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November 30, 2006
Day Thirty - Last Day! Real Content!
Ice has been falling from the sky since 8:30 this morning, minus taking off the noon hour for lunch. This is what my front porch step looks like:
So sparkly. So terrifying.
Awhile back, my Yooper mother-in-law made wise about us "southerners" closing schools when we have an inch of snow, while they function just fine with 3,847 feet of white stuff on the ground. To which my mother replied, "Ever try to drive on a two-inch sheet of ice?" or something to that effect.
We're not having a snow day today; we're having an ice day. I'd decided to keep Clara Jane home from daycare about ten minutes before her teacher called to tell me they were going to close due to weather.
Oh, how I love snow/ice day! I throw the rules out the window on snow/ice day. We can watch too much TV, eat junk food, play a little loose and free with naptime. What does it matter? We're not going anywhere!
The day started with Clara Jane asking to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas during breakfast. We piled onto the couch, she with her apple, cheddar cheese, and sippy of milk; I with my steel-cut oatmeal and coffee, for that is the snow/ice day way.
About a year ago, on a similar snow day, I made a post about making cookies and watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" with Clara Jane. Today was no different, but completely different. I had a job for us.
I've been in a bit of a quandry about our Christmas tree this year. Clara Jane loves Christmas trees with a depth that borders on idolotry. I'm cool with that. The problem is, our tree (which we haven't set up yet; I refuse to buy a tree prior to December) is always decorated in tastefully matched silver and purple glass bulbs that we got for a wedding gift. Very breakable glass bulbs. On one hand, I don't want to deny my little tree-hugger. On the other, I don't want to spend the next month with shards of glass wedged in my feet.
Solution: let's make salt dough ornaments! Better yet, let's paint the salt dough ornaments purple and silver so I'm not completely sacrificing my pretty, pretty ornaments! And even more better, making salt dough ornaments will give us something to do when we hit Hour Three of snow/ice day and I start freaking out because we're snow/icebound.
Oh, what a difference a year makes.
December, 7, 2005:
Clara Jane wears her cookie cutters as creative fashion accessories, and covers two rooms of my house with green decorator's sugar.
November 30, 2006:
Clara Jane personally cuts three baking sheet's worth of salt dough ornaments all by herself, even lifting them off the table with a spatula and placing the on the baking sheets without dropping or breaking. Unlike her professionally-trained cook mother, whose salt dough cut-outs look like the snowmen who live near the toxic waste dump.
Last year: Clara Jane kept talking to the children on the TV as if they were really there.
This year: While making ornaments and listening to the show's soundtrack, Clara Jane recites bits of dialogue she remembers from her breakfast viewing of the show, reenacting the entire Schoder and Lucy piano scene.
Last year: I'm sure there was probably a temper tantrum when all the green sugar disappeared from her grip.
This year: Clara Jane has the emotional maturity to say, "This song makes me feel happy," when "Christmastime is Here" comes on.
Last year: Clara Jane squwaked a bit about being stuck at home.
This year: "Mommy, can we make a snowman?" No, honey. I'm afraid the only thing we can make out of this stuff is a Vanilla Iceman.
Last year: Clara Jane shoved half a tube of pre-made cookie dough down her gullet.
This year: "Mommy, we don't eat Play-Doh." That's what she said when I stupidly kissed the wad of salt dough she held in her hand.
And she's right. Don't eat the dough. It'll dry out your innards. Some things are learned the hard way.
Posted by Robin at November 30, 2006 03:37 PM
Comments
BHH....Vanilla Iceman......I had a comment about something else, but all the laughing drove it right out of my head....OH! It was: I sure am glad that I picked up some coffee beans yesterday or else I'd be chewing on the 3 beans left in the grinder tomorrow morning. It's icky and scary out there.
Posted by: Jane at November 30, 2006 05:46 PM
You made it 30 days!!!
We went from 80 to 28 in less than 24 hours. I hate this. I don't mind cold. I don't mind hot. I mind a 53 degree drop overnight.
Thank you for reminding me about salt dough. Must have Bean make ornaments for all friends and relations. I can tie them on packages along with my tiny knitted sweaters on pipe cleaner hangers
Posted by: liz at November 30, 2006 06:56 PM
Congrats on your 30 days! If I had tried that, my handful of readers would have probably bribed me with hookers and dope to get me to shut up because I would be talking about my roommate's skullet by day 3. I've enjoyed getting my daily does of you (and others) who have done this.
Vanilla Iceman? Just waiting for Wendy to chime in...
Posted by: Exena at November 30, 2006 08:37 PM
I have my first snow day tomorrow in THREE YEARS!!! University City is notoriously stingy with them, so it is truly a miracle!!!
I too bought coffee last night, and will be sipping it tomorrow with my breakfast, for that is the Rabbitt Snow Day way.
Now if Matt could only fix the DirecTV so I can watch the rest of The Office :(
Posted by: allison at November 30, 2006 08:40 PM
I love this, so much change in such a short time! It is such an amazing journey.
I'm stuck east due to the ice. The storm is hitting Champaign, too. Wish I was home making cookies!
ps - The Poo and I are so totally making these when we get home.
Posted by: Mrs. Chicken at November 30, 2006 08:49 PM
You're right Wendy's chiming in. I'm giving Clara her own Vanilla Ice's Greatest Hits CD for Christmas. And then next ice storm, she can have music while she builds Vanilla Iceman.
Word to your mother.
Posted by: Wendy at November 30, 2006 08:56 PM
I have a feeling I could tell all my troubles to Clara Jane and she'd not only be able to make me feel better, she'd give me awesome advice about how to solve my problems. (Not eating the dough would be a good start.)
She's just awesome.
Posted by: Summer at December 1, 2006 08:31 AM
oy. i'm bracing myself for portland ice days...but those aren't until later. hope y'all are safe. :)
reading about you and your daughter watching charlie brown and making salt dough ornaments reminds me of my christmases growing up. my mother had made a ton of charlie brown salt dough ornaments when she was a kid, and every year we'd carefully unwrap them and hang them on our tree. christmas just wasn't christmas without them! most of them have since been broken or eaten by dogs or cats...and i only have a few now. i'll be keeping them safe from now on. :)
i'm sure your daughter will have fond memories of the ornaments you've made together!
Posted by: annika at December 1, 2006 12:40 PM
Clara Jane is nothing short of amazing. There's no way anyone could be bored with her around.
Posted by: Dixie at December 1, 2006 03:56 PM
Awww!!! Those pictures are so adorable!!!
Is it "okay" to comment on other comments? When I read about Liz's "tiny knitted sweaters on pipecleaner hangers," I almost slammed the computer shut to go grab my knitting stuff! Such a cute idea!!
Posted by: Debbie Wakley at December 1, 2006 04:51 PM
Congrats on 30 days!
Clara Jane is a such a cutie. :-)
Posted by: barbara at December 1, 2006 09:24 PM
