Snow Days

One of my favorite Mom things is snow days. They bring back the joy and excitement I remember from my childhood. This is one perk of momhood I will miss when the nest is empty.

Back in MA we (my sons and I) became collectors of snow-day superstitions. And when Firstborn really wants a snow day, he will pull out all of them just to ensure that his wish is granted. Here are a few we have used in the past:

• Spoons under the pillow (all the pillows in the house to be specific. It's hard to find a spoon to use here all winter because they are all under the pillows).
• Ice in the toilet.
• Wearing your PJs inside out (which is a challenge for the son who doesn't wear PJs).
• Snow day dance (they have outgrown this one, or should I say they have decided they are too old for this).

Any others you would like to share will be gladly added to their list.

The spoons are the most popular, followed by the wearing of the PJs inside out.

The ice cubes have been pulled out a total of 3 times this year. The first time was the best. Firstborn went around putting an ice cube in each toilet. He woke up at about 5 the next morning. I asked him why, and he said it was because he had to pee really badly. You see, he had put the ice cubes in the toilet and then he was afraid to pee before they had melted because he didn't want to ruin their magic. We didn't get a snow day and I explained that it would not have affected the snowfall, it would only mean that we would get yellow snow.

Our next tradition, is that if I know its going to be a snow day or I think the probability is very high, I stay in bed in the morning, and they climb in bed with me and we watch the snow closings together. I used to get a kick out of the way they would mispronounce the MA town names.

We have had a lot of mornings cuddling in bed reading school closings this year. It has been fun and I love the reaction they have when they read the city school district name on the screen; total joy and excitement.

On the days when we don't get closed or delayed, they watch the closings until the last minute. Firstborn is not convinced that once Lastborn goes off to school, the game is over and his school will not be closed. He keeps watching.

I was on my computer catching up with my overnight emails when I heard him in the living room saying, "They skipped us."

"What did they skip?"

"Our school," he replied. "They forgot to close our school."

"I don't think they forgot, Firstborn. I think they planned to not close your school."

He grumbled, but this has become the new tradition. Whenever they have school closings and our city is not listed, he says, "they skipped us."