While a "White" Christmas is something many dream of, I'm pretty confident in saying I dream and pray that this will be my LAST white Christmas!!
It's funny how the only things about snow that "stick" in your memory are the snowball fights, snowman building, sledding and FUN!!! Daniel and I decided the boys would really enjoy seeing snow for the first time this year. So we packed up our mini van turned into a sleigh and then hit the highway our destination was 2 days away.
Over the highways and byways we glide to grandmother's house we drive. With turn right or turn left we trust GPS to get us there alive.
It turns out we have very bad trip coordination with mother nature. She seemed to think this weekend was the perfect time for a blizzard/white out to visit the mid-west. This didn't quite sync with our driving plans. The further north we drove the talk of snow increased until it was finally falling and hitting our windshield. I warned them of the snow making roads and sidewalks slippery before we got out of the van at McDonald's for a pit stop. Their feet didn't even hit the ground before they noticed Mommy's foot prints in the snow. They were so excited they didn't notice I only took them to use the potty and we didn't get a happy meal!!
The drive seemed to be going well with several family members calling us with weather updates. We decided to change our route due to the below freezing temperatures and increase in snow fall. Not much after Daniel merged right to avoid a passing vehicle that was driving way too fast. (Trying to get past that damn Florida driver who couldn't possibly know how to drive in the Iowa snow no doubt.)
The tire hit the shoulder and the van went spinning into the median. Thankfully we missed several other vehicles and the state trooper had a tow truck on the way before the van came to a stop. All injuries were healed immediately with kisses and sesame street band aids. Alan did get a rubbermaid full of Christmas presents in the face, but handled it quite well. We were getting pulled back on the road within 15 minutes.
I tapped the screen of my new Tom Tom GPS navigation system (Christmas gift from Daniel and the boys) and located POI (Point of Interest) along route; hotels. There was a Super 8 6.3 miles down the road and what's that at the bottom of the screen?? A phone number?? I called and had the room booked in less than 2 miles. Daniel got us checked in and took Alan to get pizzas. The boys weren't upset at all. They thought it was a party!! Mommy on the other hand decided right then and there she must have been dilusional when deciding to make this 1,200 mile drive!! We were only 80 miles from Grandma's house. We took our time in the morning as the plows would need time to clear the very curvy road we had ahead. We did finally make it and the boys are having a BLAST!! Maybe tomorrow the outside temp will be freezing or above so they can play outside in the snow.
Grandma had promised Eddie they would build a snowman when they got here and he just wouldn't let it rest. He stood his ground claiming it wasn't too cold to play outside. Well, Grandma stood her ground claiming it was below freezing and there was no way he was building a snowman outside. She kept her promise though as her heart melted with his frustration and her creativity has never failed her. She took the child sized shovel she bought him and brought it to the bathroom sink full of snow.
It's funny how the only things about snow that "stick" in your memory are the snowball fights, snowman building, sledding and FUN!!! Daniel and I decided the boys would really enjoy seeing snow for the first time this year. So we packed up our mini van turned into a sleigh and then hit the highway our destination was 2 days away.
Over the highways and byways we glide to grandmother's house we drive. With turn right or turn left we trust GPS to get us there alive.
It turns out we have very bad trip coordination with mother nature. She seemed to think this weekend was the perfect time for a blizzard/white out to visit the mid-west. This didn't quite sync with our driving plans. The further north we drove the talk of snow increased until it was finally falling and hitting our windshield. I warned them of the snow making roads and sidewalks slippery before we got out of the van at McDonald's for a pit stop. Their feet didn't even hit the ground before they noticed Mommy's foot prints in the snow. They were so excited they didn't notice I only took them to use the potty and we didn't get a happy meal!!
The drive seemed to be going well with several family members calling us with weather updates. We decided to change our route due to the below freezing temperatures and increase in snow fall. Not much after Daniel merged right to avoid a passing vehicle that was driving way too fast. (Trying to get past that damn Florida driver who couldn't possibly know how to drive in the Iowa snow no doubt.)
The tire hit the shoulder and the van went spinning into the median. Thankfully we missed several other vehicles and the state trooper had a tow truck on the way before the van came to a stop. All injuries were healed immediately with kisses and sesame street band aids. Alan did get a rubbermaid full of Christmas presents in the face, but handled it quite well. We were getting pulled back on the road within 15 minutes.
I tapped the screen of my new Tom Tom GPS navigation system (Christmas gift from Daniel and the boys) and located POI (Point of Interest) along route; hotels. There was a Super 8 6.3 miles down the road and what's that at the bottom of the screen?? A phone number?? I called and had the room booked in less than 2 miles. Daniel got us checked in and took Alan to get pizzas. The boys weren't upset at all. They thought it was a party!! Mommy on the other hand decided right then and there she must have been dilusional when deciding to make this 1,200 mile drive!! We were only 80 miles from Grandma's house. We took our time in the morning as the plows would need time to clear the very curvy road we had ahead. We did finally make it and the boys are having a BLAST!! Maybe tomorrow the outside temp will be freezing or above so they can play outside in the snow.
Grandma had promised Eddie they would build a snowman when they got here and he just wouldn't let it rest. He stood his ground claiming it wasn't too cold to play outside. Well, Grandma stood her ground claiming it was below freezing and there was no way he was building a snowman outside. She kept her promise though as her heart melted with his frustration and her creativity has never failed her. She took the child sized shovel she bought him and brought it to the bathroom sink full of snow.
Only a grandmother would allow a 3yr old and 5yr old to play with snow in the house AND help them build a snowman in the bathroom!!!
Here is Alan transporting the snowman to the living room to show Daddy and Papa Joe. Then he took the snowman outside so he wouldn't melt.
They used a baby carrot for the nose, cloves for the eyes, cinnamon sticks for the arms and a strip from a Christmas napkin for the scarf.
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