There’s no two ways about it: this sucks.

Over a foot of snow. Windchills are currently -40. There are travel bans all over the area, meaning unless you have an emergency or you’re on your way to a shelter, you can be arrested for taking your car onto a road. And worst of all, M. and C.’s holiday break was extended a day. It’s too cold to send them outside, we can’t drive to a mall or the library, and we’re all sick of each other.

Fun times!

Not sure what our exact snowfall total was here at blog headquarters. When we went out to shovel for the fourth time at about 7:00 last night, the wind was beginning to kick up and it was hard to make an accurate measurement. I walked out into the middle of our cul-de-sac and the snow was over the mid-point of my lower leg, which would be between 12-13”. If the weathermen are to be trusted this is both the second-biggest snowstorm in Indianapolis history, and the coldest weather in over 20 years.

As I said, this sucks.

The girls had fun in it yesterday. Before the cold hit, they got to go outside three different times. The first 9” or so was thick, heavy snow that was perfect for packing. They made a huge snowman at their aunt and uncle’s house around the corner. Then they came home and started packing snow in the front yard with the neighbors. Their fort ended up having two lumps in it, so they decided to call it snow buns. Last night, while the girls were watching a movie in the basement, S. packed the buns down so they were a single mound of snow.

“I just didn’t want to hear about snow buns anymore.”

Our girls talk about butts, buns, and bottoms constantly, so I approved of the move.

First thing this morning, though, C. looked outside and yelped, “The snow buns are gone!”

I hope our friends across the Midwest are surviving this storm safely. And I’ll be thinking good thoughts for us all that our kids are back in school tomorrow.