A Little Snow Perspective

I remember the snow when I was in first grade. It was the late 70's, and we lived in Buffalo Grove, Illinois (outside Chicago.) We got walloped with snow storm after snow storm.

I loved it.

There was so much snow that the city had to put red stakes in the snowbanks to show where the stop signs were. We walked to school on top of those snowbanks, looking down at passing cars.

After school, the neighborhood kids tunneled through the snow like eskimo squirrels. My dad helped us to make a slide in front of our house by scooting us down the snowbank on our snow-panted bottoms and then pouring a bucket or two of water down the indentation made by our rear ends. It was a fast slide.

We had snowball fights for the ages. Our snow forts were as impregnable as the Chateau d'If -- for no other reason than the eleven feet of standing snow on the ground.

What's amazing about my memories is that I don't remember people complaining about the snow. All I remember is consuming lots and lots of hot cocoa and Campbell's soup that winter.

That's why I laugh when I hear of the Federal Government shutting down because of a little snow. Granted, two feet of snow may seem like an awful lot... But, what do you expect when you elect a Midwesterner President of the United States? He was bound to bring a little weather in tow.

Here in the flatlands, we're enjoying our second day off from school this week. The boys are outside sledding with friends in the backyard. It's a well-earned bit of fun for them; they spent a half-hour this morning shoveling our front walk.

When they came inside after their "hard work", it was fun to hear them chatter to each other about how cold it was and how deep the snow was. "There's a TON of snow out there," my first-grader stated gravely as if I would be consumed by the blizzard were I to step foot outside.

As they settled in for their warm drinks, I tiptoed out with my ruler.

Six inches.

Still, they've fashioned some pretty swell snow forts out of that six inches...

But I wonder about my own recollections, now. And I wonder about my niece and nephew in Maryland imagining their way through 28 inches of the white stuff... What stories will they be able to tell?

- Midwest Mom

White Knuckle Driving Tips

We had another pleasant winter surprise last night -- 3 more inches of snow.

On my way to school, I saw a school bus driver have to make the choice between sideswiping a truck sitting at a stop sign and plowing through a snow bank. On our way home, I followed a fish-tailing sedan and a van spinning his wheels to get moving at a stoplight.

So I thought it was time for some tips to keep you and the car-seat brigade nice and safe when the weather calls for slippery roads.

Start with a Clear View -- If you are fortunate enough to have a garage with plenty of room for all your vehicles, I applaud you. Our garage is the staging area for all our home improvement projects. Sadly, that means I'm out there with the snowbrush and scraper in winter weather. It can be so tempting just to do the bare minimum and let the defroster do the rest as we drive, but you never know what is going to be coming at you, from what direction, on a slippery-slidey driving day. Better start out right and clear all the windows and mirrors before you set out. (And make sure your windshield washer fluid is full, so if it gets grimy as you drive, you can clear the view.)

Get Rid of the Lid -- If you leave snow, even light, powdery stuff like we had this morning, on your roof and front hood, it will fly up and stick to your front and rear windows as you drive. (So all that time you spent clearing the windows? Down the tubes.) Even if the snow isn't powdery, but stiff, it can be dangerous to other drivers. A couple of years ago, my brother was driving on the beltway outside of Washington, DC, and a large sheet of icy snow lifted off the top of an SUV, flew across two lanes of traffic and shattered his windshield. Talk about a white-knuckle moment! Fortunately, no one was hurt, but they could have been, and it was all because someone didn't take the time to clear the snow off his or her roof. Use a push-broom if you can't reach it. But do it -- it's important.

Let Your headLight Shine -- When you're clearing your car off, don't forget to take the snow off your headlights and rear lights and drive with them on... even in the daytime. The more visible you are to other drivers, the better. When you stop at the gas station for your next fill-up, try washing them off with the windshield washer squeegee. Getting your lights clean of grime and streusel-topping road snow will make them shine much brighter.

Better Late than Never -- I cannot stand to be late. It's my personal hang-up. But when it's snowy outside, I know I can't afford to rush. Taking it slow gives my tires enough time to grip the road surface, even when it's slippery. Going too fast can make my car start to fish-tail, even on straight roads. Hurrying a turn in the snow can make your car skid. It's best to just ease into it, even if that means you arrive at your destination a little later than you want to.

Steer into a Skid -- We all heard this one at Driver's ed, but it's true. If your car starts to skid, the best thing to do is to take your foot off the gas and the brake and gently turn the wheel in the direction you are skidding. Steering into a skid will help line up your front and back wheels and get you moving straight again. Whatever you do, DON'T slam on the brakes. That can make you lose control entirely.

Slow Stops and Starts -- If your car is stopped, just use a little touch on the gas to get it moving. Too much gas from a stopped position can make your wheels spin. When we were out the other day, we were behind a city bus at a stoplight. When the light turned green, the driver spun the bus' wheels and actually moved sideways instead of forward. I think the driver of the car next to the bus needed to change her pants afterward. Fortunately, the bus got under control -- by easing off the gas. On the other hand, I was foolish enough one day last week to approach a stop sign just like I do when the roads are dry. A half a second after putting on my brakes, I realized my car wasn't even slowing down -- there was ice! I don't have ABS, so I pumped my brakes to stop and only overshot the stop sign by a few feet. I warmed up the paddles of my handy-dandy glove compartment defibrillator (by Totes), started my heart again, paused to thank The Lord a few times, and continued home more cautiously. Note to self: brake slowly and give yourself twice the stopping distance, just in case.

Keep the road Roomy -- Think about how much you are driving, whether because of your work commute or bringing the kids to school, ballet lessons, shopping, going to your workout or church. Now think about how nervous you may be and/or how many close calls you may have had in slippery weather. Multiply that by the number of drivers you see on the road as you're on your way to your favorite activity. My, that's a lot of "oh, shoot!" moments! So, don't forget to be patient and give other drivers a LOT of room on the road. When you are stopped at a light, make sure there is twice the amount of space between you and the next driver. (You never know when someone will plow into the whole line of you!) And no matter what, never push or tailgate a truck or a bus. Pass them legally if you're in a hurry, but do not fool yourself into thinking you will get where you are going faster by hanging out on their back bumper. It's just dangerous.

Focus (Daniel-san): All the kids are buckled. The windows are clear. The car is warmed up and you're ready to go. Now make sure you have the driving -- only the driving -- on your mind. If you are upset, do not drive. If the kids are being crazy, take the time to calm them and explain that "Mommy needs to concentrate." It's worth it to shut out distractions and keep your whole family safe.


I am always floored when I go into my children's school and see teachers that I know had to drive an hour in the same conditions I struggle to get my crew through for ten minutes. So, today, props go out to KC and Mr. DelVillano for already being at school and ready for anything! You both amaze me!

As for all the other Moms/Dads/taxi-drivers/bus drivers/carpoolers/Grandparents/commuters having to slog through the white stuff this time of year, I wish you Safe Travels. Guard your precious cargo. I will, too.

Spring will be here before we know it, right?

- Midwest Mom

Dreams Really do Come True

Can you tell what we've been dreaming of lately? Here's a clue...

Does that give it away? No? Then how about this?

Hmmm? Got it yet?

Well, when we woke up this morning, we had quite a surprise. There were seven inches of the white stuff piled in the front yard, on the street, on our back sledding run, on the cars, even on the bird feeder and garbage can lid. The weatherman told us only to expect an inch.

Aren't surprises wonderful?

So, instead of going to school, we did a little of this...

And we did a little of this...

We even (because some of us are crazy boys) did this!

Yes, those are icicles in his hands... (oh, brother!)

We had tons of fun playing snow tag and making snow angels so deep they almost buried us. Thanks to an industrious neighbor thrilled to use a brand new snow blower, we didn't even have to shovel the walk! (The driveway? That's another story... Hubby might need a hot bath later.)

All in all, there's nothing like a little fun to keep your mind off the heavy stuff. And a little dream come true never hurt anyone.

- Midwest Mom

Snow War Games

Hooray! We finally have our first real snow. The weather that has turned Minnesota into the icebox of the universe has the happy side-effect of bringing the cold far enough south to make our usual icy slush into fluffy, white, wonderful snow.

You know what that means -- it's playtime!

Now, I know that a large portion of the country has been under snow for some time now. So, I thought it would be helpful to share a few of our favorite things to do in the snow. Maybe it'll give you some ideas of something a little different to do with your crew.

• First, the usual -- sledding. We have a small hill in our back yard, but when you are a flatlander (like most of us in the Midwest) you will find that there are certain places where most of the kids congregate when the ground gets white. Here, it's Harrison Park Golf Course. The entire population under age 16 (toting parents when appropriate) shows up to Harrison Park for the sledding. There is no doubt that we will be there later today. The grade is about 60 degrees in places, with sled runs that would rival Tuckerman's Ravine, were they but a little longer. (Well, at least that's how it seems to my five-year-old.) We use Harrison Park as a sledding hill only, but there are aspiring snowboarders here in town who, despite the fact that the hill isn't even big enough for a J-bar, magically transform into Shaun White whenever the snow is deeper than three inches.



• For the preschool set, the most basic activity is making snow angels. My crew are as experienced in the art of the snow angel as any trio on the planet. They routinely walk up the block, blessing each household with an angel or two until all are covered. We have occasionally tried to vary the position of the arms and legs, making snow runners, snow horses, snow kokopelli, and many many snow blobs. Maybe they're snow amoeba. At any rate, the basic idea is to lay on one's back in fresh snow, with arms and legs straight out, keep your body still and move your arms up and down and your legs open and closed until you have made an angel-shape in the snow. For the amoeba, the instructions are similar, although less, shall we say, rigid. The trick for both is to get to the standing position without ruining the angel you just made. Here, your options are threefold: super-ninja flip-kick to a standing position, levitate, or have a friend give you a hand. (We use option #3.)



• Of course, there is the snow-ball fight, which my boys have elevated to a fine art form. They put as much planning into an (inevitably failing) snowball attack on my husband as the US armed forces put into the landing at Normandy. As though they had read Sun Tsu's Art of War from cover to cover, my boys amass a stunning array of snow-ammunition to be thrown from no less than seven vantage points throughout the yard. They create a secret hide-out (every year, no less) underneath the snow-laden branches of our evergreens (forgetting, apparently, that their Dad just has to walk close to the branches and shake them to A. completely bury the boys in snow and B. completely destroy the hide-out.) Well, I'm sure they'll fake him out this year.



• We also play a variety of outdoor games modified for the snow. That includes snow hide-and-seek, snowball tag, ring around the rosie (made fun by falling in the snow), and snow duck duck goose. We also love snow football! It is especially good when the entire family gets together and you get to see Uncle Matt (6 foot 4) completely bury his older brothers in a snowbank. Can you say 'revenge'?



• Which brings me to the next fun idea... victimizing your family members when they least expect it. This is what all outdoor snow play eventually degenerates into in a family where there is more than one child. At some point, the kid who got stuck on the slower sled or had to ride with his sister or kept falling down during snow duck duck goose is going to yearn for revenge. He'll stuff snow down the neck of someone's coat or accidentally-on-purpose give his sister a 'flat tire' making her boot come off (wet socks, yuck). She will tackle her little brother as he puts the finishing touches on the meticulously-crafted snowbear he was making, knocking the head of said bear clean off while shoving her brother's face in the snow. He will dump an entire shovel full of snow onto his mother's head as she's walking up the sidewalk with the mail in her hand (having noticed both that she's not shoveling snow or wearing a hat today).



• And then, all pandemonium will break loose. No matter how old the group of playmates in question (even when they are -ahem- older than thirty), everyone will behave with the maturity level of someone approximately one-third their actual age. A three year old will lay down in the snow and cry because he can't get up again in this puffy snowsuit. A nine year old will start calling people doody-head and start flinging snow with wild abandon. A thirty-six year old will discover that neat snow hide-out you can make under the evergreen bushes. His wife, however, will remember the shake-the-branches trick and run for her life. This can/should continue until approximately 51% of the participants are in tears.



• Then, it's back indoors for dry clothes and hot, dark chocolate cocoa with marshmallows and/or a dash of cayenne pepper (at least that's how *we* like it.)

I hope this list gives you and your family a place to begin when you're getting ready for some winter fun of your own. As for a place to end, that I can't promise you.

I only know how it works at our house.

- Midwest Mom