Snow Dorks

Our house is currently vibrating as our three daughters rush from window to window waiting for the arrival of the promised snow storm. You haven't fully experienced winter until you've seen the sight of 3 children who have spent most of their childhood in the South (thus no snow for 8 years at a time) with their little noses pressed against the glass trying to differentiate between sleet and actual snow. In fact Summer and Lily can only recall faintly a snow we had on our first new year's eve in Shreveport, but other than that have no real memory of the Kansas winters and snowstorms of their toddlerhood. Mackenz was a baby during the new year's eve snow, and the boys weren't even a beer induced glimmer in their Dad's eyes yet.

Langdon is undecided as to whether he actually cares or not. I do not think he understands what is going to happen. To him snow is the white spots on cartoons the people forgot to color in. He hasn't a clue. And Dexter? He obviously doesn't care. I am watching him as he sits in his bouncer and valiantly and patiently attempts to lift his cheeks of his shoulders. No wonder he has earned the nickname Chubbilicious. I believe he is well insulated against the cold; in fact, I think polar bears would drool in envy at the amount of insulation that baby is packing. Good thing to as we are keeping the heat fairly "normal" and not pumping it up for the cold snap. Fact is that we live on the third floor (top for this building) and have a great many large windows. We could run the heater 24/7, have a $1200 gas bill and not be any warmer really than we are now. I'm making my special stew in the crockpot (aka the only thing I cook decently), we're all encompassed in multiple layers, they're sipping hot cocoa, and I'm considering looking through cookbooks for reasons to turn on our heat leaking stove.

Anyway, because the girls are not particularly normal children, they have assigned themselves a unit study for the day (we finished our social studies exams early this AM). That's right, ASSIGNED THEMSELVES. They are doing a group report with each of them addressing a different aspect of snow (creation, affect, localities). They also have dark colored paper in the freezer getting cold and waiting for the snow to officially arrive so they can capture snowflakes. For crafts they are making origami snowflakes and cut out snowflakes and for music Summer is writing out the acutal lyrics and plans to lead the group in a rousing rendition of "Let It Snow". All of this while all the other kids in the city are celebrating the fact they are getting out of school. My daughters are definitely unique especially with Summer directing traffic; I did not say they are D to the Orks so don't you do so either. At least not out loud. Dex and I plan on hiding from all of the above under a blanket and napping, er pondering the meaning of life.