Dreaming of Warm, Sunny Days

We’re having snow days this year. A lot of them. More than I remember ever having when I was in school. (Yes, I know I sound like a grouchy old woman. Hush.) Paul, though, remembers the winter of 1978, when there were 22 snow days. So it could definitely be worse.

I had taken today off to try and get a bunch of stuff done around the house. So it’s good that I’m not trying to work while the boys are rousting around today. But it does dampen my grand plans for the day. I got out the tent and tunnels. It should distract them for awhile.

I had yesterday off too, for a company holiday. I don’t think I’ve ever worked anywhere that took President’s Day, but I’m not complaining. I spent the day continuing the decluttering effort I started on Sunday. There is this closet by the front door in our house. It’s kind of hard to explain, but it’s built over the stairs to the basement, so there are these deep, wide shelves built into it, and it’s HUGE. Which seems to mean, unfortunately, that I just shove more crap in there. I dreaded opening the door.

But I dragged everything out (WHAT ARE YOU DOING MOM?!!???!? WHAT IS THAT?!? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THAT?!?  MOM?!!?????) and sorted ruthlessly. The amount of stuff that went either to the trash or the donate pile was shameful. Or impressive, I guess, depending on how you look at it. I did get it organized, and I’ve been going over and just looking at it because it makes me so happy. I even made my sister admire it. 

I made two more big garbage bags of stuff from other rooms and shoved them in the car. As I drove away from the donation center, I felt freeeeeeeeeeee. How do we accumulate so much stuff?

In other news, it’s been a year since our family went on our magical, amazing wish trip. Just thinking about it makes me smile. The weather was really so beautiful, and we had such a wonderful time. And we made such friends!

I got the nicest surprise this Sunday when a comment popped up on on the blog from Jess and Maggie. They’re the beautiful girls in the picture below, and they were our special friends during our week at Give Kids the World.

They were there on a school volunteer trip with their teacher (below), who was just as great.

This week, the girls are back at the village, and they thought of our crazy boys. I’d shared the blog address with them last year, and they remembered it!

Jess and Maggie, I hope you’re having a wonderful time again this year, and making another family feel as treasured as we did. You’re seniors this year, I believe, so it’s really not very long until you’ll be going off into the wide world on your own. I’m so glad that we got to meet you. I don’t know what your futures hold, but no matter what it is, your kindness will serve you well.

And soak up some sun for us! We’re a little buried right now.