What's to love...

Snow days...

Kids love 'em....but not all parents do.

I get it. When I worked full time, I would have to take a vacation day...

and then work from home because me not being in the office and being on

vacation did not mean that work stopped.

Which was super...or not. ;)

And I get that it's nice to have a routine...and school does offer a routine.

It's just a busy "task filled" routine.

And kids do tend to get in each other's space...and on each other's nerves after awhile...

But like everything, this cANCER crapfest, has given me perspective...

and an appreciate for time.

So after the boys had been on winter break for two full weeks, 

and the first day they were to go back was cancelled due to extreme cold...

I was more excited than the kids!

And I know not every parent was...but I was giddy.

Here's what's to love about "snow days"...

We knew the night before that school was cancelled for the next day

so we made sushi and one of Zach's friends got to join us. We didn't

have to worry about getting to bed by a certain time.

Bedtime doesn't matter on a "no school night"! :)

The next morning I got up when Braden woke up at about 8:00 am. 

That's about 2 hours later than on school days. 

Sleep rocks.

I took my time working out, getting breakfast, etc. and finally

I assumed my "on break" uniform...a t-shirt and...

Yoga Pants!!

no make up...

or curled hair. 

(I did brush my hair...well kinda)

Now THAT is what I call a vacation! :)

Then the fun began....

the "snow day" detour routine:

First, we played:

SuperHeroes...

and Braden Saved The Day!

Build Your Own Marble Tower..

And...we really did lose our marbles...

Braden said they got away and rolled down the heating vent.

Whoops!

Thankfully,  they had just rolled under the curtains...

but it took a LONG time and lots of searching for us to figure that out. 

I was wondering how I was going to tell dad we lost our marbles in the duct work. 

We added masterpieces to our exclusive art gallery...

Installed a new transportation system...

Read the stack of books Braden checked out from the library the day before...a true detour.  

While driving past the library, he said he loved the library and loved to read 

and could we please, PLEASE go to the library...

so we turned around

and went to the library.

And we have read the same book about trains about 7 million times...

over and over and over...

and every time he claps and squeals with delight.

I could read it 7 million more times for that smile!

Even if I am sick of it.

Next, Braden practiced his precision lining up toys...

...it is entirely possible that he has his mother's need for straight lines... ;)

I'm SO proud!!

The first bunch covered my entire dining room table.

The second bunch protected my piano.

Pretty much every space in the house was covered in toys! 

and the toys had adventures and conversations...

Pretend play with beautifully expansive language and scenarios...

Kids with autism don't always do that.

BOOM BABY!!

See, the boys were learning on their day off...reading, art, language...

...and music...

Zach practiced his trombone and taught me how to play 

"Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Mary Had A Little Lamb"

That was SO much fun!! 

Seriously!!

But I still can't quite hit the note "D" though...it's more like D flat....

ish.

So I got my flute out to show him what I used to play in band...

I actually remembered how to play the notes...

WOO HOO!!

But sadly, it was pretty squawky! :)

Okay, I was horrible 

and I would not be sitting first chair anymore.

But it was still fun!

And Zach still thought it was really cool!! 

(I hope he never grows up and loses that happiness and joy about things)

After all of this "snow day" fun,  my house was a wreck!

And I'm not a "wreck" kind of girl...

 I love those straight lines with everything in its place...

But...

The army had been in my basement and saved the world...

 in fact,

there had been multiple missions across all levels of the house...

and each level looked equally dismal.

There was evidence of cooped up children everywhere I turned.

Even my dishwasher became a basketball goal... :)

My friend, June, had given me this to remind me to chill out about the disaster zone...

She was right...

We WERE making memories in that mess.

And learning math:

probability, odds, number sense....

No one said it had to be "conventional learning". :)

Finally, it was time to head up for showers and pajamas 

because the next day was going to be a school day.

BOOOOO!!

So after multiple kisses...

and snuggles...

they fell fast asleep.

While I prepared for the 6:00 am wake up call...and

jeans,

make up, 

real hair brushing

rush, rush, rush....

no more:

SuperHeroes saving the day

Losing our marbles...

figuratively...

...and literally...

 no more art class

reading the same book over and over...

and over and over and over again.

 no five card stud math

no more band class

(which the neighbors might thank me for)

No more battles waged and won 

with a barrage of Nerf bullets...

found in the strangest of places.

No more straight rows of toys covering every piece of furniture in the house

no more boys yelling and screaming

no more constant motion of a house full of kids

no more "MOM!!! He's touching my stuff!"

no more random hugs and kisses during the day for no reason

no more tickle-fest moments that steal your oxygen because you laugh so hard

no more "come with me mom!"

 it was all replaced by

toys in bins

fresh vacuum marks in the carpet

 and silence

...until 3:35

when the rush of homework, supper, practices and busy schedules begins.

I'll take snow days any day...

because it gives me the one thing I want more than anything...

time.