Weekly wrap up - in which it snowed A LOT

Happy Valentine's Day!!  My hubby and I celebrated by enjoying a nice, sit down dinner at Waffle House.  The original plan was Outback, but the 2.5 hour wait convinced us to try something a little out of the ordinary.  And truthfully, I had a great time at Waffle House.  I enjoy the down home, carb-filled breakfast food and the joking between the cooks and wait staff and customers is always enjoyable.  My favorite part of the evening was a heated discussion over the pronunciation of the word "Worcestershire Sauce." I still say I'm right!



Well then.  It has been quite the week here in South Carolina.  If you were watching the news a few weeks ago, you'd know what just a couple of inches of snow did to the Atlanta area.  So over 6 inches falling over a 3 day period caused a bit of excitement around here.

The beginning of the week was business as usual, including a fun Valentine celebration with our Classical Conversations community on Tuesday.  Since we have such a small community, only 14 children, we gathered everyone together in one room, and all the kids exchanged valentine cards, had snacks and drinks. And the best part was that not only were all the kids in the same room, but so were all the parents.  Perfect social time!  Especially since the impending snowstorm canceled our weekly lunch.

From Tuesday afternoon until Friday we became snowbound.  Our little road was covered in 6 inches of snow and then ice covered snow.  So was our yard and our entire neighborhood.

There's something about a snowstorm, especially in a place where you don't normally get one, that causes people to slow down, take a breath, and forces togetherness.  We rarely get a chance to have Daddy home for any length of time, so when we do, we try to take full advantage of it.  Or maybe I try to take full advantage of it.  In this case, that meant cuddling up watching rented movies while the kids entertained each other and themselves, after a healthy amount of sledding and snow throwing all together of course.  The kids also got to spend some time showing their slick sledding moves to their Papa for a few hours.  I wish I could share some pictures of the cool sledding, but we were having so much fun that no one thought to bring a camera.

Today since Daddy went back to work, we squeezed in a bit of school before the kids headed back out into the yard to play or work.  John and I tried to break up some of the ice that persisted on the steps and sidewalk leading the front of the house.  It's amazing that the pictures above and the pictures below were taken only one day apart.  Ah, gotta love a South Carolina winter!  Next week we're expecting highs in the 70's!

As for me, I'm learning, again, that I learn as much from my children as they learn from me, if not more.  No matter how hard I try, how big I talk, how much I want to, there is always a part of me that feels a need to compare myself to those around me.  In this case I found myself thinking about how we took snow days when many of our homeschooling friends did not.  And that I had to make snow cream because "everyone" in the south has snow cream when it snows.  Even, to a point, that they should really make a snowman.  Why?  Because there was snow.  And everyone else makes a snowman.  Ugh!  Good grief!

So how did this crazy, amazing group of kids remind me to stop comparing myself to everyone else?  First, I asked them if they wanted to build a snowman.  (yes, I did sing it, in case anyone was wondering.)  Unanimously they answered, "Nope."  Really?  Nope.  Not interested.  Oh, okay.

Then I mentioned the snow cream thing.  They asked me what it was.  I told them that it was kind of like ice cream but it used snow.  Slightly intrigued, they wanted more details.  So I proceeded to tell them what the ingredients were and what the process required.  At which point they all made faces and each said, in their own way, "There's already ice cream in the freezer.  And we don't have to make that."

I pray that they always stay that way.  This isn't the first time this type of thing has happened.  It actually happens more often than it doesn't.  Generally none of my kids care what other people think about what they do.  They have their own style, and they know what they like and what's important to them.  I pray it stays that way.

And as for taking snow days this week, we got to hang out with Daddy!  That's worth a few extra days into the summer.  Daddy won't be here then anyway...

So, how was life in your neck of the woods this week?

Linking up this week at: Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers and Homegrown Learners.