the blizzard that wasn't

Our area spent the weekend getting worked up about a potentially epic and absolutely crippling blizzard that was heading our way. On Monday afternoon it was announced that the NYC public schools would be closed on Tuesday -- a move with unprecedented advanced notice (we are usually informed of school closings the morning of) which led one to believe that we really were in for a doozy. All public transportation shut down, and the roads were kept open only to emergency vehicles. The city went to bed on Monday night prepared to wake up to upwards of three feet of snow.

But during the night the storm shifted a mere 50 miles to the east, sparing the city from all but about 6 inches of accumulation. The blizzard warning was lifted 18 hours ahead of schedule. We were in the clear. (Our neighbors on Long Island to the east and Connecticut to the north, however, were not so lucky and received the predicted 24+ inches of deep and drifted snow.)

The boys still had the snow day, and Blake's office was still closed for the weather, and since the subway was only slowly restarting again, he wouldn't have been able to get into Manhattan anyway, so we hunkered down for a pleasant play-in-the-snow-and-bake-cookies kind of day.

We started the day exactly as we should have: by not getting up early and making pumpkin muffins for breakfast while the snow continued to swirl around outside.

Just because the blizzard was not nearly as severe as expected didn't mean we came away with nothing. I took the boys outside and they enjoyed romping around in it until they got too cold to cope.

 Daniel "the slug" loved being pulled around on the sled.

He didn't even mind sharing the space with Matthew.

Sleigh ride!

Garrett wanted to "sled like a penguin." He was unsuccessful...probably because he's not a penguin.

Matthew was the first to protest against the cold. Soon after this I took him back inside as he wailed hysterically.

Caleb, the king of the snowplowed mountain.

Garrett attempting to oust him.

 Mini sled hill.

Blake took a quick break from work to walk the two bigger boys down to the playground where they found a small sledding hill. They didn't last long, though, as soon Caleb was in tears because he was too cold. And you would be, too, if there was as much snow in your boots as we found in his once he came inside. He and Garrett decided to warm up under as many blankets as they could gather.

Meanwhile, the little boys "played nicely" together with blocks in the living room:

The infant human eyes its prey, then moves in for the kill. His older brother's block building doesn't stand a chance against the cheetah-like instincts of the motivated crawler.

While Matthew and Daniel napped in the afternoon, I did a little snow science with a very eager Garrett and Caleb. Garrett went out to collect the cleanest snow he could find, and then we observed it using each of our five senses. We also performed a few experiments -- tested to see what would happen to a cup of snow kept in the freezer, the fridge, and on the counter, as well as what happened when we poured both cold and boiling water over the snow.

By the end of the day, I was kaput. (Days with everyone at home have a tendency to do that to me.) I needed a little space and quiet, so I sent the boys to play in their room and, after I straightened up the living room to create at least a semblance of order, I arranged blocks for another quilt I've been working on.

I've never done pinwheels before, but I think I'm a fan. I especially like that this pattern, which only called for a "layer cake" of pre-cut fabric, does not require too much thought.

Everyone is back to school and work today, which, as nice as the free day off was, is a relief. Maybe now I can actually get that quilt top sewn together or finish reading the latest Flavia de Luce novel. At least, that is, for the next hour until it's time to wake up the sleeping babies and shove the stroller through the snow and slush to after school pick up. It's the life, I tell you.