LOVE snow days

I look forward to snow days as much now as I did when I was a kid in school. It is amazing what a gift that time becomes when things you have regularly scheduled are cancelled due to inclement weather. This morning, for example, we usually go to a stake institute class - and it was my week to bring a craft and watch the kids in the nursery. When I checked the computer and looked outside (yes, in that order) to see what was happening with the weather, I confirmed that the schools were closed, and since we follow the school schedule, that meant no scripture class. Don't get me wrong - I love going to the class and really like the kids who are in the nursery. But something about snow days feels like Christmas. And, I suppose I should clarify, we here in VA didn't get snow so much as ICE.

This photo was taken just before lunch, when it had started to melt. At 6, the whole neighborhood was a skating rink and each individual tree branch was enveloped and glistening. Poor Mack, the family dog, had a rough time making his routine outing in such conditions.

Snow days give me the leisure to do the things I can never seem to get around to on a normal day. Here's what I did with this morning's gift of time:
-Slept in
-Pilates (ask me the last time I did that...)
-Organized the DVDs
-Organized the CDs (and found "The Secret Garden," which is a soundtrack I LOVE and have been missing for several years - it was hanging out with "Les Mis")
-Looked for a missing DVD from the library (to no avail)
-Pulled up all the couch cushions and rotated them
-Vacuumed under the couch cushions (last time I did that...never in the year and a half we've had these couches, actually)
-Vacuumed the floor (might as well while I have it out)
-Did the dishes (twice)
-Blogging

The rest of the day is back to routine (although Spence and I are going to make cookies after naps in celebration of the snow day), but tonight's String Workshop is also cancelled, so I plan to challenge anyone who is interested to a game of "Ticket to Ride." Maybe we can give Laura, who is a CHAMPION at this game a run for her money.