Snow days...

Where I grew up, weather like we've been having here in IF would have been completely debilitating. Roads closed. Schools closed. I remember listening with bated breath to those critical morning radio broadcasts, listing all the schools with delayed starts or closures. Hearing the name of my school meant a rare and intoxicating joy: playing in the snow all day. It's not so joyful now, being out in the snow. But, by next year, M will be big enough to do some serious snow-playing so I'd better get used to it. I WILL be a fun mommy.

For now, since B has had this week off work, (and our 4WD is wrecked so we aren't going anywhere) we've been making cookies, drinking way too much cocoa, and watching far, far too many movies. My gluteus is most certainly a maximus by now. We watched:

• The Sound of Music. I shamelessly love every bit of cheesiness. And I love Austria, and Julie Andrews. And that dashing Captain Von Trapp. Even the Baroness.
• All 3 Lord of the Rings films (I make B fast forward through all the gory parts). I love the symbolism and themes of honor and friendship, but really hate that Gollum guy.
• Little Women--one of my all time favorites and just a lovely story which B even admitted to liking. I've always hated Jo for refusing Teddy but I love her spunkiness. My dad always told me that I reminded him of Jo, or vice versa.
• Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark--I have always loved this franchise, Raiders is my favorite of the 3. Looking forward to #4
• The original Annie. As a little girl I'd lay in bed at night and sing every song from this show at the top of my lungs until I fell asleep. Or until my Dad told me to give it up. I even had the little red dress with the white collar. I must have been adorable ;)

Along with these movies we've been eating, among other things, chocolate chip cookies. Lots of them. If you live near a Costco, I highly recommend the Otis Spunkmeier Frozen Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Ignore all the other brands. Little frozen cookie dough balls you just pull out of the box (whether you want 3 or 30), drop on a cookie sheet and bake

(or don't bake!) for about 16 minutes. Cookie perfection, zero effort, zero mess. It's a little kitchen miracle in under 20 minutes. If your Costco doesn't carry these, you must insist they change their ways! Picket if necessary!