TToT – Snow and Ice Edition
Is it really the end of the week?
I’m not sure exactly how that happened. Maybe it’s because we had a three day week again…snow days Thursday and Friday and here we are in the very wee hours of Saturday already. So yeah, I’m so not prepared for TToT yet. I think we’ll wing this one…
I am thankful that I did not have to go out in the bad snowy weather. Teaching is a tough job in many many ways. But not having to go out in bad weather and getting snow days? Priceless. I think my head would explode if I had to deal with nasty weather and bad roads. So that’s a definite perk. I keep asking my students if they’re tired of snow days yet. They keep saying they are not. Know what? Neither am I. Can’t think of a better way to spend a snowy day than safe and warm in my house with my family.
Speaking of snow, I am very thankful that the Fab Hub shoveled snow not only once in this most recent storm, but twice. I really think he’s not happy about it. He only did it twice because I pretty much nagged the crap out of him about it. So he went out during the lull in the storm Thursday afternoon…and again this afternoon. I think he should be thankful that his lovely and caring wife wanted him to not have a heart attack shoveling 20 inches of snow and ice.
Snow and ice inspired a baking binge this afternoon. And I am thankful that I did not lose my patience while making cutout snowflake cookies with Kidzilla Friday afternoon. I love Kidzilla to pieces. And because of her, I have found that I do not entirely hate baking. We made some fantastic chocolate chip cookies (more on those later) and it was fun. I would have been happy to stop there, put on a pot of tea, and enjoy a few of those. But Zilla also wanted to make snowflake cookies. AP flour roll the dough all over the table cutout snowflake cookies. I hate cutout cookies. Like really hate them. And snowflakes? Please. Do you know how fussy those are to cut out without mangling the little ends? Yeah. This is why I hate. But she wanted to do them and so we did. It wasn’t awful. In fact, we had fun. We even decorated them with confectioner’s sugar (snow) and raw cane sugar (ice) in honor of our current favorite movie, Frozen. So getting part two out of this item of thankful, I am thankful that once again my Daughter has taught me to enjoy things I never would have without her influence.
![20140214_185330[1]](http://www.themeaningofme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/20140214_1853301.jpg)
We had a lovely family gathering last weekend. Since my Grandparents died a few years ago (oh wow – it’s five years ago today for my Grandmother), the aunts-uncles-cousins don’t get together quite as often as we did when they were alive. They and their home were the hub. It’s different now. Things change…life goes on…and that’s OK. But we had a nice family get-together with just about everyone present and it was just great. I am thankful to have had opportunity to visit with my aunts-uncles-cousins and really enjoy a great afternoon together.
I am thankful for warm purring cats on my cold feet on snowy mornings.
As I mentioned already in my He Cooks post this week, I am very thankful that the Fab Hub jumped in and made dinner the other night when my hands hurt just too much to do it. It isn’t often that I’m rendered useless in the kitchen or that my pain gets in my way, but it’s been a tough week in the pain department. I am also thankful that he not only cooked but cleaned up as well.
On the topic of RA, though, I am so thankful that mine is, despite a few days of really rough pain this week, very well managed. I am by far not incapacitated by my disease the way I know many with it are. It does not prevent me from living the life that I want to and it limits my activities really very rarely. I know that I could be so much worse and am grateful to be so well managed. Which means I should probably also be thankful for my crew of docs who are smart and caring and keep me well-oiled and feeling great.
And even after two full days of puttering around the house, I still have three days of weekend to get things done around the house and spend time with the Fab Hub and Kidzilla. So I’ll be once again thankful for snow days and school holidays that provide that opportunity. Sure, it’s not the norm – this year is exceptional – but I’ll take it.
What are your moments of thankful this week? Share ’em or link’ em!
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I am so thankful too that my husband shoveled and snow-blowed for us this week, too, because I am truly sick of this snow and really was just never more happy that I didn’t have to go out into it either. Those cookies look amazing and I know my oldest has a way of making me love baking even more then I thought I could, because she loves to. And we too are loving Frozen and the Let It Go song, too!! 🙂
I never enjoyed baking, Janine, but the Kidzilla is responsible for changing my thinking. She just loves it. I like when she sits her little self on the counter or pulls up her stool to get right in there and help. Amazing how these little ones change your perspective.
Looks like the baking went well and the snow turned out to be a good thing! Thanks for sharing!
All things considered, the cutouts did not turn out terrible. And we had a good time making the kitchen a mess together, so that’s a plus. 🙂
Maybe our school system is cruel, but our teachers still have to go to school. Even in 10+ inches. We do live in the land of unending snow though…a.k.a Canada. We were born for it.
I was actually just tested for RA along with all of its ugly friends, lupus, raynaulds, hypothyroidism. So I’ve been reading up on it (which means google told me that I have AIDS and only have 2 days to live), and I cannot fathom the pain you did endure but are now running away from it. I have chronic pain issues and I know how awful it is to have simple activities impacted. sucks to say the least.
It’s funny how grandparents are the ones that bring families together. I’m glad you did. 🙂
That is cruel – harsh to go out in that much snow! But maybe we’re just babies here – yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s it. 🙂
I hope your testing goes well and you can pinpoint the source of your pain. I was actually relieved to find out I had RA because it put a name to the symptoms and gave me a path to follow for relief. Knowledge is a great thing. (But do watch out for the Internet – it can a wonderful resource but also, like you said, make you believe you have four hours to live and something totally unrelated.) Come back any time to chat!
My Grandparents were wonderful people who taught us all so much about life and love. Miss them a lot.
The cookies look really good, and I’m glad you had the chance to enjoy a lovely time baking with Zilla. Sounds like Frozen’s become something of a ‘thing’ at your house, and I’ve not seen it yet, but have heard rave reviews.
YAY for your Fab Hub being so wonderful and helpful. I’m assuming that RA is arthritis? Dunno if you’ve heard of this, but my mum uses it on her OA, and says she’s found it one of the best things – http://artrosiliumsales.com/
Glad you were able to enjoy a wonderful family get-together, even if it was without your grandparents. It sounds as though they’ve set up a bit of a legacy for your family, of MAKING time to come together and reconnect as a group, and that’s lovely 🙂
The cookies made Zilla happy – that’s all that matters. I hate cutout cookies in every way there is, but I’ll do it for her.
Frozen has hit the top of her list and we all really enjoyed it – even the Y-chromosome carrying Fab Hub can’t help hearing the songs in his head and admitted it was very well done. It’s just lovely.
RA is rheumatoid arthritis, yes. Parts of me have the osteo as well – so much fun!
I think to say that my Grandparents left that legacy is the right way to look at it. It’s what we always did – and still do. Just not as often as we did before. But then again, the family is growing and changing and even the “little ones” are now the not-so little and are graduating college and starting lives of their own. Time marches on.
Whenever I think of arthritis on the caliber you have I think of that scene from Wizard of Oz when the tin man is squeaking out “oil can…oil can…”
I HATE making cut out cookies… Its gotten to the point that I even make drop cookies as bar cookies now…If I ever got a show on Food Network it would have to be called “The Half-Assed Cook.” I am sooooo lazy that way!
snow… snow… snow….. I love it… it is snowing our third day now… we are expecting another 3-5 today on top of the 20 that dropped over the past two days… pretty soon kids will be going to school in July cuz they have so many days to make up!
Ha – there are days it feels like that. Water is my magic elixir. Believe it or not, it helps.
Cut out cookies are torture. I just don’t have the patience for them. Or the desire, really, since they don’t taste that good and the reward level is low. And I would watch “The Half-Assed Cook.” Let me know when you get your big break!
lisa, is your lobster story posted anywhere? I started mine tonight…its gonna be a two parter… I would love to read yours… zoe
Yes indeed it is! It’s called A Lobster Tale and you can find it here: http://www.themeaningofme.com/a-lobster-tale/
I also mention some lobster-related things in some other posts that kind of go along with that. If you really want to dig in, just search “lobster” on my blog and you’ll get the ones that mention things. It’s the only discussion of lobsters on the blog – never the shellfish kind. 😀
How had I not realized you have RA? It sounds terribly painful from all I have read. So, I too am thankful that your’s is well managed.
My 24 yr old Disney-raised daughter is as obsessed with Frozen as Zilla is! I still haven’t seen it. She wants to take her sister and me so we can see it together for our first time.
Probably because I don’t really talk about it much, May, as it rarely gets in my way. For starters, I don’t let it. My Mom also has it and she hasn’t let it get in her way at 67, so I’m pretty sure much of it is seeing such a positive example of how it can be handled well. Everyone’s is different, though, and I know there are people who do struggle with it severely and it definitely can be debilitating. I am glad that at this point, mine is not and neither is Mom’s. Do we have some limits? Yeah. But I think they are relatively minor.
I guess I have to admit I’m more of a Disney movie lover than I’d ever admit. I guess seeing it through Zilla’s eyes makes it a different experience. If you have the opportunity to see Frozen before it leaves the theaters, do it! It’s absolutely stunning – we saw it in 3D and 2D in theaters and it was fabulous both times. I rarely even want to go to a movie in a theater (because my couch is so much nicer) but this was worth it. Lovely!
The snow days are piling up, aren’t they? Do they tack them on to the end of the year to make them up? We have hurricane days here and they do that.
I must be really hungry right now because all that is really standing out for me today is the FOOD on all the posts…your cookies, Dyanne and her bread and cinnamon lips, Starr with hamburgers and cherry pie! I know you said some other stuff in her but I’m lost….
I do hope that your hands get to feeling better soon. I’m glad your husband is such a good guy and helps you out!
Yes, in theory, the districts tack them onto the end of the year once they go over a certain allotment. We’ve shortened our Easter break to take care of some of it.
Sounds like you need to eat something! I could go for a burger right now…hmm, maybe that’s dinner?
Hands are feeling much better than they were mid-week. I think being indoors for the last three days is a big help! My Hub is a great guy and he definitely understands there are days when I’m just not up to par. Not everyone is that understanding, I think, and so I know that I am blessed.
what a beautiful person you are
Well thanks, Jean! 🙂
Snow days sound awesome! And I want some of your snowflake cookies, those look so yummie!! Aren’t hubbies who cook the best? I wouldn’t know what to do if hubby wouldn’t have dinner ready when I come home most days. By then, I’m HUNGRY 🙂 Enjoy your days off, Lisa!!
I could probably mail you some of these snowflake cookies…we have like 60 of them! That’s an awful lot of snowflake cookies…
definitely has been a proper ‘in-doors winter’ this year, no? your activities kitchinistically-speaking certainly sound like snow shoveling is not so bad… warm kitchen as contrast and relief from taming and overcoming excess snowfall and all.
I.cannot.wait.until.it.gets.Warm.
lol
It certainly has – it’s not even the kind of winter where outdoor play is attractive or enjoyable.
Summer’s coming, Clark! The days are getting longer already!
Frozen has definitely been the perfect movie for thi season…or so it seems by the title! I’ve not seen the movie yet. My daughter loved it and really wanted to go a second time with me; but it didn’t happen. Love the snowflake cookies! I don’t have a cutter for that shape so I would’ve had to be very creative.
I, too, still love the snow days and delays BUT I also hate the idea of extending the school year. In Indiana, we have to make up every day.
I have a good friend who also has RA. She, too, has found a fantastic doctor to manage her pain. Funny, how in my growing up years, I always thought arthritis was only for old people.
Indeed it is the movie for the season! We got the cutter in a craft and activity box, actually. Our daughter has a subscription to this great thing called Kiwi Crate and each month you get themed activities and crafts – this was from her first one which was about polar exploration. Quite fun!
Yes, arthritis always seemed to be for the old folks, but as I’ve found it’s not quite the truth, is it? 🙂
Oh, when your hands hurt, it’s hard to do much of anything! I’m glad your pain is well managed and (hopefully) better by now? Have you ever used castor oil on your joints? I have used a castor oil cream on mine before, and it helps a little bit. It’s called Castiva and it comes in a cooling formula and a heating formula. Don’t know if your pain would respond to it at all, but I’m throwing it out there.
Now, you know I love to bake, especially on a snow day, but even I would throw away that snowflake cookie cutter. Besides being a pain in the ass to cut out without losing parts, cookies with appendages usually burn at worst and overbake at best. Next time, cut out circles and tell Kidzilla they’re snowballs 🙂
No matter how rotten they are, not much beats having a warm kitty on your feet in the winter.
Hope you get a snow day-free week; otherwise, you’re going to be going to school until the 4th of July!
Yes, my hands started to feel much better as soon as the skies let loose. Guess there’s something to the old relatives saying “my rheumatism tells me when it’s going to snow/rain/whatever.” 😀 Never used castor oil – interesting. Talk about an old school remedy, right?
The snowflakes are ridiculous. Zilla actually did a really fair job of cutting, separating, and popping the little buggers out of the cutter. I was impressed. My big hatred of cutouts is that I never get them thin enough and I’m pretty sure I overbake. I’m certain that since she loves them so much, I’ll get lots of practice. I will keep the snowball idea in mind, though! That’s awesome. 🙂
I’m having a hard time deciding if I care about the potential for longer days in the summer…have to think about that. Because right now, with 25 inches of snow outside (five-ish new today), I kinda like being in my house. A lot.
Where do you live, anyway? Alaska?
No…they have less snow and warmer temps there, I hear. 😀
Well, I’m tired of snow days, but in not teaching anymore. I’m glad I missed the current round.
I’ve officially started counting the days until summer vacation…all the snow days have simply whetted my appetite for freedom!
Well obviously, I have to say that I am so glad, too, that you’re not incapacitated by your disease. That is huge. And I’m way freaking sick of snow days, because they are messing up my life. But, I’ve loved playing in the snow with my son, so there’s that.
That’s my only beef with them – they are completely throwing off any hope of routine in this house. We are totally enjoying the down time together, but in a house full of ADD/ADHD, this is a dangerous game. 😉
Hi, I am glad that you have such a wonderful husband too. I can so identify. Teaching is a thankless job. i am thankful you are still able to teach and contribute. Great list this week. Glad to meet you too.
He absolutely does help out when I’m feeling lousy. For that, I am grateful. Teaching definitely has its tough and challenging moments.
I agree that Fab Hub should be thankful…I am exactly the same with when it snows here. 😛
Oh and the rolled cookies…cracked me up. Again…I feel exactly the same way as you. Thankfully my older son was happy with the “slice and bake” cookies. Haha!
I’m still not sure he sees it that way…he’s still grumbling about having to do it twice instead of once. Of course, then he had to do it a third day in a row because MORE SNOW. Aaannndddd….more junk in the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. I think we should just cancel February and try again in March.
Aren’t rolled cookies the worst? I don’t even like the taste of them, frankly, so they are so not worth the effort for me. Zilla got the baking gene from some relative (not me) and really loves them, though.
Ooh, I could really go for one of those cookies.
We have so many! I could send you some…
I am not a fan of cutouts on any level, but they do work OK for dunking in coffee!
Cool, Frozen is one of my current favorite movies too. I didn’t know if I’d like when I saw it, but it turned out to be much better than I expected. Although I’m still not a big fan of that snowman – he could have been cut out.
So what am i thankful for this week? I’m thankful that my parents are coming to visit. Then we’re all heading to New Orleans because it’s Mardi Gras season. I’m excited because I’ve never been there before and although I’m there on Mardi Gras exactly, it still the time for it.
We loved Frozen – Kidzilla’s current favorite and she sings all the songs…constantly. 😀 The snowman…I’m on the fence there. I think he definitely breathes a little life into the comedic sidekick role. However, he gets a bit annoying after a while.
Family visits are awesome and the New Orelans trip sounds awesome! Safe travels and have a wonderful time!
You know, this year I have not really minded the snow days, either. There’s just something about holing up with your family that makes it all Little House on the Prairie and warm and inviting. Plus I cook and bake like a fiend during snow days. Which could explain all the weight I gained.
Ha – yes. I’m starting to get pretty crabby about the prospect of the makeup days at the end of the year, though…doesn’t look pretty.