Snow!

How on earth do you northern mamas do this for all those winter months? We have four inches of snow today and the temps are in the twenties. The kids were so excited to play in it that they could hardly wait long enough to scarf down breakfast. They dragged out every warm thing they own and I bundled them snuggly into the layers. They doubled up on socks and gloves, pulled on their cowboy boots, then ran out into a winter wonderland.

Not ten minutes later they came to the door like stiff snowmen, covered from head to toe in powder and half-frozen. I peeled off all their layers into a massive pile of soggy stuff, then hung it all to dry in front of the stove. The children thawed out with hot chocolate, and I mopped up the floor where they undressed and left a big puddle. Now they are ready to do it all over again!

Snow may be beautiful, but it's exhausting, what with all the sopping clothes, the changing in and out, the thawing of appendages, the heaving on and off of frozen boots. I really don't know how you moms up north manage it every day. Hats off to you!