The weather in Dallas this week has made national headlines given the media attention on the region with the Super Bowl this coming Sunday, so I am sure you are aware of the ice storm that has been with us (and much of the country) for the past two days. The media are talking about how ironic it is that two cold weather teams - Green Bay and Pittsburgh - arrived just in time for our winter blast, and that while this type of weather doesn't phase fans from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania it has pretty much crippled north Texas.The front blew through late Monday evening, bringing rain then sleet then ice and snow as well as rapidly dropping temperatures. I woke Tuesday morning before my 5:00 alarm to the sound of ice crystals plummeting against the window. There was about an inch of snow on the ground then, which froze by daybreak to form a large sheet of ice. Schools announced closings by 6:00 a.m. and the Wilson household shifted gears to prepare for a shut-in snow day.
We stayed indoors most of the day but I finally convinced Amelia and John to venture outside late in the afternoon. With wind chills near zero they didn't stay outside long to play, but they had fun exploring the ice all over the backyard. I had warned them that despite appearances this wasn't the type of fluffy snow they have experienced before, but I don't think they fully understood until they were outside.
Amelia and John each took a turn sliding down the sheet of ice that had formed over their slide (their idea, not mine!). You should have heard the shouting from each kid about 3/4 of the way down the slide once the coldness started to seep through the fabric of their pants!
They needed hats, gloves, scarves and heavy jackets to face the cold. However, despite their warm clothing they still only lasted about 15 minutes outside.
Another fun activity for the kids was chipping blocks of ice/snow off of various objects around the backyard.
Today is Wednesday and we are on our second snow day. Temperatures are in the teens and the sun is not out, so I have no idea when the ice sheets that cover our neighborhood roads will melt so that we can emerge for regular activites. Needless to say we are dealing with it fine, though I am dying to exercise and am too wimpy to go out for a run on the ice in zero-degree wind chills. I am definitely thankful that we have power still, and am crossing my fingers we don't lose it. Even if we could manage to drive to a local hotel on the icy roads, there would be no room in the inn given that all are full to capacity for the Super Bowl.
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