April "showers" in Minnesota - a winter snowstorm

Written on Thursday, April 18:

Whoever said that "April showers bring May flowers" must never have traveled to Minnesota in the "spring." Though Minnesotan's are accustomed to crazy temperature changes and snow still on the ground in April, this state hasn't seen a winter snowstorm in April for more than 20 years. Leave it to 2013 to change that. For someone who doesn't watch the news or the weather channel, it might have been a bit of a shock to have this weather start pounding down...thankfully, I have people who care about me and know that I do not pay attention to either of those above mentioned channels, so they call me to inform and prepare me. :) By noon today ice pellets were falling fast and hitting the ground hard. The boys and I were at the church; I drove around back and dropped Parker off at preschool and headed home s-l-o-w-l-y. I didn't want to end up in a ditch like the other 8 or so cars I passed within that 8-9 mile radius. Thank you, Lord, for 4-wheel drive. And thank you, Lord, for sending me a husband who is stubborn enough to not let me talk him into getting a minivan here in Minnesota, for I would have been one of the 17 or so vans I saw stuck or pulled off the road today.

Of course, when heavy weather hits, the Pilot gets excited. I have long since discovered a pattern with him; if a blizzard or snowstorm comes, he climbs in Troublemaker to see what he can see and to see who he can help that might be stuck. Then, he always suggests that I not worry over cooking, and takes us out to eat (usually to Red Lobster...1. because we love it so much and 2. because it would just feel wrong to go anywhere else during the above mentioned condition...it's where we always happened to be when major snowfalls occurred earlier in our marriage...random, but quite true.

All 4 of us load up in Black Stallion (that would be my Explorer) and head towards the nearest Red Lobster. Thank you, family, for our gift cards; we enjoy using them so much at random times such as this!!! I try hard not to crack up as the Pilot excitedly talks about the weather conditions and how "bad the roads are," "do you see how well our 4-wheel drive is working right now?" and quite a few comments and suggestions regarding other drivers and how they were not doing so hot...according to his knowledge.

I start a video recording. Parker is being silly and asking 10,000 questions as usual regarding the exact things his daddy was talking about. Clay gets a phone call; it's Nana. Hi Nana! They talk for a few seconds. His 7 year old Iphone (yes, everyone please pity him now and it will make him feel slightly better. :)) --"that was the second Iphone ever to come out"--shut off. Clay calls Nana back. It shuts off again. After attempting 4-5 conversations that were unsuccessful, the Pilot gave up on that notion and frustratingly shared with me that he needed a new phone. (You have to either live in this household or know Clay very well to understand why at that moment, the only comment I could muster was, "Yes dear, you do need a new phone very badly. And we will get you one one day; it's on the list... I tried to sound sympathetic, but I don't think I did.)

Meanwhile, Cooper is sounding quite whiny in the backseat--not your typical crying and wailing whining, but your lips-poked-out-for-no-reason-other-than-to-fuss-and-pout-over-absolutely-nothing type whine. And please, let me tell you, that our little mister has the whine down to a science. Have you ever seen the PBS show Calillou? It's his favorite. Picture Calillou's voice but about 10 times more dramatic and whiny and you have our little mister's "whine."

I am happily snapping pictures and videotaping the roads, the noises, the date and time, the comments...pretty much everything. It might have been quite the comical moment if you had been a fly on the wall.

We did arrive to Red Lobster safe and sound and now, were rather hungry. Thank goodness for those lobsters out front and for the restaurant's dream biscuits. Dinner was fabulous as usual. Of course, the boys and I were all done by the time poor hubby started on his snow crab legs. ;) He has to peel everyone else's first so it ends up being quite the ordeal. ha! I have to laugh every time. The boys are diving in as soon as he lays it on their plates. We try to tell them to slow down and savor each bite, but I truly don't think it even makes it on their taste buds before going down. Ahh, the memories we will have of eating at this place with our boys. :)

On the way home, both boys fell fast asleep before we had even made it a few miles. It kinda made me a little sad for them to miss the drive back, because in my opinion, driving in the snow in the evening under the lighting of the streetlamps helps make up for the "inconvenience" the snow and ice bring our way during the day. It is a beautiful sight...and feeling. Heavy snowfall topped with bright, glowing street lights...and a peacefulness. Hard to describe. You just have to see it. 

Anyway, after pulling onto our street the Pilot announced that he thought he might pull out our snowblower to "warm it up." We got it two years ago and it has only been used once (for a couple of reasons.) After getting the boys to bed, we both ventured out to the garage. The lightbulb blows. (remember to add that to our "to do" list..."our" meaning the Pilot's.) I poured myself a glass of White Zinfandel, pulled up my hoodie, and stood calf deep in the snow while the Pilot happily snowplowed. At this moment, I thanked God for 3 things: 1. for dear hubby being home during this wild weather  2. for my sweet glass of wine  and 3. for the beauty and peace of the snowfall

A mini run-down of our day in pics: (minus Moppets, Parker's school and Clay's dr. appt, the 4 times diarrhea diaper incidences, the wet-bed sheets, the laundry room, a few other things that visitors of this blog would probably appreciate my not sharing)

How I found Parker this morning when I came downstairs to get in the shower

In case it's hard to tell in the picture, it's an orange pepper.

 

Where Cooper ran to and what he grabbed as soon as he got back from his drive with his daddy in Troublemaker.

 

First thing Parker wanted to do when he got home from school...shovel the snow out of our driveway.

After 16 calls, 2 text msgs and 3 voicemails to the Pilot's un-workable phone, I was relieved to see Troublemaker pulling in the neighborhood. The little mister and his daddy had decided to play in the snow a little on their way home and help a few people who were stuck on a nearby hill...wish you would have told your worried wife ahead of time about that, babe!

How the roads looked on our way to eat supper. An accident every several feet it seemed like.

 

Snow crab at Red Lobster. Yum!

Me outside with my wine hunching over from the cold wind that blew snow in my face as the Pilot was snapping the picture.

 

The Pilot at work snowblowing neighboring driveways. (He says it was to truly "warm up the snowblower" after not using it for a year; I happen to know the boy got quite enthusiastic about putting that thing to work this evening though!)