The Wintry Mix of 2014

It might have been just a "wintry mix" {I now know exactly what that means}, but it was still a wonderful treat for these Gulf Coast-ers…where the only white we ever see is on our sandy white Alabama beaches.  For those of you who live in snowy winter wonderlands, it might seem odd that the children {and adults} down here were begging and pleading and praying for snow.  But it is a sight seldom seen down here and, on the off chance we ever DO see a few flurries, it never sticks and the damp tops of our hats and wet fingers of our mittens are all we have to remember the "flurry that once was."

So the fact that it "wintry mix-ed" {ice upon sleet upon ice with maybe a hint here or there of actual snow} for two days and STUCK for three was enough to send children out in laundry basket sleds and shut down the city for a few days.

It was magical.  The chicken's water froze solid and our driveway froze over and our roof was white.
I realized all the kids gloves were at my parent's camp house and they had outgrown all their boots.

Mobile was in a white-out and it was beautiful.  The most shocking aspect of it all was actually the light and brightness coming in our windows.  Looking out and seeing so much WHITE.  Amazing.

Most of the area's in Alabama north of Mobile received a couple inches or more of snow and serious ice, enough to cause a state of panic and emergency in cities like Birmingham and Montgomery.  It overwhelmed me to think of all those people, some with young children and infants, underdressed and stranded on the interstates or stuck at an office or a strangers office/home because of all the ice and snow.   I wondered how Mobile was so overly prepared/warned and these cities north of us didn't seem warned at all.

I had to humbly eat the judgmental words I spoke on Tuesday about our schools and workplaces closing for both Wednesday AND Thursday due to the storm.  It initially sounded like another over-reaction on everyone's part, but honestly I look at it now and am so thankful.  Just as New Englanders are not weathered and prepared for disasters such as hurricanes, we Southerners do not have the knowledge or equipment necessary to continue normal daily life in an ice storm and frigid temps.

That all being said, I am thankful our city did take the precautions it took and we were able to have three "snow days" at home.  It isn't every day that Stephen is home and not working, or at least on call.  It was intense intentional time with the family and we had a blast.

We used the time cooped up to get honey-do's done around the house {take down Emory's crib that she hasn't used since July of '13, put Christmas bins in the attic}, read, watch movies {Frozen!!!}, and cook a lot more than just dinner.

Bennett helped me make Chocolate Chip "Doughnuts" topped with Cinnamon Sugar {post coming soon - and the word "doughnut" is used lightly seeing as I do NOT have a donut pan…ours were basically muffins}.  We made delicious ham cups and plenty of soups and comfort food.

I also made homemade hot chocolate for the first time, and it was incredible easy and good.  The kids had to wait for it to cool off to nearly room temperature before they would touch it {BOO!}, but it went over well and Jacob drank enough to sink a small ship:

Here is the quick and easy recipe I used from here:

Homemade Hot Chocolate
makes roughly 5 cups
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup hot water
dash of salt
4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
miniature marshmallows

Combine cocoa, sugar, water and salt in saucepan.  Heat over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture boils.  Stir and cook for one minute.  Stir in milk.  Heat to desired temperature but do not let boil.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Stir well and serve with marshmallows!

The kids went back to school on Friday and were thoroughly confused that today is Saturday, not Tuesday.  All the snow/ice is melted now and we are experiencing more seasonal temps in the 50's and 60's.

It was definitely three days we will never forget {or likely ever see again!!}