Kashann and Clan

I think Brent passed the boards. He told me not to count on it. But he didn't mope on the couch with a pillow smashed over his face Wednesday night so I am taking that as a good sign.

We'll find out who's right in a few weeks.

Early the next morning we got hit with the winter storm that has been moving across the country. I drove Brent to the airport in a blizzard at 4:30 a.m. to catch an early flight to Washington, then waited until 6 a.m. to make sure that he left. I went home, checked the local school closings, and then crashed. . .
for about 30 minutes. By then all the kids were up and excited for their snow day.

Slides are super slippery right after a fresh blanket of snow.

We always try to be the first one down to the park. As usual we were the only ones. Either it is a well kept secret around the neighborhood or we were just way more hardy than the rest of them Thursday morning.

How are you supposed to keep gloves on toddlers? And how do you cover up the gap? This has been my solution for the last two winters. I pull my mittens up over his coat to his elbows. I put two one each side this time and didn't worry about the matching, or the pink and purple.

Friday was even colder than Thursday. I decided that I could handle the bitter cold if it was just me. You can hurry from house to car and no big deal. But with children I get so impatient and frustrated. Aren't they as cold as I am? Why do they have to make snow balls, scrape ice off cars all on the way into Target? Sometimes I feel like such an honery mom.

I am blaming it on the cold. I've decided to move south after the first two days of winter. Arkansas, wasn't it Brent?We found a very warm place Friday afternoon. Kennon's first swim meet. She was really dreading it and was pretty upset that school wasn't canceled and the race was still on.

After a first place finish in the back stroke though she decided that she likes competitive swimming after all.
She also placed second in freestyle, but I am pretty sure that's because she chooses to start in the water because her cheap goggles get blown off when she dives. It was a sauna in that room. I hated to leave knowing what was awaiting us outside.

And if we only we could come home to a warm house. We heat the entire house with our small fireplace. It is warm in one place. Right where the heat rises at the top of the stairs.

The kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, basement- FREEZING!

I drove around for a while with the kids after the meet trying to decide if there was some place warm and close to free we could spend the rest of the evening so we didn't have to go home. But ultimately after an hour battling Marcus next to a pool I couldn't bring myself to stop anywhere and turn him loose. He is at an extremely out of control stage as far as shopping, restaurants, movies, swim meets, etc. go.

Marcus just got over croup. For three nights I was up all night with him listening to him cough. I tried to go shopping once with him when the seal barking was really bad. I was only in there 5 minutes and left. Way too many head turns and dirty looks.

Croup sounds so bad. I am so relieved to have him better. His Dr. gave him steriods to relieve the swelling in his larynx. I don't know if that or the 3 a.m. saunas I created in the bathroom did the trick but I am happy to report that there are no more barking seals in my house.