The cutest little snowmakers

Those giggles you heard tonight at 8:30pm, neighbors?  Those were my magnificent kids making a snowman and snow angels in our yard.  Maren had practice after school, so she didn’t get Round One in the snow with Greta during daylight hours.  After practice, Brad took them both to see our high school friend perform in the high school’s band concert tonight.  After a packed day, she came in the house so utterly disappointed with the realization that she missed the first snow.  Since I know the magic of snow to a child, I said “Get out there!  Carpe the night.  Go play in the snow!  Go!”

She had a tween moment that prevented her from jumping onboard immediately.  Greta danced a jig in front of her singing some made up silly tune about sisters in the dark with the snow to try to get her to cheer up.  Greta is the best person to have around when you need a cheery moment: she is choc full of them.  “C’mon Maren,” she said as she snuggled up on the armrest of the chair Maren sulked in, “I’ll go with you and we will do ALL THE SNOW THINGS!”

Grinning with Greta, I said coaxingly, “Seriously Maren.  This is going to be a memorable snow-outing because you’ll be in the dark.  It will be awesome.  Snow-play-standards will hold: hot chocolate and marshmallows will be served when you come in!”

In the end, it was neither my super-counseling nor Greta’s jiggity joy that helped.  Instead it was short comment from Brad that got Maren out of her disappointment funk and into fun mode.  Go SuperDad.

Finally, the two rapidly bundled as quickly as they could and dashed outside — into the dark.  I think it will be a memory maker.  They made snow trails and snow angels in the yard.  They squealed with the thrill of the cold and the adventure of the night.  They got out their teeny tiny toy wheelbarrow and used it as a snow plow.  Maren sent Greta knocking on the door looking for accessories for their mini snowman; I met them at the door with bamboo skewers from the kitchen drawer for arms, a (smallish) scarf from their toddler years, blueberries for eyes, and a mini carrot for a nose.  It’s the cutest little snowman you ever did see.

Brad and I made trips back and forth from our seats by the warm fireplace to the door in the kitchen.  We sat and talked about the day whilst the girls played.  Well, we sat and talked about half the time.  The rest of the time we were gathering snow supplies, taking picture, and admiring snow angels that we really couldn’t see because it was too dark.  But they were sooo excited, and it was all sooo worth it.

As they nibbled their marshmallows at 9:00pm, I told them to remember the awesomeness of this moment if they feel tired or grouchy tomorrow.  They, being the smart girls that they are, nodded with great seriousness and cheeky smiles.  (And I too, will remember their shrieks of glee from tonight if tomorrow has some of that other kind of shrieking as a consequence.)

Thanks be to God for the many blessings of this day.