Today, as I drove around in the sparkling first snow, I had this pretty Stie-ish post planned. Something about first snows, warm clothes, children and happiness. It would have been beautiful.
Then the kids got home from school.
And Gabe had grown out of his boots.
And they fit Jane but she didn't want to wear black boy boots.
And her socks kept slipping and messing up how the boots felt.
And Gabe walked around in my size 10 boots with mismatched gloves because he lost one on the way home from school today.
And Seth wailed in the house while I tried to wrestle the winter clothes tub down from our high shelf in the garage.
And then I had to try to shove his little hand into his mittens ("stick your thumb out! No, stick it out! Leave it out honey!" mittens thrown across the entry way).
And then I got a call from Ryan saying he had to work late (nothing to do with snow, but annoying, no?)
And Seth looked like a dork because, as the 4th child, he has to wear Emma's 24 month snowsuit, Gabe's gloves, his coat and some neighbor's lost/stolen hat. (Don't be fooled by how actually cute he looks in his picture...in real life it was much more ghetto, trust me.)
And he came back in the house approximately 7 minutes after the last button was snapped.
And Jane decided to take off the hated boots (because the socks had slipped again) all the way over at the neighbors and WALKED HOME with one bare foot.
And there are winter clothes strewn over the entire bottom floor of my house.
And Emma and Gabe LOVED it because they are 7 and 8. (And can clothe themselves and understand it's going to be cold and wet and have about 45 neighbor kids to play with.)
And so this is our life, right?
Beauty and mess, fun and frustration, tears and laughter...
why would the first snow of the year be any different?
30 comments:
Two posts in one day! I may DIE from happiness! Love that they are ghetto, and I agree that the snow would be hard with a million kids. I'm am dreading our annual trip to the snow just for all the shoving and buttoning alone. But Jane in her bare foot is classic. And I believe that stuff in strewn in your garage. This does not count as a messy house.
How much snow do you get in Spokane? Does it stay long?
This is very much how we are with snow too, excitement, chaos, strewing of clothes and bins. I have finally learned to only buy unisex colors for snow gear so it can be easily passed down. (although not soon enough . .. pretty sure Harrison will be sporting purple boots this year.) such is life.
That was a real post. I love it.
So funny and so true. Love the snow on TV and when I'm inside next to a fire but other than that....PASS!!!
Or you can do as I do and live in denial about the snow and when your three year old wants to go and play in the snow you say "no."
Like that run-on sentence?
Besides, I don't have snow clothes for my kids. I need to get snow pants and boots for Jackson, I know. Again, the denial kicking in.
Maybe I will get him dressed and drop him off on your street with the other kids who like snow. That would still qualify me as being a good mom, right?
I would be like the little kids, crying and complaining...snow is cold and miserable! bah humbug!
So there are benefits to having only boys. Love the one-shoe wonder, hilarious! We can't wait for our snow here--bring it on!
Don't make Jane wear socks with boots. I'm with her. Completely uncomfortable.
Poor Seth. Will he have any dignity left when he is done wearing the handmedowns?
This post was classic. I loved the idyllism turned to reality.
This post was so good. Levi was struggling with the same thing last night because we too got our first snow. He got on boots, hat, coat, gloves and all and only the coat and hat fit. And that only fit because I got lucky and bought a new one and it happened to come that day. And then he was outside for like two whole seconds and then back inside complaining.
But... I DO LOVE THE SNOW! YIPEEEE!
you got this one bang on! That's exactly how it is... all that prep work and the little ones don't even really play. Loved the photos - loved the Thanksgiving day post and yes, let's plan something in the summer.
Jessica...this is hilarious. I am so with you on the snow clothes. It's a battle to find em, get em on, get em out the door and then two minutes later they're crying to come back in. (until they're older and lose all nerve endings!)
Love to read that I am not alone in such trials. Keep fighting the good fight!
i can't believe you let your children out of the house without first putting plastic baggies over their hands and feet! that is an essential part of snow-attire! and you call yourself a mother!?
hmm. i don't even know you... should i be scolding you?
yeah, i live about an hour away from you. my husband works at WSU.
hilarious post. the bare foot was the best. i'm still laughing out loud... alone in front of my computer. is that a bad thing??
We got our first snow last night. I took the kids for a drive in it to see the snow and Christmas lights. They loved it!
Snow!! I can't wait - even with all the complications of winter clothing, ghetto or otherwise!
My kids were up at the crack of dawn the morning it snowed. Brandon couldn't wait to shovel the snow.
Seeing Jane in her bare foot in the snow is kind of like seeing Ryan shoveling the snow in shorts and a short sleeved shirt! You should have got a picture of that crazy boy!
The snow is fun and beautiful and a bit of a pain sometimes. One of the things I hate is that I CONSTANTLY have wet clothes in the laundry room sink. Not dirty, just wet. Last year I washed them each time. Now? Screw it - just throw them in the dryer.
Loved this post!
After spending the last year in California, I have forgotten the trials and annoyance of that first snow. They're so excited, you are excited, it takes an hour to gear them all up...then BAM! They're back in the house within minutes, crying, and whining for hot chocolate. Plus, all the soggy clothes strewn about? It's making my eyes just twitch thinking about it. Trust me, honey, you posted exactly what I would have.
Wow, I didn't think you got that much snow in Washington either. It's rare for us Portlanders to have that much snow. The nice mom in me loves to see them playing in the snow and having that childhood memory.The lazy mo in me dreads all that buttoning, bundling, zipping and snapping only to then get a wet dirty house when they come back.
Great post, I really could never do the snow thing all winter, I can hardly handle the one time a year we visit and play in it. But your kids look so cute. I love the picture with only one boot.
So true, so true.
We did the exact same thing today, except my 4 year old came back with no boots and a pail of water with a bird in it.
Whenever I see pictures of kids in the snow it looks so fun and I wish my kids could play in the snow! This post helped me remember why it is just too much work and I shouldn't feel bad that I don't have it. Cute pictures and I don't know how I missed this post for so long. I think my google reader isn't working well cause I've missed a few others from other people too!!!
Too funny!!! You think your kids look ghetto? You should see mine on the rare days we get snow in Texas. We have such small amounts of snow clothes, that inevitably one of my kids has socks on his or her hands.
I LOVED your sil's act of service in the last post. How SUPER nice is that?!?
That picture of jane with a snot nose and bare foot warmed my heart.
Cute post...but seriously, do you have parking stalls for your bikes?
Perhaps it is time to move to a less chilly clime?
I remember those days of snow stuff!!! I love the snow, but hate the bundeling. It's so much work and then they come back in the house to make more of a mess after 5 minutes of playing. so not right!!!! It was fun seeing you!
I can soooo relate with this! I have gotten to the point where I strongly discourage snow play because there is so much work involved for the Mom and it last all of 7 minutes, like you said! Then I remember how fun it was to play in the snow as a kid and start to feel guilty.
I'm laughing so hard because this is why I don't miss snow. NOt even for the pictues that look cute and memorable but are actually painful is it really worth it. You guys are so cute.
Yeah, the IDEA of snow is way better than the actual thing. REason #1 why I maintain it is not necessary to live in snow, you can visit it when necessary.
I'm just baffled by the picture of the garage floor. Do you have spaces marked off for the kids to park their vehicles? This seems way to anal for Jessica. Must be a Ryan thing.
Oh my word, this is exactly exactly EXACTLY what occurred at our house this very week. The picture of your strewn about winter clothes could be our house! So glad it's not just us! I laughed so hard in total empathy!
So jealous of the snow!!! It looks so fun! Thanks for all the fun updates. Miss you!
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