There's been snow to the north.
There's been snow to the south.
But until this week, we barely had a dusting.
This week...
On Thursday there was bitter cold, wind, and snow.
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| He chose to do this completely unproductive chore. The wind blew that snow right back onto the path within minutes. |
Friday night and all through Saturday we just got snow.
Lots of it.
This is how we park when we know there will be lots of snow. Halfway down the driveway, on top of the hill, facing the direction we need to go. Turken was nice enough to shovel that pathway to the van for me before I had to take Buttercup to her Confirmation retreat. (1)
I made it to church and back without much trouble, despite the snow-covered roads. (2)
All soccer and volleyball practices were canceled, though, so I didn't have to run around all over town, debating who and when and how to work the logistics. (3)
Bryan made it home last night and back to work before the sun came up this morning safe and sound. This is his one gigantic work weekend for the year, which usually lasts three days. Fortunately, they are finishing earlier (as in by 11:00 tonight) and he won't have to go in tomorrow. (4)
It is warm enough for the boys to actually go outside and play in the snow today. Not one of them even whined when I kicked them out of the house. (5)
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| He's having fun, I swear. |
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| Football is always more fun in the snow. |
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| He didn't dare. |
We had a great book club meeting last night. Everyone was able to make it, including the one currently living in Japan. She was on facetime with us for 2 hours. (6) (For those wondering, we read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. It's a story is from the point of view of the boy with autism. Three of us loved it (including me), 1 liked it, 2 liked that it kept their interest but it wasn't their favorite book by any means.)
I'm going to brag on a kid for just one thankful. I don't normally like to do this much, but I'm just so happy about how well Phoenix is doing this year since he got the ADD diagnosis. We received an email from Phoenix's Geometry teacher, which always scares us a bit, but this was a good one. He is one of only two teens in the nation to get a perfect score on a national Catholic schools geometry test. (7)
I was able to help someone during a difficult time this week. When I offered to do what I wanted to do, I didn't even know how badly it was needed. (How's that for convoluted and vague?) (8)
On Wednesday I was all ready to go toe-to-toe with LAFitness about the poor service I was receiving. They promoted the guy who had been helping me get my knee back to normal, which meant if I wanted to continue with him, I had to pay extra. I only have a month left, so I said no, I would just switch to a new trainer. Only problem was, the trainers they had available only worked on nights and weekends. I was getting quite the run-around and was told I would get a call, but a week later, on Wednesday, I still hadn't heard from them. I was ready to let them have it. Bryan was cheering me on with cries of, "Take down the institution!" I went in, saw the guy in charge, and said, "You didn't call." He got a panicked look on his face, sat at the computer and didn't speak for a minute. And then he said, "I will train you today for free. Next week will be a problem, but we have a new trainer starting on March 1 who will be able to take you at the time you normally come in." Just so happens, next week is the one week I can't train anyway, so it worked out perfectly. (9)
I called Bryan, asking him who needed a tongue-lashing, 'cause I had all sorts of pent-up irritation and no place to put it.
As I typed this last sentence, the dogs caught my attention by barking. I glanced up and saw our neighbor. He is in his tractor, plowing the snow out of our driveway. (10)
And he didn't read a single one of the 1,000 posts on compassion that flooded the internet yesterday. Including mine.
There are some great people in this world.
So, what unexpected surprises are you thankful for this week?
Have a lovely day!
<a href="http://summat2thinkon.wordpress.com/?s=Ten+Things+of+Thankful" target="_blank"><img src=" http://summat2thinkon.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/d8fc4-tenthingsbanner.jpg?w=700" alt="Ten Things of Thankful" style="border:none;" /></a>
A Fly on our (Chicken Coop) Wall, Amycake and the Dude, Considerings, Finding Ninee, Getting Literal, I Want Backsies, The Meaning of Me, Rewritten, Thankful Me, The Wakefield Doctrine
Lots and lots of good stuff here, but the one thing that I liked the best was - I don't normally like to do this much, but I'm just so happy about how well Phoenix is doing this year since he got the ADD diagnosis. We received an email from Phoenix's Geometry teacher, which always scares us a bit, but this was a good one. He is one of only two teens in the nation to get a perfect score on a national Catholic schools geometry test. That's totally rocks.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
It did totally rock. Thanks. :)
DeleteYou really have a great neighbor! Congrats to Phoenix on the geometry test, this is wonderful!! I love the snowy pictures of the children, I wished to get just one more good snowstorm this week until spring will arrive for good. Doesn't look good though..
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week, Christine!
I'm OK in not getting any more snow. Come on Spring! :)
DeleteThank you!
Congratulations to Phoenix!
ReplyDeleteMy whole post today is vague, so your #8 made perfect sense to me! :-)
very cool snow time thankfuls... Awesome Phoenix news... first and one of two classes I ever bombed was Geometry, (well if you dont count Sewing)... Geometry does not have happy memories ...but man do I respect those who can do it!
ReplyDeleteGeometry was not one of my favorite subjects, and Math is my favorite kind of class! I don't know anyone who doesn't or hasn't simply suffered through it.
DeleteGo Phoenix! Sometimes that diagnosis can make all the difference in the world - that was true for everyone in this house! Knowing what it is and how to deal with it is half the battle. More than.
ReplyDeleteI never understood Geometry - my brain simply does not function that way. Like Ivy, I am more than a little in awe of those who understand the whole proofs and theorems thing and what the purpose is.
And I know my shapes - so there's that. A surprise thankful! :D
I have not yet read your 1000Speak post, but I'm getting there...
It is completely astounding the difference. And he notices it.
DeleteJust because we know how to do proofs does not mean we know what the purpose is. I don't know any math people who like geometry. :)
I read yours right after you published it. I've been trying to come up with a response ever since. You made me speechless. :)
Thank goodness for nice neighbors - especially with that mile long driveway of yours! That's so awesome that your son is a math whiz. I am terrible at math, but thankfully Hubby can help the kid with her math homework when she needs it. It looks like you guys are making the best out of the winter weather - good for you!
ReplyDeleteNo joke. We don't know many of our neighbors, but I'm certainly glad this guy is one of them!
DeleteAll but Buttercup like math best. We're a math family, you might say. No one ever asks me for help, no matter how much I beg them to.
I sent you that snow after it visited us. You're welcome.
ReplyDeleteLove the gonna throw a snowball at you - not! picture.
Congratulations, Phoenix, on the geometry award! I never took it in high school because no one made me.
Nothing like going in with a good mad and having the wind taken out of your sails. At least the PT thing was resolved in your favor.
Gee, thanks.
DeleteYou never had to take Geometry?? Lucky you!
It was resolved way better than I imagined it would. I was shocked.
Snow? You can keep it!! I hate the stuff - even when I was a kid I hated it and if my mom had ever tried kicking me out to play in it she would have had a mutiny on her hands!
ReplyDeleteWell done and congratulations to Phoenix on getting the award, you must be very proud of him.
Well done too to the neighbour ploughing the snow off your drive - it's good to have good neighbours :)
I grew up in the snow belt. We played in 8 ft. high piles of snow, digging tunnels and sliding down them and ice skating and sledding and all sorts of fun stuff. As an adult, I only want snow if I can stay home until it melts. It's pretty to look at through a window. :)
DeleteI am thrilled for him.
This neighbor is the best one EVER!
Football in the snow....FUN! I'd be foolish enough to play my own self if someone asked LOL
ReplyDeleteLove your pics. The kids look as if they are enjoying themselves....which they can 'cuz they're kids and don't have to worry (like you do) about stuff like practices being cancelled or not and such.
Congrats to Phoenix! Geometry. The only subject I ever failed. Ever. All the way to college. Just say no to Geometry!
See? Right there. Ya got yourself a business "Tongue Lashing, Inc." LOL
Hope Bryan gets to sleep in late tomorrow:)
Oh, I have. It is fun to fall and not worry about getting hurt.
DeleteBy the looks of them, they don't have a worry in the world.
Ha! It's unanimous! Not one person has stood up and said I like geometry! 'Cause it's horrible and pointless. :)
He did not get to sleep in much, but he ended up getting home way before 11:00, so he got plenty of sleep.
We are knee deep in snow (i think it looks it ) 7 or 8 more weeks and the forsythias in my driveway will bloom ( i hope, they should, they always do) anyway congrats to Phoenix awesome job although you must be proud I'm sure this surely gives him well deserved confidence. Safe travels are a relief - snow days and football is fun, neighbors with tractors and plowing snow just would make me smile and sigh- stay warm and safe! :)
ReplyDeleteOh how I want flowers to bloom!!! We should be getting close to the crocuses popping up. They're my favorite, because they're always the first.
DeleteIt was a good boost for him, for sure.
Thanks! Doing my best to!
Great snow photos. The football action shot is my favorite. A perfect score on a national geometry test? I hope you didn't make Phoenix eat stuffed peppers for dinner. (a joke) Usually the Midwest is knee deep in snow most of the winter. Thankful everyone got where they needed to go safely. And that vague little act of kindness is a choice for compassion. I'm choosing a book for my book club in a couple of months. I'll check your posts for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteHahaha!! No stuffed peppers, but he is the one kid who eats them without too much fuss. He likes green peppers. :)
I know! We usually have more snow than this, so I'm not going to complain.
If you need any suggestions, let me know! I just did a post about some of my favorite books not too long ago.
It is Sunday today and I'm staying in with youtube mass. Too chicken to drive out on the snow.
ReplyDeleteNot a bad plan. It's wicked in a lot of places.
DeleteI understand how big that email from his geomtry teacher must have been as some one with ADD and a child with ADD ...
ReplyDeleteHow nice for both number eight and your neighbor blowing your snow. It always comes back around doesn't it.
HUGE! We have gotten our fair share of not good ones, so we're always nervous.
DeleteIt does. And I count on it. I need a lot of help sometimes! ;)
I'm glad you're on the receiving end of some compassionate snow plowing! THAT is a gift. We have two young, neighborhood boys who shovel for us. Of course we can do it ourselves, but they came once, and I was moved to allow them because they were so young and enterprising and and polite. Now they just show up and start, and I can't bear to tell them no (though we really don't have the kind of income that allows for regular paid snow shoveling) because they are so...you know...young and enterprising and polite. Really great boys. Anyhow, that ramble was to say they were here last night AFTER DARK once it had stopped snowing. Young, enterprising, polite.
ReplyDeleteI've loved your photos of the snow activity. I had to do some sort of manual labor today to use my muscles so I went out and shoveled the piles the the plow left blocking our driveway and the path to the schoolbus. Whoof! I got my exercise. Brian threatened to throw a snowball at me, and I told him he could throw as many as he liked if he did the shoveling of the large, ice-covered chunks of snow. He shoveled three times and said it wasn't worth it. Seriously lame. But they he built an impressive snowman with the kids.
Oh, I would never be able to turn those boys away, even if it meant I couldn't have M&Ms for a week. :)
DeleteShoveling is a great workout. I like doing it in pleasant weather. The day it was hovering near zero and a wind chill of negative numbers, not so much.
I'd rather shovel than build a snowman.
that was their fatal mistake (LAfitness people)… no, not getting you mad! (heck you're a scott, how hard is that?* no, their mistake was in not calling you, because your powers are attenuated when limited to voice-only as a medium.. which lead to you getting to the point of going there in person lol
ReplyDelete(the poor guy was probably staring desperately at the computer, like a lion tamer in the care with a flimsy folded up beach chair…)
snow… how bad can it be…it's almost March
*non-Doctrine Readers… I am referring to the fact that scotts tend to be mercurial in temperament (and that means being mad is a fairly transitory state… very quick to appear, equally quick to pass)
NO JOKE!
DeleteHa! It did seem he was just randomly clicking things on the computer in order to stall until he came up with an idea. I almost giggled at the look on his face. :)
Don't even start with the how bad can snow be nonsense.
And so you should be bragging! Way to go Phoenix!!!
ReplyDeleteWe've been lucky with the snow this year too. I think G only had to "scrape" the driveway once this year. ;)
:)
DeleteLucky him!
I am glad you were able to go about your days with the snow safely. Also happy you made the most of it too!
ReplyDeleteMe, too. And by the late afternoon, the sun was out and the snow on the road had melted. All was well on the roads, at least, quite quickly, thank goodness.
DeleteSnoooowww!! Finally. And yet, does it have to stick around for so long?
ReplyDeleteSo sweet about your neighbor plowing your driveway. I need new neighbors. Heehee!
Yes. Snow. Finally. I'll be OK with it this one time. :) This stuff is really hanging around. It is FRIGID out there these days!
DeleteHa! He is one of a kind. :)
We had a ton* of snow today in Fort Worth, Texas. Schools, city offices, even restaurants have closed down for the day, so I totally feel you. (*by a "ton", I mean less than an inch. And by snow I mean ice. Winter confuses Texans.) :)
ReplyDeleteIn the defense of Texans, just a little bit of ice is dangerous. In the spirit of a little good-natured ribbing, when we lived in Arkansas, it snowed one time. Less than two inches. The town shut. Down. People were sliding off the road, there was a run for milk and bread. You would have thought a major storm was blowing through.
DeleteHaha! I certainly did. :)
ReplyDeleteOh please. You don't suck at TToT. The creator of the TToT can't suck at it. You are also in charge of the 1000 voices, which we all did, soooooo... relax.
Yay!
I won't be upset this once. If we get any more like this, I will be voicing my displeasure.
For the first 15 years of my life, I grew up in Indiana snow. I loved it as a kid. I'm now in FL and happy to be here, where winter lasts about 2 days at 40 degrees. I sure feel your frozen toes though. I remember...
ReplyDelete