It never rains but that it pours

It doesn't seem that long ago that I was longing for any measurable amount of snow at all. I literally tweeted at @PolarVortex  (which is a wonderfully saucy account if you're twitter-minded) and asked for a visit. 

Well, we got visited. 

This is actually a view after the second storm. There was one which gave us about nine inches on Monday night, the 16th, and another on Saturday which brought an additional 5-6. We are rolling in snow, folks! Because since then, just one day has been substantially above freezing; it was just long enough to give a nice ice covering to all surfaces. Wheee!

I don't mean to gloss over the inconveniences, which have been significant. Jon's preliminary exams, you recall, were due today. So one full week of snow-days that we had last week, and the additional one this past Monday, were really not what we needed. I took a fair amount of leave time to give Jon time to work, since even the usually hardy daycare was closed until Thursday, last week. And for Sunday's presentation at church, we required a team of neighbors' help and a small miracle to dislodge the car and get on the road on time. So, we adults not been able to embrace fully this sudden upsurge in Winter.

But the kids, and the kid in me, have welcomed it with open arms.

There has been sledding, snow angels, rolling and frolicking, and after the thaw on Sunday the snow was finally primed for the building of a snowman.

That afternoon was a triumph, to me, because I bundled them up and sent them out by themselves, like a wholesome, old-fashioned, free range parent. I am finally able to trust that Adele will refrain from wandering off, and I could watch them work from the back window of our apartment: 

For about an hour they rolled snow, strained to put one snowball atop the other, conversed, argued, failed, and began again. It was delightful to watch. It's funny. Someone watching them play, apparently unsupervised, might not have thought that was their parents' finest moment. But I was convinced that this was the best possible arrangement for all of us. They had to struggle on their own, work together, problem solve, and best of all? I got to have a clean kitchen and a nearly-ready dinner when they came in. 

Have I mentioned that I'm ready to have a back yard of my very own?

Anyway, after they'd been outside almost an hour, Adele came wandering in to ask for help. I obliged and we got that head atop the body and the banana mouth (their idea) wedged into the head and voila!

The finished product. Satisfied, they came inside from their third day of outdoor play. I think they're done with the snow now. But it's not done with us! We expect 3-5 inches tonight.

Where was this in December???

We did make it to church on Sunday. The Guatemala delegates gave our slideshow presentation to a much smaller than usual assembly at adult forum. We hope to whet everyone's appetite for a Guatemala themed luncheon after Easter! But I still put Adele in the outfit I brought her from Ciudad Guatemala:

I couldn't help myself. 

Jon turns in his exam today! So the 3-5 inches we expect tonight won't be met with quite the dread of last week. Still... Lent and February are a tough combination! Come, spring! and come, Easter!

Sweet as Sugar Candy

We are having a sweet time of it, mid-February in Blacksburg.

Both kids had Valentine's Day parties to enjoy at school. I took a late morning to put Miles on the bus for his after a 2 hour delay.

Here Miles is before getting on the bus in the 5 degree weather (YES he wore a coat):

I really just told him, "I'm taking your picture for Valentine's Day. Smile!" & that's what he did. 

As usual, we were in the dance studio bright and early on Saturday morning, Valentine's Day notwithstanding.

Here, Adele puts naughty Optimus Prime in time-out. He's apparently a big hitter:

Saturday was a cleaning day, since our condo was being shown by the owners to potential buyers and it has been looking rather lived-in. A good afternoon for clay, crafts, and play-doh.

"Mummy, look, I made the United States!"

Jon and I got our date in on Thursday. The graduate school has a kids' night out at the Women's Center on Thursday nights- free babysitting! So we nipped over to Our Daily Bread for an absolutely delectable dessert and good conversation. Thank you, Women's Center volunteers!

Sunday, the choristers (children & youth choir) sang the offertory, and several junior members got their ribbons, including Miles:

He behaved beautifully, and sang even better. 

On Sunday night, as we were leaving to visit a friend's house for some King Cake, the snow began. My heart has been sorely wanting it.

To my immense satisfaction, the storm gave us about 9 inches. 

Virginia Tech closed at noon yesterday, so after Adele was up from her nap, out we went into it!

Adele did a lot of sculpting and rolling in it. She also bravely went down a hill with me three times! The third time by request!

Miles did it all, including a really ecstatic snow angel:

My favorite sled type: oblong, and plastic. 

After she got a bit too much snow in her face, Adele opted to go butt-sledding. 

9 inches of snow and everything looks like frosting. We'd gotten just enough sun so that it was soft and fluffy, but still plenty cold, so no melty-freezy. Perfect.

As packing snow, it wasn't awesome; this is the best snow-being I could manage.

Miles was the sledding king today. He probably did 5-6 runs by himself, which is a first. 

I was just so happy. 

I've been pondering snow as I watch my NYS and New England friends get pummeled with blizzard after blizzard. I don't really need constant storms, or 6 feet of snow on the ground at any given point. I would absolutely see snow as an affliction, at this point, were I living in Boston this year. But down in VA, deprivation has raised my enthusiasm. I wish we could take some of it off your hands, northern readers, because this would definitely get old on a daily basis. 

They remind me of A Snowy Day, here. 

But for a special occasion? Yes please!!

Keep Jon in your prayers; he's still toiling on his prelims. A week from tomorrow, those will be due, and maybe in the next months, next year will begin to come into sharper focus for us...

On Weekends, we..

For those interested in our weekend, Blacksburg doings...

More and more, when I do yoga, the kids insist on doing it with me. Today, Miles started his day doing yoga without me, for kind of a while.

Last weekend gave me a special opportunity to share with the Children's Chapel kids my memories of my Guatemala trip, and the current reality of our church's relationship with their church, a church which, like ours, contains children. Though they'll never get to visit the congregation in Guatemala, and though we'll never be bringing children up for a South-to-North sister parish delegation, I wanted the kids to be able to share in the relationship. So, I proposed, to them and to the sister parish staff, a correspondence of letters between children. 

We pose for an introductory photo. Aren't these kids gorgeous?

 We wrote them a letter and stamped it with colorful handprints:

  I made a display with a couple of maps, some pictures, and the colorful cross I purchased for Chapel at the Ciudad Guatemala market.

 That package went off yesterday, with our hopes for a new correspondence and a new dimension to children's chapel and sister parish, both.

At home, we continue to enjoy tolerate a warm, brown winter.

Not a flake since December, and even then, it was only a coating. I'm expiring.

But, the kids are coping:

Miles' "Sculpture"

The kids continue to enjoy dance lessons, and I am enjoying the prizes they've put in the prize machine more than previously:

Baddest in the West

Saturday the 7th was the annual Blacksburg New School fundraiser Chocolate Festival. This makes it our third year at this event! I did myself a favor this year and left my camera in my purse. There was enough to handle, what with carnival games, book walks and balloon animals to obtain, pop, and replace. The kids got some good prizes; I was proud of both of them for being thoughtful about it. Miles brought home a chapter book and a puppet astronaut, Adele, a copy of "Are You My Mother?" & a new puzzle.

She had to hug Hokie Bird goodbye before she'd leave. 

Before 1, Adele and I went scurrying off to her daycare buddy's third birthday party. For several reasons, I just can't say no to an invitation to a kid's birthday party.

First, they lined up in the banquet room like board members at a working lunch.

The party horns were a big hit. 

Birthday girl Noel celebrates!

 After a stately pizza and cake meal, the kids were herded into the room containing a large inflatable castle!!!

 So much glee ensued:

 As I discussed with the birthday girl's dad, children remind us how to enjoy simple things, when we've forgotten how. I needed that afternoon of smiles, sick as I was with that parasitic cold.

Adele's gal pal Mazie was among the guests!

 Even Adele's beloved Kam was there:

Ever-phototengic, Kam. Remember his November birthday at Chuck-E-Cheese, readers? 

 ...if not, that's ok.

Adele anxiously watches to see if the birthday girl will like her offering: a doctor's kit. 

She did!!

I had a pretty bad cold this weekend, but I got some relief from presiding over storytime in the form of Jon, and, often, Miles:

He's quite good at reading, now, which is an endless source of pride and delight to me. Adele aspires to it, too. 

Jon is in the midst of his preliminary exams, which, at least for him, is a kind of slow-motion existence that even February doesn't usually reach. Keep him in your thoughts, please, dear readers.  We'll keep working to light up February. If we can have but one solid snowstorm, that will do much!

January. Blacksburg.

Christmas brought us a new camera! Hooray!

We're settling in to this Spring 2015 semester, now! The holidays and the Guatemala trip are actually behind us and we're back in the thick of all our workday endeavors. Miles just celebrated his 100th day of school. Adele has learned to write her name!

I have a new schedule, and lots of new office projects on my radar! Also, I just signed up to resume volunteering at the local Head Start, where I will get to read to a preschooler. The good life!

Blacksburg's sunsets continue to stun

We've had NO measurable snow this year! You probably know exactly how I feel about that.

"Ice Storm" from Saturday

I just want one, at least, one, big, fat, snowstorm. Please just let the kids be able to sled and build a snowman ONCE, Virginia!

The ice is pretty, I suppose

Ok, now that does look enchanted. 

Saturday included TWO birthday parties, one for a friend of Adele's, and one for a friend of Miles'.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Maddie!

I took rather more pictures at the afternoon party, mostly because all the kids were in costume. Oh, also because of the disco/karaoke room:

Lights in the balloons! Dance music and instruments for kids!

Miles was a fairy princess. 

Adele was Elsa (obvs)

We had a bit of tumult in getting the kids dressed and out the door. By their request, I went as a princess too:

The best part was when one awed four year old asked me, sincerely, "Where is your castle??" I told her, "Blacksburg!" I hope she's watching for it. 

Miles' reading ability is improving noticeably. We're nearly finished with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Jon is reading him How to Train Your Dragon. They're books! Did you know? I didn't! And he's getting books from his school library that he then brings home to read to Adele. 

This is how they kill time while waiting for me to get ready:

Ok, that's when they're in a good mood. At other times, they fight and howl at each other like all other kids. But I like to dwell on the good moods.

It is strange, and good, to be back in a less frantic, more mundane pace. I haven't felt so ordinary since before Advent. This 2015 season after Epiphany has already afforded me more transformative experiences than usual. I may just spend the rest of it treasuring up and pondering gifts I've already received.