Cabin Fever

Snow. So much snow! And it has caused quite the mess! It has been completely nuts around here. Today we had our 5th day in a row of school being canceled. We have basically had additional days to our Christmas break, since it began the day we were meant to go back.

It has been like nothing I have ever seen... and I have seen some stuff, having lived in Alaska for most of my life. I have seen more piled inches of snow; but never more days canceled for such bizarre weather patterns. It has been the snow, the ice, the melting, and the flooding... tonight there is potential for Thunderstorms. I mean, there is something a little weird going on here?

We have all been feeling a bit of that trapped feeling. It is not impossible to get out and about, it is just way more dangerous than is worth the effort, for anything more than essentials. Yesterday, I could not take being inside any longer, and I took the kids for a walk. We ended up running back home after about a mile, because large ice pellets began falling from the sky. It was a nutty outing, slipping on ice and dodging huge water pools all over the place. But it was still better than being inside!

Most neighborhood streets look something like this...

 We have been watching so many movies. I really enjoyed watching a BBC version of Emma. It was a 4 episode series, and I highly recommend it.

I'm just going to insert this here... backtracking to New Years Eve. We spent the evening with great friends. We all gathered together for food and games and good times. 

 It was great fun!

 Confetti everywhere and noise makers to bring in the New Year.

 My beautiful friends, who are more like family. Love them. <3

 The boys all chose to wear the crowns meant for the girls. They were quite lovely.

Henry was all tuckered out when we got home, but did not want to take off his party hat. 

More snow... this is the most I have every seen in Idaho. 

My parents have been going through pictures, and Henry found this one of Uncle Johnny and wanted to hold it. He ran around the house saying, "I love Uncle Johnny!"

 My running buddies. This was before the major snow storm...

The neighborhood boys playing in the backyard

 This is what the front door has looked like for over a week. The floor is always wet, and covered in snow balls.

 A bunch of boys coming in for some hot chocolate.

 It warms the soul. The boys wanted more and more... yummy.

The boys warmed-up by playing some Mario Kart. It is my favorite video game, by the way, the only one I am willing to play. I have been playing it a lot during our snow days. I started out pretty good, but I seem to get worse, rather than better? Weird. I only allow video games on the weekend, so they have had a real treat being able to play most of the break. All we have is Mario Kart and Mario Bros. We are not big gamers here.

 Sammi made Henry a medal for... I dunno? I think he just wanted one.

 The kids gathering at the table to color.

 We spent a good amount of time going over Daniel's Eagle Scout project. It is going to be really fun. More on that to come later...

 More crazy roads...

 The kids needed ski poles to stay upright. I used the stroller.

 More movie-watching. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. It is a warm-the-soul kind of movie -- the BEST!

 This smile also warms the soul, on a daily basis.

Check out the driveway of death. Our driveway is pretty steep, and in the winter, I can barely make it up to park in the garage. With a ton of ice-melt during a clearing, I managed to zoom it up. My parent's van stays parked at the bottom, and we all risk life and limb climbing the driveway when it it pure ice.

 Check out those flakes! So much SNOW!!!

 Tyson and Daniel braved the storm and cleared off some snow from the roof. There has been concern for the rain on top of the snow causing damage.

 Hiding under a tree during our walking adventure when the rain turned to hail, then ice chunks falling from the sky.

 It has been fun. Crazy. Insane!

Who knows what tomorrow will bring?