Adventures of Millennium Mom

Looking for a Snow Day

As the January calendar winds down, and February appears on the horizon, I find I am really ready for a snow day. Sure, the kids had MLK off--and they have President's Day, Pulaski Day and and some teacher in-service days ahead, making February and March a minefield for working parents. But that's different. I'm hoping for an unplanned-can't-do-any-homework-all-activities-cancelled kind of snow day. A Big One, where even my husband can't go into work. We haven't had any snow days for a couple of years--it's time.

I love the idea of the snow falling so hard that the world just sounds quieter. I like hearing the rumble of the plows (although I don't like digging the cars out for alternate-side parking). I'd love a day where we snack on what we have (perhaps cleaning out our freezer in the process), curl up together to watch TV or movies, and hang out in our own little unexpected snow dome. 

The good news is that there is a particularly hea
vy "snow band" heading our way for Tuesday. The bad news: I doubt we'll get hit. And if we do, it is less than likely that the district will call a snow day. But for now, I can hope. 

 

Rate This Summer: Good, Average or Bad

These are high pressure times: Only two weekends left of summer!

It's time to evaluate the summer. Have we done all we could? Have we made the most out of our 10 or so weeks of freedom? Has this been a "Summer to Remember" for our children? How does it rate in our own personal summers?

Let's see . . . we started off strong with the Taste of Chicago. Then, the kids visited Grandma Sylvia and Grandpa Jay in June. They went to the Children's Museum, statue parks, made strawberry jam, visited the Dayton Air Museum (ooh, boys got to add Ohio to their list of visited states) and generally had a great time. Meanwhile, Mom and Dad worked and had the house to themselves for a week. Sounds good so far . . .

The boys visited Grandma Ruth. They spent a week in armed services central: visiting the Army surplus store, the Auburn War Museum, and actually shooting guns over the 4th of July. They also went to Ohio (again!) to swim at an aunt and uncle's lake place, where they happened upon a water snake. Score!

Back at the ranch, Mom and DD were having a good time keeping in shape. Long walks along the lake, lunches out, some shopping. Dad had nice quiet evenings with his girls. Still sounds pretty good . . . .

Fourth of July rates high for everyone! Family reunion at Uncle Bob (don't we all have an Uncle Bob?) and Aunt Sharon's farm house. BBQ, babies, little cousins running amok. And of course, Uncle Bob's professional tutorial in beginning target shooting. And a bonfire.

Now we come to the heat and oppressive humidity that has been July and August. Kids escape to the pool with friends. Daughter obtains an itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-yellow-polka-dot-bikini, which may have been the cause of the brief summer fling with a (gasp!) high school freshman.

DD and Mom saw Bon Jovi at Soldier Field (whoo!), Dad has seen two Cubs games, and the boys have had sleep-overs and video game fests with friends, eat and eat and eat, and have generally escaped anything educational. DD took a Piven intensive, saw an off-Loop production of "Reefer Madness the Musical" and aced a 4-week pre-algebra class, so something intellectual has occurred.

Sounds like the kids are winners here. But . . .

Where is the zoo? The Renaissance Faire? The Field Museum, the Art Institute, the Planetarium, the Science & Industry? What about the Botanic Gardens, Ravinia?

We have two weekends left, minimal amounts of cash and continued record-breaking heat. Can we do something special? Do we need to? Have we reached that point in parenting where some of their best summer memories don't involve Mom and Dad?

While Dad and I waste precious hours pondering what to do, it's off to the store for tax holiday back-to-school savings.