Let it Snow Baby, Let it Reindeer!

My friend Julie & I were totally on the same wavelength when it came to post titles for the snowy weather we were slated to get this weekend...except she beat me to the punch! Let it Snow Baby, Let it Reindeer is the title of Relient K's album of Christmas songs & I have always thought it was the most clever little play on words...So, at the very hint of some snowy weather I was already thinking what a cute blog post title it would make! Thanks Julie, I decided to use it after all! ;-)

Anyway, enough about the title & now all about our first Snow Day of 2010! As mentioned in my previous post, after a cold start to the year, the temps this last week had been very mild, meaning my kids were often running around barefoot.outside.in January. Then just in time for the weekend, the weather was supposed to change with temps heading south & precipitation coming in, which in NC means words like sleet, ice, freezing rain, and my personal favorite, wintry mix. Everyone runs to the store to buy milk & eggs because, you know, Southerners can't drive in that mess, and well, you might have to stay at your house for a whole DAY! But I have never really understood this because ice storms are notorious around here for knocking out the power leading to a lot of spoiled milk & eggs! Quick side note: Having lived in Chicago for almost a decade, where nothing shuts down because of snow, where people still shop, work and drive in the winter...I do have to say part of the reason people can't drive here when it snows is two-fold: 1) Unfortunately, we get much less snow & much more ice and 2) road crews are few & far between...the main highways will get scraped/salted, but most of the secondary roads get nothing....but on days like yesterday, that makes for some super fabulous sledding! So who cares if we can't drive anywhere!

Fortunately, we happen to live at the top of the biggest, longest hill in our neighborhood! It was Grand Central for most of the day yesterday with the die hard sledders coming back out again this morning to get in a few more runs. Sadly to say now, at nearly 2pm on Sunday, most of the ice is gone and instead of the cries of happy sledders on ice, I hear a steady trickle of drips and melting ice. But luckily for you, I captured most of the day yesterday on film, so you can enjoy this little look back at Ice Day 2010! And, if you know me, you know this is going to be a photo heavy post...I actually took almost 120 pictures yesterday & this is less than half, so I think I'm doing pretty well! (And if you scroll through quickly, I will never know!)

Warming up on the Bunny Hill (i.e. the back yard)

 

 

 

Darcy thinks this is pretty fun, but she still doesn't love the cold. But her attitude is WORLDS improved from last year when she wouldn't set foot in the white stuff!

Ready for the Advanced Slopes! (i.e. big hill in front of the house)

For our first runs of the day, we had to make do with a Boogie Board...being in the South, you see a lot of improvised sleds...garbage can lids, plastic baby pools, boogie boards, anything flat & plastic!

Long walk back up the hill!

Darcy enjoying the "heated lounge"

Two frozen snow bunnies warming up!

Jack was actually enjoying scraping the ice off of the driveway...wish he had been a bit bigger back when we had to dig our way out of our garage in Chicago after the snow plow had cleared the alley and piled all of the snow up against the garage door!

Daddy was having fun, too!

Darcy would not consider going back out in the snow!

Finally, what they ALL had been waiting for...Hot Chocolate!!!

After warming up with hot chocolate & snuggling on the couch watching Air Buddies, we heard lots of kids out on the hill again...several people were having great success on the ice with old fashioned wooden sleds...well, thanks to my Dad, we have one of those! Only problem, it was packed up at Jeff's shop...so he piled the older 3 into the truck & took a spin over to the shop to procure the sled! He was thankful for his 4 wheel drive truck! They were back shortly & the round two on the slopes began!

I missed capturing the first run on film, but got the LONG trek back up the hill...the new sled was great & got amazing distance!

Daddy & Sophie preparing for a run!

A little help getting started...

And they're OFF!

Another trek back up the hill (Jeff lost count how many times he carried or pulled the sled back up the hill, but he will be feeling it in his legs for days!)

Sophie not happy that she has to wait for her turn to come around again!

Darcy even LOVED riding on this sled!

Going, going....

GONE! (They are that little black dot waaaay at the bottom of the hill!)

And walking back up, AGAIN!

Sophie liked to run down the hill & climb on for the ride back! (Jeff was always kind to oblige her!)

Throwing snowballs to pass the time until the next sled ride!

Jack & Sophie sharing a ride on a neighbor's sled

Even Mommy got to take a spin or two on the sled!

And if you were wondering, Drew actually slept through MOST of the snow fun...he slept through the entire morning, through the hot chocolate & movie, and into the afternoon fun...he woke up at the end & got to enjoy a bit of easy sledding...being pulled back up the hill!

 (Note: We did not take Drew on a ride down the hill, 

the sled went too fast for us to feel comfortable taking him.)

Darcy hold on tight!

Darcy was reaching the end of her snowy fun...

Mommy & Drew, he actually loved the cold & didn't fuss a bit!

And I will close with this last one of our little cutie!

Thanks for taking a look at our Snow Day fun!