it'll be a cold day in

...North Carolina. Being northerners transplanted in the south, one of our favorite things to mock about southerners is that they freak out about snow. Not just snow, but even the threat of snow. Schools close before the skies even get cloudy, people go home early from work, and life just shuts down.

Truth be told - we mock it, but we love it. The world shuts down here because 1)Drivers are accustomed to driving in the snow/ice, and vehicles are rarely equipped for it 2)The cities don't stockpile salt or have a large team of people to plow roads like they do up north, and 3)The snow is much more likely to be a snow/ice mix, which IS more dangerous. Whatever the reason - it's kind of nice to have a good old fashioned snow day. Down here, we rarely get more than an inch, it's rarely more than once or twice a year, and it's rarely before February.

But last night, we got about four or five inches of snow goodness. And oh my goodness, has it been wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. The sleet started around 11:30 on Friday morning, and turned into beautiful, sweet snowflakes around 4:00. And it kept snowing. And kept snowing. And kept snowing. All. Through. The. Night. (I know because I kept looking out the blinds to make sure it was so).



If you're from the north, you're looking at these pictures, and reading about 4-6 inches of snow, and thinking, "big deal." Well, my friend, it IS a big deal down here. A very big deal. Oprah was preempted to cover the falling snow - and it doesn't get any bigger than that.

And so far, today has been about the most perfect thing I could imagine. Shawn actually didn't have to work today, so we had a big breakfast as a family. Then while Jude napped, Shawn and I watched Holiday Inn and sipped our coffee. After he woke up, the three of us played in the snow and made a snowman. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

I think we're going to venture out this afternoon for some mini marshmellows and then later this evening for a Christmas party, which will be the perfect ending of a perfect day (THIS is how much I love snow, I start talking in song).

I have some super cute pictures of Jude's first time playing in the snow, but I'll get to them tomorrow or Monday. For now - I'm just going to enjoy my family and this beautiful, wonderful snow.

I hope you're enjoying yours this weekend!