Snow Day

Yesterday we were surprised when our school district canceled school because of snow. I grew up and worked in our school district, and I only know of one snow day. I think I was in sixth grade, so it was around 1996. And you know what the whole neighborhood did on that snow day? Went sledding! At THE SCHOOL!

Good times.

One of the reasons our district doesn't like to close for snow is because we have a lot of families in our district for whom school is a source of warmth, safety, and food. They want to make sure that the kids who need food are able to go to the school. Our district is good about snow though. Even though they never close the schools, they are lenient with absences and tardies during snow storms, and they always tell us parents that we have the option to keep our kids home without penalty. So regardless of a formal cancellation, I feel I can keep my kids home if I need to on the really bad days.

 

Obligatory snow photo. I didn't want to go outside, and this

was the closest thing covered in snow I could snap a quick 

picture of (KonMari hasn't reached the back patio yet).

In addition to the schools closing, our county libraries and our dance studio closed. Nicky's junior high orientation was canceled, and the dentist office next to my dentist office was closed, but my dentist office was not. And that's relevant because I had three kids with dentist appointments yesterday. I called the office to see if they were postponing or cancelling appointments, and they responded to me like I was an insane person. So I kept our appointments for 10:00 which worked out well because we also had an 8:30 pediatrician appointment that we (and the doctor) didn't make it to. They had a cancellation at 11:00 that we were able to snag, and it's in the same building as the dentist.

 

Elsa takes (non-licensed) Nemo to the dentist.

Follow that up with burgers and courtesy cones from a very empty Arctic Circle, and we were all happy as clams... except for the part where one kid had four cavities, and the dentist told me that I absolutely cannot put off taking my kids to the orthodontist any longer. My vision is suddenly obstructed by dollar signs. Which reminds me... I have a kid who needs glasses.

Since the kids had an unexpected day off school, I let them stay in their dirty clothes, play video games, "do art," and eat marshmallows for most of the day. 

They also played outside for exactly seven minutes.