Snow Snake

I have seen the illusive northern Wisconsin snow snake! It was slithering wildly around the playground outside of UCC this afternoon! We watched it glide across the frozen snow, whirling and twirling, dancing on the wind. Don't worry, we were all safe. The wind chill never came above zero today, we were all watching out the window.

What actually happened: I was sitting on the floor singing with two of the girls, and little "C" walks over. He stops dead in his tracks and looks out the window. "Miss Joanie! There's a snake on the playground!!" I looked at him and said "It's winter "C", I don't think so. A snake would be frozen." The girls and I continued our song, but he just stood there looking out on the playground. So I got up to take a look, because he was definitely focused on something. A few other kids crowded into the window. We have these awesome windows with a box "seat" in them. They, and I were now all staring out the window at a snow snake. It was actually a curly reed, but it was blowing and twisting across the icy snow at breakneck speed, and it sure did look like a snake.

Of course, being the prankster that I am I grabbed the kids and yelled "It's a snake!" Of course they screamed and jumped and then we all laughed like crazy. This brought the rest of the crew over, including Mr. Tom, and we all watched the snow snake frolic around the playground. Tom commented "Easily amused." as the kids stared and laughed. Just then the snake whipped right over the snow hill and I burst out laughing. I looked at him and shrugged. "Apparently I am too."

Then the snake went out of the chain link fence, and got stuck just at the end of it. It was time for me to go, so I suited up and trudged across the playground to retrieve it for them. I tossed the snow snake back onto the frozen snow and watched it dance around some more. Man it was freezing out there. It has been over a week since the kids have been out, and tomorrow we'll be stuck inside too. I've cleared the calendar for Friday, we will be OUTSIDE dancing with the snow snake!!

When you work with kids some days are really rough (YESTERDAY) and you drag your butt home wondering why in the world you keep doing this. Then days like today come along and you get to watch snow snakes and laugh and be silly, and you remember why. ♥

The Boys Are BACK!

♫ Guess who just got back today? That awesome football team from Green Bay! ♫

Wow!! What a game. It went exactly as I expected, and man am I glad this season is over! Congratulations Green Bay! I am always a proud fan, but I'm SUPER proud today. :)

I had a huge case of heartburn by the time the game was over. At about the six minute mark I turned to Leon, who was doing his quiet intense thing on the other end of the couch, and said "If I have a heart attack just bury me in the back yard, I don't have health insurance anymore!" After the game we were both just spent, and he ended up having to lay down with ice on his neck to cure a fast building tension, turning to migraine, headache.

Over all it was a nice evening. Leon invited me out, cooked some delicious steaks and waited on me hand and foot. I watched a fabulous game, visited the worlds best dog, got to see the downed trees, (sad...I liked those trees) helped him through his headache, and then headed back in to town. I was nervous about drunks on the road, but I waited long enough for the ones who had to work in the morning to be home, and the ones who didn't were still out partying. I didn't see one car the entire country portion of my drive home.

I really want to run for office, and my platform will be: Creating a national holiday for the day after the Super Bowl. If your state is in the bowl you get a holiday the following Monday, win or lose! I was too wired to sleep, and had to do this day on about four and a half hours. It went well, but it will definitely be early bedtime for this little girl tonight.

Congratulations Packers fans! It's a great day to be a CHEESEHEAD!

Super!

Well here we are, Super Bowl Sunday!! I am starting mine with some bacon, cause that's how I roll! I wish they would play this game at noon on Sunday, or better yet Saturday night. I never feel like going out on Sunday evenings, it's definitely a time for snuggling in at home to enjoy the last few minutes of peace before it all begins again.

I'm not really sure what I'm going to do to celebrate. I have a couple of options, and I'll just go where the mood takes me. That could very well mean watching it in the comfort of my own living room, although it would be more fun to at least go over to Kate's. I have several hours to decide.

So there he is, Aaron Rodgers, the man of the "hour". Will he be able to lead us to victory?? I really think so. I love his quiet confidence and strength. Every game this year, besides the one against Seattle, has been a nail biter, and I expect the same from this one. He is calm, cool, and collected, and gets the job done.

Living up here in way northern Wisconsin we don't get the Wisconsin news media. All of that comes from Minnesota. This has been a week of whining on the air waves, and I'm glad that's going to be over. Haters. While I am no Viking fan, I can't even root for them when they play the Bears, if they ever (quiet chuckling) make it to the Super Bowl again, I would let the fans celebrate and keep my big mouth shut. It's a great achievement, why rain on someone's parade? Sour grapes, that's all. (The sour grapes is for my cousin Ray, who continually uses that phrase on me when I diss the Vikings. WHAT exactly I am jealous of, I do not know. Actually, he just likes to torment me.)

One cute thing that happened this week: The kids at UCC were building a structure in the block area. They said it was for me, and it was the Packers! lol I assume, from the shape of it that it was Lambeau field. Very cute!

Gotta Dance!

If you were in the SCCU drive up at 12:20 today, yes..... the crazy lady in the black Mitsubishi Eclipse might have been me. I have talked about music before, and I have mentioned that the best crazy dance your ass off song for me is "The Boys Are Back" by Thin Lizzie. Well, what am I supposed to do when that song comes on in the car, just as I'm sending my deposit through????

First I cranked it up, had the window open and it isn't too bad out today. Then I started tapping my foot. Uh oh. Furtive look to the left, no, I don't recognize anyone. Glance over my shoulder to the right, no familiar faces. Slight head nod to the beat as I'm waiting for my slip to come back. Oh please hurry up!! I know that forces I can not control are going to cause me to make a spectacle of myself. I'm tapping the drums on the wheel, nodding my head a little stronger, and I start singing, when I hear the "Have a nice day" and a chuckle..... OH, the security camera! Must drive away quickly before the awesome drums start!

So I crank it up some more and head toward home, slapping out drums on the wheel as I go, head flinging around crazily (I have realized I have a pony tail in, and that is excellent for whipping around when you're dancing like a nut.) The look I got from the twenty something crabby faced gal at the corner by my house was priceless. Lighten up sweetheart, you've got a LONG way to go. Plus, flipping the bird to the music toward a neighbors house who will remain nameless, but is a former employer...... well, that was just bonus points.

I love the way that song makes me feel. ALIVE! ♫Guess who just got back today♫

Hot Toddy

MMMMMMMmmmmmmMMMMMMMM Kahlua! It was my sisters birthday yesterday, and somehow I got a present! Don't you just love when things work out that way? Kate and Tom had dinner at the Shack, and bought me a bottle of Kahlua for watching Cierra. Now let me tell you, between the pull-up incident and the chocolate cake debacle, I earned that bottle! It's really more of a bribe than a present I think. Please keep watching our child, pretty please? We will buy you booze, snacks, even the lobster you keep requesting! (I had to try.)

Every time it stops snowing here the temps plummet. We have been below zero with the windchill for two days now, although a warm up is slated for tomorrow, and the 30 number has been mentioned for Friday. Hmmmmm....what do you want to bet it's going to snow again? Well, I am armed and ready for this weather now! I came home from work, brewed a pot of Dark Chocolate Truffle coffee and dumped in a little too much Kahlua. ;) We'll top that off with a hot bubble bath and probably a nap in said bath, and be good to go!

I had 20 children for Preschool today, and while I am actually getting used to those numbers now, I could really use a snow day!! The Kahlua will have to do for now! :D Thanks Kate and Tom!