It is New Year’s Day and I’m still in Michigan and I’m loving’ it. It has been a peaceful break. The kids have enjoyed the slopes – despite the lack of snow. And I’ve enjoyed watching them, taking pictures, and being close enough to go home and cook dinner and have it ready for them when they’re finished skiing and ‘boarding. And yes, I’ve been able to play with MtDC.org or Making the days Count dot org.

Yesterday, the weather service pronounced a Winter Storm Watch, which changed into a Winter Storm Warning, and today turned into reality. I like snow, which is surprising because I didn’t see my first snow day until I was 11 years old, in fifth grade. Growing up in south Texas, you don’t see much snow, and when you do, it is awesome and cold, very cold because you don’t have the gear to make it fun without it being cold and miserable.

The kids have to be back to school on Tuesday, that’s in two days and I get to wait until the following Monday which is in seven days, so I was reluctant, no adamant that I didn’t want to leave and go home, just yet. I know I’ll have to go home, eventually, but I just didn’t want to be today. Olivia and I stayed to watch the snow and play – she played, I watched.

I have enjoyed this Christmas, winter break, and the time leading up to it. I enjoy listening to Christmas music from ‘All I want for Christmas….’ to ‘Jingle Bells’ to Winter Wonderland’ and everything in between. The weather reminded me of ‘Let it Snow’

Oh the weather outside is frightful, 
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we’ve no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Lyrics “Let it Snow” (Sammy Cahn lyrics and Jule Styne music)

So, I took Olivia’s suggestion (actually a request) and made a fire when we came home from the slopes. I shoveled the path and got wood, then started dinner. Dinner on New Year’s Day is traditional foe me – pork loin, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes.  Growing up it was black-eyed peas, but I have adopted Beth’s family tradition. I have tweaked the recipe for the kids and add hotdogs to the kraut when the pork is done and cook the kraut and the dogs covered in foil in the oven the last hour or so. It is always delicious and tonight was no different. Olivia and I enjoyed by the fire with ivy under the table, begging.

After dinner, I cleaned up and so did Olivia. I took ivy for a walk along the lane from one end to the other. The storm began with rain this morning and switched over to light snow by midday and heavy snow by late afternoon. The setup of the storm left the trees coated with snow. By late evening, it was lightly snowing and the lane had a few inches on it but it was blowing across the road from the lake and I knew that by morning, the road would be a mess and we would truly have a winter wonderland. Ivy enjoyed running, sniffing, and leaving her mark as we walked. She’d shove her nose into the snow sniffing and searching.

When our short walk was finished, Ivy curled up in front of the fire and I started to write. Olivia was busy watching a television show and I caught the last bit of Dallas Cowboys – New York Giants game out of the corner of and eye. I had wanted to write earlier and got side tracked. I really had wanted to write yesterday and it (the idea) died and will have to wait for another day. At this point, the Giants have won, Olivia is ready for bed, I am wrapping it up, and it is still lightly snowing outside. It will continue to snow all night and we will wake to a winter wonderland – let it snow. Making the Days Count, one snowflake at a time.

Do you have a favorite snow memory? Let me know what it is!