Let it snow

"Can we make snow angels?" was the question they asked first when we told them we were spending Christmas in New Jersey this year. We were quick to answer, "yes, as long as there is snow!"

Matt and I also hoped there would be a little snow so the kids could enjoy the winter fun, but we also hoped that it wouldn't snow the day we arrived or the day we left as not to hinder our travel plans. However, all we heard leading up to the holiday was a forecast of a light dusting of snow on Christmas Eve, but that was it!

Well, as it got closer to Christmas Eve, the forecasts changed from a light dusting to heavy snows. In fact, once the words, "blizzard conditions" showed up in the forecasts, we began to worry. Even our relatives in from Virginia began to change their travel plans. They left after dinner on Christmas Day and drove all night to avoid getting caught in the storms. And we waited, hoping that it wouldn't turn out as bad as they were suggesting.

On the 26th, the snow began early in the day. It snowed and snowed and snowed.

By 6pm that night (the night before we were due to fly out), it was full-throttle blizzard conditions and they were estimating 10-16 inches for our area. We were not going to be getting out the next morning. Matt made several calls to the airline to get our flights changed as we did NOT want to spend the better part of the next day at the airport with three small kids only to find out our flight was going to be cancelled. We were able to change our flights to Wednesday because that was the first flight available with 4 seats on it.

This wasn't terrible news. It meant 2 extra days with Matt's family. Best of all....the kids would get to make their snow angels!!!!! I think the snow was a better present to them than any other they received this year!

The next morning, we woke up to 18 inches of snow, 29 degree weather, and the giddy smiles of two very excited children! Once the driveway was cleared away by Matt's dad's snowblower, we headed out to the store to buy the kids snow pants and boots. Lucky for us, it was 2 days after Christmas and 50% off sales!

We got them bundled up and ready to head out into the blanket of deep snow to have hours of snowtubing, angel making, shoveling, snowball making good time!

Even though he only lasted about a minute and a half...Will got to see his first snow, too!