And instruct them to immediately bring me the basket back (otherwise tomorrow when I want to do the same thing, the basket will be in their bedroom and do me no good.)

2. Before making plates at dinner I run a sink full of hot water. Then as people finish eating they can take their plate, scrape it and put it in the sink. After I finish eating, get my dd cleaned up and settled in the living room to play, I can finish up the kitchen.

3. As I walk from room to room (regardless of the underlying reason) I pick up at least 1 thing that doesn't belong in that room, putting it away as I go. This is helping keep down on clutter building in those key areas like the desk, table and counter right by the front door.


Hopefully by the time I start work next week I will have my system down and will be able to keep the house picked up so on Saturday and Sunday I can do more deep cleaning and less trying to get it back to clean.