Snow Daze

                                 
So.....I completely underestimated the winter storm. The night before the storm, I was picking up my youngest from gymnastics and I got a text from my daughter that we were were out of firewood. I went to three different stores and everyone was sold out of wood. I texted her back that everyone was sold out and she was not happy. This was how the conversation went down:

I came home empty handed. My husband suggested that I try Lowes in the morning. We got up early and it was freezing cold. My husband was planning to work from home. We cuddled on the couch and sipped our coffee. "I can't believe it's going to snow," I said, excited.

"It's not going to snow," my husband replied. We argued about it. "We could get up to two inches they are saying." He rolled his eyes, "I'll believe it when I see it." 

I ventured out with my oldest to find firewood and hit the jackpot at Lowes. Then, we went to pick up Hollister boy as discussed in my last blog. We got home and lit a fire and waited for the snow. It started off as some freezing rain and then around noon transitioned to snow. Big, fat, snowflakes raining from the sky and actually sticking to the ground. It was a rare sight to behold. My youngest was the most excited. The kids went out and threw snowballs at each other. We tried to make a snowman but the snow was too powdery as it was coming down. 

I wanted to take a walk in it. I layered up, put on my boots, fixed a cup of piping hot coffee in my travel mug and headed out into the snow for a long walk. I hate the cold, but somewhere, deep inside of me, I am a Jersey girl. Snow reminds me of my childhood. I walked for a long, long time. I admired the icicles that had formed on the mailboxes and houses, our neighborhood covered in white, I let the snowflakes land on my face and mostly, I just thought about life and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

There are few things that I value more than my solitude. It was amazing to be alone with just the snow and my thoughts. I was gone a long while. Then, my phone started to ding, text messages from my kids.

MOM. WHERE ARE YOU? ITS COLD. COME BACK.

That is what it's like to be a mom. I headed home after that. I stepped inside and shook the snow off of me. The kids all looked at me strangely. "What were you doing out there for so long?" 

I shrugged, "Just contemplating life."

We had much more than 2 inches of snow by then. Hollister boy's mother called and said she couldn't get to us as the roads were super icy. So, that created a situation. 

The afternoon dragged on and the snow kept coming and coming. It was crazy. My husband declared he wanted chicken noodle soup. "I didn't buy chicken noodle soup." You would have thought I committed a war crime. 

"What do you mean, you didn't buy chicken noodle soup? It's super cold outside. We have to have chicken noodle soup." 

I happened to have a whole fryer chicken in the fridge and I made my husband his soup. Like a good little wife. I had all the ingredients except for the noddles but I had rice so I made chicken and rice soup. I baked some rolls we had leftover in the freezer from Christmas. It was so yummy. There is something about chicken soup that is good for the soul. 

Then, I baked chocolate chip cookies, made hot chocolate and we spent the evening watching tv in front of the fire. It was nice. Soon it was bed time. We made the sleeping arrangements. "Hollister boy will sleep on the couch, you will sleep in your room and I will sleep on the floor, in the hallway, outside of your bedroom."

They looked at me like I was being a little heavy handed, but you know what? F*ck those kids. I have always ascribed to the church of Don't Trust Kids. The minute you turn your back they are trying to jump off the staircase, flush a screw driver down the toilet, draw on the wall with markers. I DEFINITELY don't trust teenagers. Because even smart kids, even good kids are human kids. 

I felt like the shittiest mom ever because I got us into the situation by not really paying attention to the weather, because there was now officially a co-ed sleepover occurring at my house, and also - in full disclosure- I let the kids watch Summer Heights High. I'm a garbage parent. 

I made my bed in front of her door and settled in. I felt like I was the guard in the 12 Dancing Princesses. I didn't get any sleep because the cat was confused about me sleeping on the floor and kept putting his butthole in my face for some reason. Jerk.

My husband and I got up before the children. The whole neighborhood was still blanketed in snow. It was glittery and beautiful. When all was said and done-we got 7 inches. It was a sight to see! My husband made us all omelets or breakfast. After, I went for another long walk - again, to contemplate life. Again, my kids started texting me obsessively asking where I was and when I was coming home. 

The kids spent most of their day playing in the snow, coming in to warm up, back in the snow, back in again. My entryway was a hot mess. Hollister boy's mother came to get him in the afternoon. The roads were still terrible. We don't have snow plows or salt. The last time the city has had snow like this was 1989. It was a rare event.

The snow didn't melt. For days we were stuck inside. Do you know what? It was glorious. I LIVE for days that I don't have to leave the house. They are so rare. I stayed in my sweats, in front of the fireplace, and we binged watched The Crown, Vice Principals, The End of the F*cking World, re-watched the first season of Westworld. It was so restful. 

But, all good things must come to an end. The snow completely melted yesterday and now it all seems like a strange dream. Not only am I back to my regular scheduled chauffeuring gig, I get to go to the DMV today because my license is about to expire. I can't believe it's been 10 years, I'm going to miss 24 year old me smiling every time I open my wallet. They better get my good side.