The first snow of 2014

Last night it snowed about 2-3" just enough for the kids to think they should go out and play in it. We missed the first real snow since we were in CA for Christmas. It is maybe 11* out, not including windchill.
I manage to entertain the kids for a while, we paint and play in the basement, have a snack.

Then Greg asks for his boots, and after that, it is just a matter of time until they get to melt-down state over the snow outside. Ellie is complaining that if we wait any longer, the snow is going to melt. No amount of discussion can convince her that this is not, indeed, going to happen.

So. I get out snowpants. Three pairs. And three pairs of mittens. And three parkas. Three hats. And a towel. We go downstairs. Everyone takes a potty break. I put snowpants on two kids, and there is only one minor meltdown over pushing mittens through the coat sleeve. Then I smell it. Brenna has pooped. OK, go get a diaper, and MY coat, mittens, hat and boots. Which I had forgotten the first go round. Change diaper. Apply snowpants, mittens, boots, hats. Have you ever put mittens on a two year old? Too old for the thumb-less mitss, to young to understand that her thumb has its own spot.

Go outside. (And pray that 9 month old doesn't start screaming about being abandoned to his play area)

Move giant branches that are in the sledding path. Put Brenna's mittens back on. Sled down the hill once. Pull Brenna back up the hill, since she can't get out of the sled on her own. Put Brenna's mittens back on. Push Greg down hill. Pull sled back up. Put Brenna's mittens back on. Repeat the sled routine twice more. Move other branch in the yard. Push Greg down "big" side of the hill. Rescue Brenna from on top of the play structure. Put mittens back on. Throw ball for dog about 10 times. Clean off Little Tikes car for Brenna. Extract her from the car when she realizes it won't roll in the snow. Push kids down the "big" hill. Make snow angels. Realize that Brenna needs a different pair of mittens that will actually stay on. 

Bring everyone inside. Strip off boots, coats, hats, mittens (with kids generally acting as if they are having seziure like activity, trying to shake off boots, and screaming for totally irrational things, like needing a stuffed toy while in the middle of getting undressed. 

Shoo off kids to play for a bit.
And then they start asking: Can we have hot chocolate??? Can we make snow ice cream???
Sure. Why the heck not?