One weekend morphs into the next

We got the phone call last night before 7PM that we would be closed today.  I really can't complain...we made popcorn and watched episodes of Friends together as a family.  That never gets old.  Today's high was around five whopping degrees.  Tonight's low is supposed to set a record at -12.  I wasn't really sure what to think about the chances for school because the high is going to be in the teens.  However, when I checked the hourly forecast I saw that it wasn't supposed to get out of the negative numbers until mid-morning...way past when the buses would need to be running even with a delay.  About an hour ago we got the news...no school again tomorrow!  The last time anyone went to school was a week ago today and now we are at the beginning of a "three day weekend."  It seems a little hard to believe, and honestly, I've never experienced anything quite like it before.  One of the most ironic things about all of this is that Monday afternoon I was complaining about how little snow we had and that we weren't going to get any snow days this week.  Wrong, wrong, and oh-so-wrong.

Tomorrow I had volunteered to work at the district swim meet that is being held here in town.  I felt obligated to do so even through Robert wasn't on the swim team, just on the dive team.  However, I knew how difficult it would be to find parents who would be available on a week day during working hours.  Since school is closed I've now signed Andrew up to work with me as well.  No school also eliminates the issue is what to do with Thomas and how to get him on the bus...it's all worked out perfectly!

Another bonus day

We are off school again today.  I had thought that perhaps there was a chance for a delay because there was another inch of snow due to arrive around 3AM overnight.  That combined with the frigid temps I thought could make it a later day.  However, we definitely received much more than an inch and at 5AM the call came that we were closed today.  This is snow day number six which means the kids now get to do "blizzard bags".  This, in my opinion, is the worst idea the State of Ohio has ever come up with.  It is a bunch of busy work that is assigned to the kids so that it counts as an instructional day.  NOTHING can replace actually being in a classroom...and if that means it's a bright sunny day in June, so be it.  If it means that we don't get out early on Wednesday and count that extra hour, so be it...but blizzard bag work stinks.

And today was really the only day I thought we had any chance of actually getting to school this week.  So basically we are looking at having the entire week off.  We aren't expecting any more significant snow, but the air temperature starting this afternoon through all day tomorrow, and into Friday morning is going to be around zero or lower, and at nights below zero.  We have a shot at record lows!  It is definitely February in Ohio!

A bonus day to our long weekend

This has truly been one of the most enjoyable weekends I can remember.  Of course, there were five days in our weekend so that always helps!

After we canceled our travel plans Saturday, we decided to order dinner in with money that my grandmother sent for Valentine's Day.  The kids are also enjoying marathon sessions of Friends since we have all ten season on DVD, and we have laughed right along with them.  Sunday was church, and then we all worked on doing some housework since we hadn't planned to be home...but our evening was more Friends!  Yesterday was a quiet day and Robert's "girlfriend" came over to spend the afternoon.  I ventured out late afternoon to take her home, and was astonished by the roads.  Although it had snowed literally all day, we could still see the grass so I really didn't think it would be that bad!  We decided though, that it must've had something to do with President's Day and that full crews weren't out.  The roads were AWFUL.  After I took her home, the snow really picked up, and I'll be honest, it was absolutely gorgeous.  It was exactly the kind of snow I had been hoping to see...and living in our wooded neighborhood just makes it all so much more beautiful!  The call came at 7:00 last night that school was closed today...a perfect "ending" to our weekend!  We shared more episodes with the kids and everyone got to sleep in again today.

This morning when we got up I realized the roads were still in very bad shape.  It doesn't help that our temperature has been single digits most of the day and only low teens for the high.  Our road is clear now, and I expect everyone to be back in school tomorrow, although I'm not sure it will be at the normal time.  I'm not too optimistic about school Thursday and Friday because the temps overnight will be below zero, and the wind chills only make it worse.  Today we've played some games and everyone has really enjoyed our day together!

Travel plans canceled

We are supposed to be on the road to my in-laws this afternoon.  Our plan was to leave after Thomas's basketball game and be on the road around 3:00.  I started becoming concerned earlier in the week when it looked like the weather in PA was going to be nasty, although we decided only 1-3" wasn't awful and we would be okay.  However, as the week progressed the wind chill temps began to alarm me, not to mention that most of our trip was going to be after dark.  This morning my in-laws called and told us not to come because they had seen predictions of white out conditions.  Andrew wasn't sure that was the right call yet, although by then I had decided it was safer to stay home.  We weren't going for any specific event other than just a visit so it was ridiculous to risk it unnecessarily.  As we were leaving Thomas's game, I noticed the wind and the blowing snow, and Andrew realized how poor the visibility was.  It was a ridiculously long drive home for only a five mile trip, and not only was visibility poor, but the road conditions were also very bad.  Upon arriving home I learned that some friends had been involved in a major pile up on I-70 outside of Columbus, right along the route we would've been taking.  Fortunately they are okay, but apparently there is a fatality in this pile up.  So very grateful that we weren't out in it ourselves...and very grateful we are all home safe and warm!

A tradition I won't be sad to see end

There are many things I will miss when my children are grown, but the annual "let's fill out the Valentine's exchange cards" is not one of them!  It was such a chore when they were little, and it was very early on that we had all three to worry about.  One year we were so snowed in prior to the parties at school that I just insisted we all make our own.  Not necessarily my idea of fun, but it worked.  As the kids got older it wasn't something they particularly missed either, and frankly, Thomas hated completing the task.  In fact, last evening it suddenly struck me that today was the last day of school prior to Valentine's Day, and when I asked him about it, he said it was optional.  The more I pried though, the more it became evident that he simply didn't want to do it.  Thank goodness I had purchased some last year at the end of the season so we had some on hand last night.  This is one tradition I am not sad to see be done!

The beginning is always the best

Thomas gets off the bus in less than 20 minutes, and then no one has to be go to school again until Tuesday!  I love having four whole days off, although we will be traveling to the in-laws Saturday afternoon and returning Monday afternoon so it's not totally relaxing, but it is pretty darn close.  No one has to be up for anything tomorrow morning which means we get to sleep in, and although Andrew is working tonight at a basketball game, he'll be home by 8:30...plenty of time to enjoy our first evening of a long weekend and relax!

I need to be three different people

One of the hardest things about being a parent is knowing how to be the parent that the child needs.  Anyone who knows children knows that each child is absolutely different.  For instance, my oldest is most motivated by money.  This has always been true of him, but is only exacerbated by his teenage years.  He is not motivated by his DS or having a social life (although TV is a pretty good one as well), he is best motivated by his allowance.  He is also set on learning life the hard way...meaning we can warn him of the pitfalls of his choices, but he frankly doesn't believe us.  Catherine is similar in many regards in that she is also very headstrong, but getting on her case does little to no good and only makes things worse.  She has a temper unlike any I have ever seen in a teen before.  While we are grateful she is unlikely to get pushed around in life, she is entirely too old to be throwing tantrums.  As her mother, I also have to learn her triggers and try not to set them off so that we can have a positive productive conversation.  With Thomas, he IS highly motivated by all things electronic, although it rarely comes to the threat of that.  Usually a stern look and a firm voice are all he needs to get himself back on track.

Life as a parent certainly isn't all about discipline though, and again each of my children need a different parent.  Thomas needs lots of hugs and cuddles...they are the very nature of his personality.  He isn't one to really talk about his feelings though.  Robert on the other hand, is a very loving person as well, but much prefers his space and always has.  If we can catch him in the right mood, he is willing to talk about life and his feelings, and especially enjoys sharing accomplishments and compliments.  Catherine just needs to be listened to.  We are trying to help her remember that we aren't in her head and her segues in conversation, while perfectly logical to her, are not to the rest of us.  She shows traits of the "middle child" sometimes where she often seems to say something ridiculous just to have something to say, but she is very reticent to not only talk about, but to display her feelings.  It takes a lot of one-on-one with me to get her to open up, and I'm happy to spend that time to make it happen.

I've written this down because it's just been a little rough lately, parenting two teens and a preteen.  I have prayed fervently that I am somehow able to be the mother each of them needs, and that I can be the best mother I can be.  I know that being their mother is the greatest gift I've ever been given, and I'm so thankful for it each and every day.