Snow Day, hooray!

It's a pajama and slippers kind of day!

Last night in central Iowa it started to rain. And then the temperature dropped. And then it started sleeting. And then it started snowing. And then the wind picked up. Rain + cold + sleet + snow + wind = snow day today for the kids. Hooray! Or...hooray?

Snow days. Aaah, wonderful memories. When I was in elementary school in the 80's...what's that? What's a Neko in the 80's? Here she is in all her glory...

Anyway, when school was canceled this morning it reminded me of my childhood and the excitement of a snow day. Back in the 1980's you could find out school was canceled one of three ways:

1. Radio - Turn on the radio and wait to hear your town's name listed. It almost never failed that we would turn on the radio and hear Riceville and be so mad that we just missed hearing if Osage is canceled (alphabetical order) and have to wait until the next radio commercial break when they listed them again.
2. Television - Watching tv to see if your school is listed on the local news station.
3. Telephone - A friend of yours hears the news from another friend or on the radio and calls you to share the good news. Or you could call the school.

Here's the kicker: you had to be thinking about the weather the night before. If you got up in the morning and got ready and didn't think to look outside you would never know school might be canceled. There were no automatic notifications. Unlike these days - my phone rang at 5:48am to tell me school was canceled. Think I could get back to sleep after that rude awakening? Nope. But that's ok, snow days rule!

I chatted with the hubby about snow days when we were young and as a farm boy growing up he had a different perspective on "Snow days rule!" He said his mom would tell him there was no school. He was happy and would go back to sleep for a few minutes until his dad told him to get up and get his work clothes on and he would proceed to clean out hog lots all day. No sleeping in. No lounging around. He was always jealous of his town friends. Sad farm boy. I love this story so much. 

But back to today. My kids slept in this morning, yippee! Well, they were up at 7:15 which is sleeping in for them. Regardless, I was happy. I created a Facebook poll this morning to see if your kids slept in for their snow day today or woke up early. Fifty-six percent said their kids slept in and forty-four percent said they woke up early. Interesting. Sorry to the forty-four percenters - I'm hoping you were able to nap today.

When my kids got up I asked them how they felt about the snow day.

Owen (7): I feel kind of happy because it is Thursday and it's a good break before Sunday and Saturday.

Emily (9): I'm glad but I guess I'm just really happy I don't have to worry about walking home or doing homework...or anything really.

Ella (11 going on 18): I'm not very happy about it because I need to get an art project done that was due today. And since there was going to be a lot of work to do this week because of end of quarter, there will be a ton to do tomorrow. But I have a study hall so I'll have time to do it then. I'm excited about a snow day!

Dad: Not happy! It affects patients being able to get in the office.

Mom: Mixed. For the second Thursday in a row, my bible study had to be canceled because of weather. And I couldn't make it to the gym. But snow days are always so exciting! I'm really weather obsessed.

Pardon me? How have we been filling our time today? Wow, how rude of you to interrupt. But since you asked, I decided my strategy would be to let them sleep in, work their tails off and reward them in the afternoon with free time to do what they want.  It was a success!

Emily even spent some time organizing her dresser drawers (be still my beating heart).

And adorable notes from the girls letting me know they were done cleaning their bathrooms. They listed my phone number so I blacked it out. I don't want you calling me to clean YOUR bathroom! And don't worry, they made up email addresses. Don't even try to contact them.

We made cookies this afternoon because it just felt like the right thing to do on a snow day. Visualize a control freak trying to evenly distribute roles to three kids who only want to lick the bowl. Honestly, I'd rather make the cookies myself and just let them enjoy. But good Mom's let their kids help. And today I was a good Mom. 

What is your favorite memory from a snow day? Either as an adult experiencing it with your children or from your childhood? I'd love to hear your stories!

Stay safe out there if you are part of this onslaught of Mother Nature's fury!

Until Next Time,
Neko