Yesterday we had our first real snowstorm of the season. Its timing was perfect: a Friday where we had no reason to leave the house. The Vachette did not have school. Mr. Mad Cow needed to work from home. And, added bonus, our pantries were decently stocked.

I didn’t realize how badly I needed a snow day. Let’s be honest. Thanks to the cloud of grief, I have a hard time recognizing my needs until the moment they find a way to stare me right in the face. Just ask Mr. MC about the verbal onslaught he got two nights ago. But I digress.

When I was a kid, there was nothing more glorious than a snow day. An unexpected holiday from school. As a mom, it’s a bit harder to take a holiday from life, but there are still ways to have some snow day magic. I let the Vachette do a completely self-directly collage art project, praising her copious use of glue. Mess be damned. Then when she later got engaged in self-directed play, I made myself a cup of tea, set up shop on cozy spot on the couch, and watched the storm while knitting. Bonus points to me, I turned on the radio. The Vachette complained, but I told her to close the door to her room if she did not want to hear NPR. Would you believe that actually worked? She really did close her door, and I got to listen to what I wanted to for an entire hour. Glorious indeed.

Then, later that day, Mr. MC supervised her second art project of the day so I could go for a walk. Actively choosing to go for a walk in a snowstorm may sound counterintuitive, and there are certain types of storms where you don’t want to be out. But this was more of a gentle storm. Consistent chunky snowfall with minimal wind and relatively mild temperatures. I started out on the community bike path two blocks from our house. To call the view beautiful is an understatement.

To step through that beauty. To breathe in that air. Forget refreshing. I felt revitalized. And I felt so grateful to live in Massachusetts and thus, get to experience the beauty of four distinct seasons.

The snow stopped just before sunset. So we got treated to one hell of a sky when Mr. MC went out to do a final clearing of our sidewalk. This cutie insisted on going outside to help her father.

When these two snow workers came inside, they got to have homemade vegetarian poutine for dinner, which, in the spirit of honesty, was a treat for mommy too.