We’ve had a lot of snow days this year. It’s not terrible. I like getting out of our responsibilities for a day. The worst part is that I have to do the shoveling but I just tell myself it’s a really good workout. Another thing that’s a really good workout is sledding. The third workout I got was getting everyone in and out of their winter gear. I’m exhausted.

I am really enjoying using our stay-at-home down-time to work on my documentary photography skills. I actually signed up for a photography class specifically on that topic that starts on Monday. I’m nervous – the last time I paid for a workshop I quit after 2 weeks because I couldn’t keep up with the assignments (also I was 39 weeks pregnant), but this one was more expensive so hopefully my guilt keeps me motivated. Today we are going to leave the house even if we all freeze to death though, because these children are driving me bananas.

The other night E and I spent a solid 5 minutes trying to figure out why our DVR wasn’t recording SNL before we realized it was Friday.  That’s what happens when you get 20 inches of snow and a bunch of days off. Snow days are both really relaxing (no lunches to pack! no schedules!) and really, really stressful (so many children all home and trapped inside for most of the day, so much hassle to get them dressed just to go out for 10 minutes, SO MUCH FIGHTING).

But mostly my children love the snow and just want to spend as much time playing in it as possible. And eating it. They’re all obsessed with eating snow.

This hill is walking distance from our house, behind what used to be an elementary school but now is just an empty field. It’s an easy walk, except if you’re carrying a 2-year-old through unbroken snow almost as tall as he is. Then it’s exhausting. Also the 2-year-old can’t climb back up the hill when he sleds down, so I have to carry him back up every time. I talked him into swinging for a while instead. But the big kids slept really well that night.

In case you’re wondering, that house at the top of the hill is the Greene Mansion, but it was turned into condos a long time ago so it’s not a mansion anymore. I can’t find anything online about it, but it’s definitely in the same walking tour pamphlet as my house. I should go to town hall and get more of those.