It was a long cold winter.  A snow and ice storm mid-January had schools closed and activities cancelled for over a week.  With the snow and ice lingering for weeks due to the frigid temperatures, some activities (i.e., soccer) continued to be cancelled for three weeks and schools were on a two-hour delay for several weeks. 

The weekend of the snowstorm we were prepared, along with the much of the rest of the country!  I had been to the grocery store daily for four days straight stocking up so that not only we had food, but we had ingredients to make delicious meals.

Baked meatballs with ricotta and homemade rustic bread, chicken tacos, pesto mozzarella pizza, French toast and sausage, chocolate chip cookies, chicken quesadillas…all homemade and all delicious….we took advantage of the extra time and spent much of it together in the kitchen.

The weekend of the actual snow, it started snowing around 2:00 am Sunday morning.   The snow turned into freezing sleet around 10:00 am.  Shortly thereafter, Justin made his first round outside with the snow blower to clear the driveway.  I was inside getting ready to make myself banana pancakes after making sausage for the girls.  Emerson went downstairs to get a carton of eggs and came upstairs telling me that it smelled like gas.  I had been down there just an hour earlier on the treadmill and had not smelled anything, but when I went to check it out, I indeed smelled the same thing she did.  I interrupted Justin’s snow blowing to have him check it out.  He did but couldn’t smell it since he was already taking in the gas fumes from the snow blower. We waivered back and forth…should we call 911 or not.  We really didn’t think it was anything serious BUT it also wasn’t worth taking the risk.  He finally called.  Avery had the flu and was still sleeping. I woke her up and she quickly threw on some comfy clothes and made her way downstairs….we were going to meet up with Harper and Emerson who were already next door at the McAllister’s.  Meanwhile, my banana pancakes weren’t going to happen, but I needed my protein and a good start to the day.  I pivoted and made myself a Greek yogurt parfait topped with fruit and granola to go.  Justin told me while he appreciated my calmness, he didn’t appreciate my lack of urgency.  While I prided myself on my parfait pivot, he condemned my sense of urgency, believing the parfait pivot was non-essential.   We are on the same page now and I told him I will next time couple my calmness with a sense of urgency!

As it turns out, it was nothing.  The fumes from the snowblower likely somehow seeped into the basement.  At least four Fairfax County firetrucks showed up in storm.  Some of the fireman borrowed sleds from the kids on Hillington and took turns sliding down the steep hill. 

Emerson and Harper played with the McAllister kids all day Sunday and Emerson much of the day Monday. They sled, played inside, and enjoyed making smores. 

Harper developed a cough Sunday, and I was sure she had the flu too; ironically, she tested positive for COVID.  

I was actually not mad that school was cancelled for the snow, since Avery and Harper would have missed school anyway.

When school is in session (four days a week if we are lucky!), the girls are busy doing their homework most days.  Emerson plops herself on the right side of the island.  She grabs the paper towel holder to use as her phone stand so she can watch shows as she does her homework.  

Harper plops herself at the dining table and often listens to music in the background.  Both Emerson and Harper are conditioned to start their homework as soon as they get home from school. 

Avery likes to decompress in her room and homework is done at random times in random places. 

This past week we were teased with some warmer temperatures.   And while I don’t love the ending to this post, my creativity juices have clearly been lacking this winter, so we will end it here and hope the warmer weather gets those juices overflowing.