Y'all.
This happened today!
No, we were not on vacation . . . we were not "up north" . . . we were AT OUR HOUSE. IN SOUTH LOUISIANA. That was the view from our front porch most of the morning.
I mean . . . I'm not even dreaming! We had a white (almost) Christmas!
In my 17 years here (minus the two we lived in Madison, Mississippi), I have NEVER seen anything like this! I mean, there was the time in 2014 that they predicted a snow storm for south Louisiana and got our hopes up, only to be dashed by a dusting of crunchy ice. That was the first time I ever saw snow here, and that wasn't even really snow.
Earlier this week, the little snowflake graphic popped up on the forecast for today. You know the one. I laughed in its face. By Wednesday, the little snowflake was still there. I continued laughing. One of the local weather personalities even issued a statement saying this would be a non-event and that we shouldn't expect any sort of weather precipitation. He even said the chances for flurries were "extremely low . . . in the single digits." Yeah, he's clearly thinking back to 2014 when he told us the conditions were "perfect" for the winter snow storm that never materialized. And he's not one to make the same mistake twice.
But yesterday, that pesky little snowflake was still there.
I mean . . . I'm not even dreaming! We had a white (almost) Christmas!
In my 17 years here (minus the two we lived in Madison, Mississippi), I have NEVER seen anything like this! I mean, there was the time in 2014 that they predicted a snow storm for south Louisiana and got our hopes up, only to be dashed by a dusting of crunchy ice. That was the first time I ever saw snow here, and that wasn't even really snow.
Earlier this week, the little snowflake graphic popped up on the forecast for today. You know the one. I laughed in its face. By Wednesday, the little snowflake was still there. I continued laughing. One of the local weather personalities even issued a statement saying this would be a non-event and that we shouldn't expect any sort of weather precipitation. He even said the chances for flurries were "extremely low . . . in the single digits." Yeah, he's clearly thinking back to 2014 when he told us the conditions were "perfect" for the winter snow storm that never materialized. And he's not one to make the same mistake twice.
But yesterday, that pesky little snowflake was still there.
I still laughed. Out loud.
I also admit I woke up at 3:00AM this morning and ran to the window to see if there was any snow falling! There wasn't. Only rain. So I went back to bed. I would later find out that it was snowing when Seth left to go to work, but he didn't bother to wake me up and tell me! I usually snooze my alarm on Friday mornings but not this morning. I ran to the window and then immediately ran outside in my pajamas and flip flops. I'm not even kidding. Seriously, it seemed like it would stop at any moment and all melt away so I had to get a quick picture or two to prove it was true! (And, Mr. Weatherman, I'd say this is way more than a flurry!)
And then it was time to wake the kids up! Poor Mason. In my excitement, I scared him to death. They all jumped up out of bed, and we ran outside.
So here's what you need to know about kids and snow in south Louisiana. We are not prepared. At all. Mason nor Ellie have coats. Mason has a few pullovers, but that's it. Ellie has one sweater I bought her last year that she never even wore. We literally never need coats here, and I just can't justify buying them for one day a year. I bought Hannah Kate a coat three or four years ago that miraculously still fits (because obviously I purchased a size bigger than what she needed). Today was the second time she's worn it. The first time was in Georgia! Hannah Kate nor Ellie have rubber boots that fit. Mason currently has a pair that we bought him last year for that once-a-season deer hunt that he can still wear. No one has cute gloves or scarves. We did find two old sock hats of Hannah Kate's that we managed to use for the girls. But that's it. Sweet Hannah Kate was even out there in her crocs. Don't judge.
So look. I didn't expect it to last long. I anticipated the kids would run back inside after about five or less minutes. I was still pinching myself . . . all that snow! . . . and it seemed like at any second it would be over and all melt away. But I was wrong on both accounts. The kids were having a ball! Mason and Hannah Kate even made snow angels!
By this time, Ellie was back inside. I knew she'd be the first to go. But she quickly came back out wearing a pair of gloves. They aren't cold weather gloves. They are gardening gloves! She doesn't know the difference though. She was ready to go. We suggested she do a cartwheel in the snow. But, of course, she couldn't do a cartwheel with the gloves on so off they came. She nailed it!
By this time, we'd been playing in the snow for close to an hour. So we went back inside to drink some hot chocolate (in our mugs from Spain!) and warm up a bit.
It wasn't long before they were ready to go back outside again. So we donned dry socks and went for it. Oh, you know, just a couple of sisters playing in the snow in early December in south Louisiana! There's just something about the laughter of children playing in the snow that's pure magic! The giggles were priceless.
This is Ellie's idea of a snowball. Go big or go home, right?!
And then they went inside again. And back out again. So I started trying to find some more clothes for them to wear. I pulled all of Seth's and Mason's camo gear out to see what I could do. I totally forgot that we still had this old jumpsuit that is years too small for Mason. But it was a perfect fit for Ellie. I was excited. She was not. So I convinced her to let me take one picture before she insisted it must come off. Not enough pink, I guess. She wouldn't have it.
Since Ellie was feeling much better without the camo jumpsuit, she joined in the snowman building fun, too.
And then they went back inside. It was around this time that Mason declared, "I wish dad was here. It would be so much better if dad was here." I mean, WHAT AM I? Chop liver?!?
Before I could blink, we were out again. And Ellie decided that it didn't matter what color that jumpsuit was. It only mattered that she was cold. So I helped her back into it. And, then, what to our wondering eyes did appear . . . Daddy is here! And he had such a good idea . . . he suggested that Hannah Kate wear Mason's boots and Mason wear his. Genius!
And then, of course, a snowball fight erupted!
Oh, what fun!
At this point, I don't even know what happened. She was mad at Mason because he kept throwing snowballs at her. It went downhill. And fast.
This reminded me so much of her reaction to the "snow" back in 2014. She wanted none of it. She HATED it.
So we came back inside, and when we decided to go back out, she crossed those arms of hers and dared me to make her! Oh, how we've laughed at this and recently even.
But somehow I managed to get her laughing again.
And then I begged her to let me take her picture with the snowman before going back inside.
I don't even know how many times today they went in and out. I know I ended up with A LOT of wet clothes, wet socks and dirty floors. But I didn't even care. They had THE BEST time. Of all of them, Hannah Kate enjoyed it the most! She really did.
This kid enjoyed it, too, but he didn't hang as long as his sisters did. He's not a big fan of the cold weather, even though it looks otherwise . . .
I had to laugh . . . here are the "quotes of the day" . . .
Mason: Well, we better enjoy it because this is a once in a lifetime event for us!
Hannah Kate: I've never been so cold in my entire life!
Ellie: This is the best snow day ever!
That's right, kids, you best have enjoyed it. Because it probably won't ever happen again! I told Seth tonight that today was such a joyful, unexpected surprise. It really and truly was!
We had already planned a date night to celebrate his birthday. This is the only picture I have of me "in the snow," (because you know who is always the one taking the pictures), and a lot of it had melted by this time.
I don't know exactly how much snow we had, but I measured just over two inches at one point.
The weather radar today was insane! Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I never would've believed it!
As we continue to celebrate this Advent season, I am overwhelmed with joy as I reflect on the gift of this day our Lord gave us. It was so beautiful in so many ways.
I found only one pair of hunting gloves. I thought we had two. So I gave them to Hannah Kate since she was the one wearing crocs. Gosh, I'm sure her feet were FREEZING, but she never complained! Instead she got to work building a snowman.
Do you want to build a snowman? Why, yes. Yes, I do!
Before I could blink, we were out again. And Ellie decided that it didn't matter what color that jumpsuit was. It only mattered that she was cold. So I helped her back into it. And, then, what to our wondering eyes did appear . . . Daddy is here! And he had such a good idea . . . he suggested that Hannah Kate wear Mason's boots and Mason wear his. Genius!
Mason: Well, we better enjoy it because this is a once in a lifetime event for us!
Hannah Kate: I've never been so cold in my entire life!
Ellie: This is the best snow day ever!
That's right, kids, you best have enjoyed it. Because it probably won't ever happen again! I told Seth tonight that today was such a joyful, unexpected surprise. It really and truly was!
We had already planned a date night to celebrate his birthday. This is the only picture I have of me "in the snow," (because you know who is always the one taking the pictures), and a lot of it had melted by this time.
What a view!
