Snow!

We've been socked by snow, sleet and freezing rain. My only comfort is that Portland is going through the exact same weather system, so we wouldn't be any better off if we were there than if we were here.

Yesterday was magical: Ruth and Steve stopped by for breakfast on the way back to Chicago. They brought the perfect Hanukkah gift for Rachel: a pink down coat!! Rarely do we get to use gifts immediately after we get them, but yesterday was the exception. As soon as they left, Drew raced out to buy groceries and other stuff we needed for the house, and I announced to Rachel that we'd be taking a walk (it had started to snow in earnest). We went outside and made footprints in the backyard, then slid down the snow-covered slide (it was really wobbly), then went for a walk and wrote our names in the snow on the sidewalk. I had wanted to walk along the bike path to the playground but poor Rachel was shivering in her boots -- they were rain boots, not the snow boots she really needs -- and even though we ran into a friend of hers from school, Marat, I told her we could walk back home if she really wanted to. She said yes.

As soon as we got home, I made us homemade hot chocolate and popcorn, and Rachel and I settled in for the entire three-hour version of "The Sound of Music." Drew, who can't stand the movie, unpacked the groceries, read the Sunday paper, and then I made baked chicken and shells for dinner. One of the things Drew picked up was a TON of wood, so perhaps we'll have a fire tonight. Or tomorrow.

This morning the snow was gone but school was cancelled (!). In fairness, the streets were still icy and there was ice on the trees, which is making me nervous because if one big branch falls on my car I am TOAST for transportation. Luckily I didn't have to work, so Drew went in while I tried to wake up. Rachel and I played with the approximately 10,987-piece plastic Playmobil castle Drew bought her for Hanukkah and finally assembled this past weekend. At one point I told her that I had to take a nap; she whined and pouted but I just went into my bedroom and crashed. After she gave up trying to get my attention (which included hiding in my closet for a while), Rachel climbed in bed next to me and we both fell asleep for about two hours, waking only because Ivy's mom called and said Ivy wanted to come over.

I broke up about three arguments between them before they finally settled down to drawing and then decided to go to Ivy's. So now I am desperately trying to get done everything I'd hoped to do with the day I'd assumed I would have all to myself. The house is filled with the smell of tomato soup, which is bubbling in the crockpot and we'll have for dinner tonight with homemade challah and latkes. Hey, the weather may be crappy but at least my family eats well....