Winter Weather

Snow.

I could probably stop there since the word “snow” is a fairly good descriptor of our current winter weather. But then I would be neglecting the word “cold” and we can’t leave such a serviceable word out in the…cold. Wait, maybe that would actually be a good idea since I’d prefer that the cold stay outside rather than in the house.

It’s funny how snow in November and December is greeted with cries of glee from the children. Today they all looked at the white falling from the sky and wished for spring. Link wants to be able to wear shorts again. Gleek is tired of being stuck indoors. Patches gets cold easily and has been living in sweatshirts and sweaters. Kiki is just afraid that there will be so much snow that it prevents her from going to school next week when her class has activities planned that she really wants to do. Kiki’s wish is the only one that is likely to be granted. I’ve had kids in school for 7 years now and I’ve yet to experience a snow day. I’m pretty sure the snow has to be measured in feet before they’ll close Utah schools.

So we’ve all been striving to entertain ourselves indoors. Twilight Princess has been a huge help with this. Anyone who claims that video games isolate children have not watched my kids. Kiki is the one who actually plays. She mans the controller and beats the challenges. The other three kids treat it as sort of an interactive movie. They watch the story unfold and shout suggestions. Sometimes they decide that rather than continuing the adventure they’ll spend some time with Link-as-wolf scaring all the townspeople. This is apparently the height of hilarity. They did the same sort of thing with Ocarina of Time, only the entertainment there was attacking chickens. I love sitting down here in my office and hearing all that joyful laughter.

The laughter won’t end today either. In my my mind’s eye I can see these kids grown to adults back together again for a reunion. They’ll laugh again over the frightened townspeople. We’re not hiding from the weather, we’re building memories.

20 thoughts on “Winter Weather”

  1. You have no idea how happy this post made me. While it’s true that sometimes video games can isolate children, I’ve often seen the situation you’ve described with either myself and friends, or among my nephews and nieces. It’s nice to hear someone whose parenting style I respect so much saying the same thing. 🙂

  2. You have no idea how happy this post made me. While it’s true that sometimes video games can isolate children, I’ve often seen the situation you’ve described with either myself and friends, or among my nephews and nieces. It’s nice to hear someone whose parenting style I respect so much saying the same thing. 🙂

  3. Heh. That sounds like our girls.

    They got hooked on Spyro while visiting my Mom over Thanksgiving. Except that they wanted to play so they could watch.

    And I have that Lemmings cd sitting on his desk waiting to be shipped but we’ve lost the PO address. It’s been sitting there and waiting since Thanksgiving too. I’m sorry. It was a snowball attack by the universe. Lots of tiny little things. Send the PO to alaric at caerllewys dot net

  4. Heh. That sounds like our girls.

    They got hooked on Spyro while visiting my Mom over Thanksgiving. Except that they wanted to play so they could watch.

    And I have that Lemmings cd sitting on his desk waiting to be shipped but we’ve lost the PO address. It’s been sitting there and waiting since Thanksgiving too. I’m sorry. It was a snowball attack by the universe. Lots of tiny little things. Send the PO to alaric at caerllewys dot net

  5. Isn’t that a beautiful game?

    Seattle had less than an inch of snow overnight, but the streets were icy this morning. Half my team didn’t come in to work. I wouldn’t be surprised if schools were closed, but not having kids I don’t know.

  6. Isn’t that a beautiful game?

    Seattle had less than an inch of snow overnight, but the streets were icy this morning. Half my team didn’t come in to work. I wouldn’t be surprised if schools were closed, but not having kids I don’t know.

  7. My daughter likes to play games like that with me. About the only game I like to play is Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri (land on a planet with a colony pod and start building). She’s already picking up how you have to balance ecology, societal needs, defense, diplomacy, research, etc. Cool!

  8. My daughter likes to play games like that with me. About the only game I like to play is Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri (land on a planet with a colony pod and start building). She’s already picking up how you have to balance ecology, societal needs, defense, diplomacy, research, etc. Cool!

  9. Sigh. Can you believe we have not had snow all winter? Not once. At all. In freakin’ GERMANY!

    I actually wouldn’t mind, except Alex has been eagerly awaiting snow since late summer. He wears his snow boots every day. For in case it snows.

    Think you’ll still have some in Februray?

  10. Sigh. Can you believe we have not had snow all winter? Not once. At all. In freakin’ GERMANY!

    I actually wouldn’t mind, except Alex has been eagerly awaiting snow since late summer. He wears his snow boots every day. For in case it snows.

    Think you’ll still have some in Februray?

  11. We probably won’t have any of this snow left, but we might have a new batch. Or we might not. Winters are tricky that way. However the mountains nearby are guaranteed to have snow. Even if we don’t have snow at my house we can drive up a canyon to take Alex sledding.

  12. We probably won’t have any of this snow left, but we might have a new batch. Or we might not. Winters are tricky that way. However the mountains nearby are guaranteed to have snow. Even if we don’t have snow at my house we can drive up a canyon to take Alex sledding.

  13. Tradition

    Every year we would go to one of my cousin’s houses for thanksgiving, we would play video games and do other things, now fast forward 10 years. My brother, my brothers fiancee, cousin, another cousin’s two children, and I are all playing video games. This christmas we played bomberman.

    It’s a tradition that keeps growing.

  14. Tradition

    Every year we would go to one of my cousin’s houses for thanksgiving, we would play video games and do other things, now fast forward 10 years. My brother, my brothers fiancee, cousin, another cousin’s two children, and I are all playing video games. This christmas we played bomberman.

    It’s a tradition that keeps growing.

  15. cold

    It has been cold in California too. It went down to 17 degrees for a few nights. Got up to find ice on the car windows, frost on the roofs, flowers were frozen, etc. Adults in the house are complaining about how cold it is outside. I taught a group of 8 seven-year old children today in Church. They came into class and were excited. There were icicles on the neighbor’s grass! The cat’s water dish was frozen! My daddy and I did an experiment with putting out water in dishes to see if it would freeze–it did! At school we did an experiment and put water in the plastic pond and it froze! Oh, the wonder of children. What I was putting up with was exciting and new for them. The world is full of wonderful things and cold weather is one of them.

  16. cold

    It has been cold in California too. It went down to 17 degrees for a few nights. Got up to find ice on the car windows, frost on the roofs, flowers were frozen, etc. Adults in the house are complaining about how cold it is outside. I taught a group of 8 seven-year old children today in Church. They came into class and were excited. There were icicles on the neighbor’s grass! The cat’s water dish was frozen! My daddy and I did an experiment with putting out water in dishes to see if it would freeze–it did! At school we did an experiment and put water in the plastic pond and it froze! Oh, the wonder of children. What I was putting up with was exciting and new for them. The world is full of wonderful things and cold weather is one of them.

Comments are closed.