Frozen boogers

It was quite a chilly morning out this morning! We walked to school and I believe this is the first time Gage has experienced frozen boogers! :-) We had made it to the end of the block, and crossed the street and I had just remembered that I had forgotten to pack a snack for Gage. I then remembered I had put a snack of almonds and a fruit strip in his backpack for an emergency, awhile back, if I ever forgot. He said that would be fine, but then I realized that I had forgotten their water bottles as well. UGH! I think I left my memory in bed this morning! I wasn't too worried about Gage's water bottle, because he typically does not drink from it during the day anyway. Emma, on the other hand, usually comes home with an empty, or near empty, water bottle each day. She wanted her water bottle, so I told them both to stand right where they were on the sidewalk, while I ran home to get her water bottle. I ran the entire way home and all the way back, and when I was crossing the street I realized they were gone! I almost had a little panic attack, but then realized that they were on the school bus that was parked right there along the sidewalk. I was quite relieved when I saw them on the bus. They thanked the driver, and I did as well. Gage said the bus driver told them they could get on the bus because it was too cold to stand outside. I'm definitely NOT in the running for the Mother-of-the-Year Award! I don't know why that bus driver parks along that sidewalk, but he is there every morning on our walk to school, sometimes with another bus parked behind him and typically the two drivers are out on the sidewalk talking to one another. Anyway, we were grateful for the warmth of the bus for the 7 minutes or less that I was running to and from home. We continued on our walk and dropped Emma off at school. All of the kids were inside waiting for the bell to ring since it was too cold to be outside. There was quite a bit of snow that had drifted on the playground, which probably would have been filling many snowboots, had they been outside! As we walked up the hill to Northridge, Gage told me the inside of his nose felt weird. I told him mine did too, and that the boogers in our noses were freezing due to the cold temps. He asked me if I could drive to pick them up after school, and I told him that we would probably be walking. I feel that if I were sending them to walk to school by themselves in this weather, that would be pretty cruel, but since I, too, am suffering in the freezing cold weather, that it's not quite so bad. PLUS, I have to turn around and walk home!! The walk home is always more miserable with the north wind in my face! Both Gage and Emma will now be able to truthfully tell their children and grandchildren that they walked to school uphill, both ways, in -20 degree temperatures when they were kids. (They better include in those stories that I suffered right along with them so it doesn't sound like I was a mean, terrible Mom!)

Aside from the freezing temperatures, there isn't too much more to tell. We did go to a Cub Scout pack meeting tonight. It was a swimming party at the Mandan Community Center, so that was a fun thing for the kids. Unfortunately we were 30 minutes late, because I apparently didn't read the memo telling that it started at 6:30 instead of 7pm! We missed the presentation of awards, which really isn't that big of a deal. Gage was to get awarded the computer belt loop and pin, however. They gave them to us later, so at least he still got them.

It's supposed to be another cold one tomorrow, with the high temp still below zero, however, it will be a bit "warmer" than it was today. Another good day to stay inside. After we walk to school, that is.