Ice, Ice Baby

Well I am certainly no meteorologist, but the weather can be summed up around here lately in two words: POLAR VORTEX.   Now, how cool is that?  I have never in my life heard that term before and here I was right in the middle of this polar vortex thingie.  It sounded so serious.  And so cold.   I looked it up on Wikipedia and learned that it is also called a polar cyclone and a circumpolar whirl.  Those meteorologists!

So, this phenomenal polar vortex moves into Michigan late Sunday night, after at least twelve inches of snow were dumped on the area throughout the day.  Perfect!  Monday was for sure going to be a snow day.  A teacher's dream. Temperatures were expected to be -20 to -30, not fit for man nor beast, let alone a little eight year old at a frigid bus stop.

This was an extra bonus to have this additional day at the end of our two week holiday break.    School was called off Sunday night which made the Monday snow day even sweeter as I didn't have to stay up half the night monitoring school closings, looking out the window, and waking up my husband to ask him if he thought there might be a snow day.  Teachers have a lot of stress on snow day eves. We hang in limbo as we wait to find out if we will be staying home, or if we should, indeed, open up that plan book and finish up those lesson plans.   In addition, thanks to Facebook we now spend way too many hours posting about the possibility of a snow day.  It's a vicious cycle. 

Today marks our third, and unprecedented, snow day, or cold day, or stay-off-the-roads day at my school.  In fact every district for miles around has been closed for three solid days. I ventured out yesterday and today for a bit and the roads were very icy and treacherous.  Best to make the call and keep the little ones safe at home.

I don't ever remember it being this cold around here.  Snow days are meant for staying in your pajamas until noon and then bundling up and playing in the snow.  But with these below 0 temperatures playing outside is impossible.  I baked banana bread for the first time, cleaned the oven (well the oven cleaned itself), worked out every day, and called friends to chat.  I read a book, which sadly rarely happens during the school year, watched some movies, and cleaned.  

 In other words, I can't wait to get back to school.

I miss the kids.  I miss their smiles and their loud talking and their laughter.  I miss teaching and learning. I miss my classroom and my teacher friends.  I miss the routine and the constant activity of a day at school.  
  

We'll be back at school tomorrow, well rested, refreshed, and anxious to get back to the business of learning.  So, adios Polar Vortex.  Good-bye Snowmageddon 2014.  Ciao -30 wind chill.  And parents, you can go back to work now, we've got this.  

At least until the next snow day.