Happy Saturday, all! It's official- the area of NC that I live in is bracing for real winter weather this weekend. This, of course, means that everyone has run or is currently out to nearly empty stores to pick through what's left of the bread, milk, and meat. My husband actually just left to run to Costco for a few essentials (you know... diapers for the baby, Rao's sauce, muffins as big as your face, and milk- oh, and veggies for good measure!). 

We tend to go a little bonkers in the south when there's a promising threat of snow and/or ice. We so rarely see it, it's like Christmas and all of our birthdays combined when we actually do get a little wintry something. We had planned on celebrating my birthday this weekend with my husband's family (yours truly just turned 35 for the fifth time), but we decided to postpone those plans to allow everyone a safe snow day at home on Sunday.

What started out as a forecasted twelve (or more) inches of ice and snow has dwindled to a possible two to four inches (if that), but we'll take it... even a trace is something to look at. My kiddos are excited. They haven't seen significant snow in nearly four years. I know they'll want to play in it, get soaked and chilled to the bone all for the sake of making a dirty snowman, and come inside for hot chocolate while their shoes dry off sitting over the heat vents. In truth, we don't waste money on snow gear here in the south where it hardly ever snows. 

My idea of a perfect snow day consists of sleeping in, waking up to hot coffee, and then enjoying it before anyone else is awake. I love sitting by the window and just peering outside, watching fresh snow fall gently from the gray skies above. I might even think of a visual like God sprinkling powdered sugar from up above for a fun glimmer of sweetness during an otherwise gloomy time of year. I'll head to my kitchen, looking for bright red cardinals at the bird feeder right outside my window. Cardinals in the snow are one of my favorite things to see during the winter.

After the rest of my family is awake for the day, we'll snuggle under warm blankets, enjoy the aforementioned hot cocoa, perhaps have a Star Wars movie marathon (to which my husband asks 'Who even are you!?). I'll make a batch of potato or broccoli cheese soup for dinner, and hubby will bake a fresh loaf of bread. Maybe we'll tackle some chores, or maybe we'll just delight in a lazy day together.

At the end of the day, I'll lay my head down, exhausted no doubt from caring for my sweet little family, yet feeling grateful for such an opportunity to enjoy them, along with the beauty of God's creation around us- covered in the snow.