the hill

Forget all I said about not having a sledding hill near our house.  We have a ski-resort size hill near our house that we've tried unsuccessfully to walk to during snow storms ever since we've lived here.

Well, we finally made it.

This snow was deep enough that Joaquin, Diego and me pulling Carmen on the red plastic sled made it over the briar bushes and through the plowed mountains of snow marking the edge of the road.

When we arrived at the top of the hill, we saw a large family that had already carved out the path for us.  The kids immediately got skittish.  I don't know what their deal is with strangers.  This family of nine or so people shared their sleds with us, gave us water, and doled out the best advice on how to handle the hill, plus they gave us a push on our way down.

Carmen and I tried it out first.  I haven't felt that awesome feeling since I was a kid.  Snow spraying in my face, barreling down the hill straight for the road, but stopping yards shy of it.  Amazing.

Of course, Carmen didn't enjoy it at all.  She didn't cry, but that was her one and only time down the hill.  If this means anything to you, she would rather wait with the strangers and their large dog than try it one more time.

The boys were awful at sledding by themselves.  To their credit, they had never been on a hill this big.  But they had no idea how to steer and would crash head first in the snow seconds after starting.  I took them both down individually and showed them how it's done.  We flew over little mounds and sped down that slope like bobsledders.  Way better than any amusement park in my opinion.

The trek back up was hard.  I'm pretty sure I was sweating after the first time.  I think we only went down seven times before the kids were ready to head home.  WHAT??  Well, someone had cold hands and someone had cold pants.  So I dropped my head and headed back on the 20 minute trudge through the snow to the house...so. much. harder. on. the. way. home.  My euphoria for sledding had hidden how old I actually am.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next big snow.  My only warning:  watch out for the power line dangling just above your head on our sledding hill.  It's low enough that Joaquin could have touched it.  He asked what would happen, and I had to convince him it wasn't worth finding out.

snow storm 2016

Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.

I guess they weren't kidding.

Thursday night, we hit the stores like the rest of Chesterfield residents.  Isabela had no winter coat, we needed snow boots for two kids, snow pants for one, and gloves would have been nice.  Everyone else must have needed those things, too.  

We lucked out on the coat.  Slim pickings everywhere we went.  I forced her to try this one on, and under protest, she ended up liking it.

But who knew that snow gloves cost around $40?  I didn't believe it, so those stayed right on the rack. Now we're paying for it with cold hands. No snow pants either.  Now we have to share which means we can't all go sledding at the same time. 

Carmen is set thought.  This reminds me of my childhood.  This could be a picture of me.

Only, we had a great hill within walking distance.  We haven't found that here yet, so we settle for someone pulling the sled around the yard.

Being trapped in the house gives me time to do all the things I've always wanted to do.  Naps, catching up on my tv shows, and crafts!  I've decided not to waste this snow storm cooking and cleaning.

Everyone else seems OK with that.

Carmen has rediscovered her dress up. 

She's had these same clothes on for two days now.  Come to think of it, I may have, too!

But here's someone who's pissed about this whole staying inside thing.  Her new cozy spot on a pile of clothes.

And the good ol' days.  Crafts with mom.  We used markers, water,  and paper towels to make some colorful hearts.  Carmen couldn't be stopped.

And Joaquin made three of them!

But I'd also set out the perler beads.  Isabela and I discovered you could actually make things with these, not just multicolored preformed shapes.

Here's my baby groot that we all love.  He's held up to the fridge by those dart magnets because I haven't pulled out the hot glue gun yet.  Maybe tomorrow.

Isabela made a lemon slice coaster...looks like summer!

Invitations to play are the new way to get your kids to do stuff.  Just clear off the table.  Set out some supplies nice and neat at each of their seats the night before.  And when they wake up, they magically just start using them!  Love pinterest for great images of invitations to play!

But one of my new year's resolutions was to sew more.  Maybe one thing a month.  January's almost over, and I've yet to do it.  I think tomorrow's the day.

What are you doing fun this snow storm?

doubt

I am a spider.

And full of doubt.

Today, I start grad school at the University of Richmond.  (Their mascot is a spider.)

Here's what I'm afraid of in no particular order.

1. FITTING IN:  Whether I look it, feel it, or know it, I'm older than a lot of these people.

2. ACADEMIC TALK:  I didn't even understand the simplest of questions, "What are you planning to teach?" when put in academic words...I think it was said, "What is your content area?"

3.  PAYING FOR IT:  I didn't have time to apply for scholarships this semester so we're paying in installments.  I won't make the same mistake for next semester.

4.   GETTING LOST:  Have you ever been on the U of R campus?  We took a short tour yesterday, and if it weren't for the blue cooler full of water that they put out for us, I wouldn't have even known I was in the same place I started.

5.  READING:  I love reading.  But now it's mandatory.  This first class, we're reading four books.  We get to choose our books from a great list (I've already seen reviews on amazon).  But is there really enough time in the day for me to read and live life with four kids and a job?

6.  BEING A TEACHER:  Now that I've started this, I don't know if I even want to be a teacher!  I've always thought I'd be a good Spanish teacher, but now I'm not even sure if I know how to speak Spanish!  JP says it's too late now!, but I disagree.

7.  PASSING TESTS:  This is all conditional that I'll pass the Spanish Praxis test by April.  I haven't even registered yet.  And did I mention the test is in Spanish?

8.  LESSON PLANS:  We have to make up lesson plans.  After all, I am studying to become a teacher.  Juan Pablo assures me they'll teach me how to do this, but I feel like I'm already supposed to know how to do this.

9.  MISSING MY KIDS:  This is going to take a lot of time away from the family.  Even more, after starting a full-time job two months ago.  They will not even see me on Mondays.  I'm sad.

10.  SPEAKING:  We had a small orientation the other night and at the end they said, "Introduce yourself to some of the professors on your way out."  I couldn't do it, so I just slipped out quietly.

That list is just off the top of my head.  

I'm sure there's more to add, and if not, there will be more to add.  

But for now, I'm going with: 

 Feel the fear, and do it anyway.

go, spiders?