Our Family: A Fresh Start

I haven't done much blogging lately. My Mom was my primary audience and without her, blogging has felt a little hollow. It's a new year and time to make resolutions. I've resolved to get back to blogging because I enjoy the time it gives me to reflect on my daily life. Maybe I need some other resolutions. Virtually everyone on the planet is resolving to lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more, save more money, and reduce their debt. I pretty much resolve to do those things every day. I need something fresher and more meaningful. As I'm pondering meaningful resolutions, I'm remembering what I refer to fondly as "The After Snow Day." Here's what happened:

Shortly before Christmas we had a glorious snow day. The kids' schools were closed; my school was closed and Les took liberal leave. The timing couldn't have been better. The kids, especially Cassie, are growing up quickly. It was wonderful to have this concentrated time together. We read aloud during breakfast and played cards during lunch, interrupted only by a few texts from Cassie's friends. We wrapped gifts, baked cookies, cleaned the house and put up the tree. We went for a walk and shook the ice off trees in the park.

Then came the next morning or, "The After Snow Day." Les and I got up on time, checked the local news station and discovered that the perfect storm had occurred. My school was opening on time. But, the kids had a two-hour delay. It would not be possible for me to get Lacey to school two hours late and get myself to work on time. Les gallantly offered to take a few hours of leave. Okay, that problem was solved. Then, I realized that I hadn't made the girls' lunches the night before. Lacey doesn't mind buying lunch at school. But, by the time Cassie gets through the line, her lunch period is over. I scavenged through the fridge and pantry, throwing a smorgasbord together. I had ice on my car windows and had forgotten that I needed gas.

My day at school was hectic. I spent my lunch hour helping a student fill out a job application. I spent most of my planning period caring for the tiny plants that the science class is growing. I left work late and traffic was miserable. On the way home, I got a text from Les that said, "I'm at Taekwondo." Well, Les was picking up Cassie so I could go straight home. That was a relief. When I finally walked in the door at home Les said, "Where's Cassie?" It turns out their phone lines were crossed again. The text had actually been from Cassie who was still waiting for me to retrieve her. Without removing my coat, I headed back to my car. The evening was spent in a flurry of homework and other paperwork from school. Later, I reflected on the two days. Even though the day had been crazy, I'd suffer through a couple more After Snow Days just to have one quiet day with the kids.

Over the holidays, we went to visit Uncle Al in Florida. We enjoyed spending time with him and kept a casual schedule. We went swimming and played cards. We spent a day at the flea market. The girls opted to visit Clearwater Marine Aquarium instead of Busch Gardens. So, we spent half a day watching Winter, the dolphin with the prosthetic tail. We took the "behind the scenes" tour at the aquarium. We saw props from the movie Dolphin Tale and learned about the filming of the sequel. And when Les asked if the girls were ready to leave and they said "no," he actually said, "okay." So, we stood and watched Winter swim a little more.

We spent a day at the zoo in Tampa. It was blissfully uncrowded and the temperature was wonderful. There was no rushing, no crazy lines, no shoving people. We ate lunch at a cafeteria that overlooked the giraffe and elephant enclosures. We fed stingrays. Lacey counted the number of birds in the aviary. And, Les didn't tell the girls to hurry up in the gift store.

So, here's my resolution. As a family, we are going to slow down the pace of life a little. And, if I keep bogging at least I'll have a public record to keep me honest!