Thoroughly snowed

...going to snow another 10-ish inches tonight.  On top of last week's 8 and 6, and the 24 the week before that.  Or something like that.  Not to mention the negligible 1-inchers that we barely notice, like happened yesterday and today already.  The streets are so narrow at this point that I had a moment where my life flashed before my eyes (seriously) as a FedEx truck came toward me in the opposing lane on the winding and already-narrow-in-good-weather road in front of our house.  He couldn't have cleared my mirror by more than 2mm and he was moving fast.  I don't drive that road anymore!!!

There's a rhyme the kids LOVE from music class that goes like this:
It's freezing, it's freezing, I hope I don't start sneezing,
AchOO!
AchOO!
Slushy, mushy, cold and wet, snowsuits and boots, is it over yet?
AchOO!
AchOO!

As an aside, both my kids break out in peals of giggles whenever the teacher fake sneezes, or if I do it at home.  It's pretty cute.  At this week's class, the teacher said that on the internet discussion forums for Music Together teachers, there are all these pollyanna teachers (her words) that are complaining that the rhyme gives too negative picture of the season to kids and they are offering all sorts of edits:  fluffy, lacy, cold and white, sledding, skiing, what delight!, etc.  She rolled her eyes heartily and exclaimed, "Clearly they are not New Englanders!"  And despite the fact that I still am actually enjoying the snow, I had to agree with her.  We were all sitting in stocking feet because we have to remove our boots in the hallway, where they sit in puddles of cold, grey water by the time class is over, everyone's feet are cold, socks are wet, and the next class is coming in covered in slush, we squeeze by after 15 minutes spent gearing up, push a stroller through 2 blocks of slush to the parking lot, strap kids into carseats with cold-stiffened seatbelts, realize the cuffs of your own pants are soaking wet, and then realize you forgot to take Owen to the bathroom.  Hurry home!!

Asher LOVES this music class, by the way.  Dances in the middle of the circle, clicks his sticks, whatever he can do to be adorable and groove with the music.  Fun.  He will NOT sit still, but luckily the teacher is totally OK with that.  There was a requirement this last week that there could be no mobile children with drumsticks, and somehow I managed to keep his rear on the floor during that section.  It was a major challenge, but he wanted to keep his sticks enough that he tolerated the imprisonment between my knees.

Owen was in a GRAND mood all day, as soon as he found out it was gymnastics day.  He could barely contain his goodwill toward all.  He wrapped many presents for me (he loves to pinch wrapping paper from the closet and wrap up various toys and household objects and present them to me as gifts), offered gentle help and sharing to Asher ALL day, and was the most obedient boy you've ever known.  Hmm.  Sounds good, but it only made me ponder that he *does* actually understand the expected standards and therefore normally knows that he is not quite meeting them!  It was cute anyway.  He had another fantastic time, although 45 minutes really is too short, when chunks of it are spent standing in line, warming up, and all of that.  He was quite naughty today and when the kids were waiting in line to do something, he would glance around, and then make a mad dash for an off-limits piece of equipment...trampoline, bar, tall foam platform to climb, etc.  The teacher would retrieve him and return him to line.  He'd be good for a while, then another mad dash.  Finally I saw the teacher get down on his level and hold his cheeks in her hands and look him right in the eye.  He didn't do it after that!  I asked him after class if he had fun, and if he was listening to his teachers.  He said, "It was SO fun.  I want to do it ALL day.  When I'm a big daddy I'm going to do Japanese all day!  [now he thinks it's funny to say that]  I didn't obey my teachers all the time mommy."  I asked him why he didn't obey, and commented that there are rules at gymnastics, and if he doesn't listen to the rules, the teachers won't want to keep teaching him!  He replied, "I didn't obey sometimes because I had to go and see what I could do!"  We came to an agreement that next week he will be able to obey the teacher's directions :)  Hate to curb that enthusiasm, but the structure is so good too.

Very fun day!!