Snow Day

Today was the first snow day of the season. Only 4-5 inches, but with blowing and drifting which causes the back roads to be pretty bad. We left school early yesterday, and by 1:00 the roads weren't really very good. Then they called a 2-hour delay for today last night, so we let the kids each stay up a half hour later. This morning I got up at 6:00, and watched to see if we were going to cancel or not. We did, but not until 7:30, and Maria was already up with me. But Ben and Sam both slept till after 9:00. The kids also got to play with the Smiths today - usually they go to Day Care on snow days but Lisa was able to work from home today. So they played outside together and then spent the afternoon first at our house for a couple of hours, then at their house. Ben was able to take a long run (to the library and back) in the snow, which he enjoyed, and I got some quiet time and a nap. So all in all, a good day for everyone.

Some other news around here this week:

Our contractor confirmed they will start on the basement Monday or Tuesday. Permit is in place, and so are the subcontractors, so we're pretty optimistic about the whole thing. Ben is replacing the sump pumps tomorrow. We still have to bring up all the pieces of the old entertainment center, and pull up the carpet, but other than that I think it's ready to go. I brought up 9 trash bags the other night.

Sam is having a difficult time adjusting to going back to school. He tends to have trouble with transitions, where Maria has been more of a go-with-the-flow kind of kid. The weird schedule this week didn't help much either. He had to pull his card one day at school, and drove us crazy here in the evenings. But the last couple of days he has been working on building K'Nex and Lego sets from Christmas, and that keeps him busy and out of trouble. I also think he misses having the basement the way it was. I don't think he really understands the whole finishing project. He just wants space to run in!

Sam and I got our H1N1 flu shots today - his booster and my first and only. He cracks me up talking with the nurses - when they were doing my shot he asked her why she squirts some liquid out of the syringe before starting, and then had all kinds of questions about her "Sharps" container for the used needles. He even told her it smelled funny. I just never see him exhibit quite this much curiosity in other situations (he was like this when he got his first shot too) - and he is never afraid to ask them questions!

Maria and I (and sometimes Sam) have been working on some Disney puzzles I got her for Christmas. We've done two 300 piece ones and one 150 piece one, and today started a 500 piece one. I think this one may take a long time!

Ben was sick earlier this week - had to leave work early Monday and miss Tuesday. He returned to work Wednesday but didn't feel better until mid-day Wednesday. It was weird because he really didn't have many symptoms, other then weakness and fatigue. No stomach or respiratory issues. But he's better now and so far none of us have caught it!