Take Time To Taste The Snowflakes

So, today I was on Facebook (according to a recent quiz, I am 66% addicted). 

We were all chatting about the woodchucks and groundhogs (what's the difference?) that did or did not see their shadows (most did). 

One REALTOR friend in Michigan said that the spectators that went to see Woody the Woodchuck were all dressed in bikinis and bermuda shorts, trying to fake Woody out.  It didn't work - he, too, was scared when he saw his shadow, and predicted 6 more weeks of winter.  Those woodchucks are smarter than you'd think.  Smarter than the spectators, anyway.  It's cold in Michigan.

When I told this to my husband he simply commented that all the news reports this morning were focusing on the fact that the spectators of every city that does this had been up drinking all night.  Hmmm... now it's all starting to make sense.

Then, they announced that most of Northern Virginia would be getting 3 to 6 inches of snow tonight... and to make matters worse (or better), they are now predicting maybe another foot of snow this weekend.... that's on top of the 6-ish inches of snow we got 3 days ago.... and this is not our first snow.  Heck, our first snow of the season came before Christmas and was about 18-26 inches here in our area. 

One of my clients said "I thought when we moved to Virginia we'd have mild winters"..NOT!  (Sorry, Jodi.) Not this year, anyway.  It's only like this about every 5 years, it's just that we're overdue - we've been spoiled since 1996.  To average things out, we'll have to have 3 winters in a row with lots of wintery precipitation.  (Maybe that's a warning to you.)

Another REALTOR friend posted this: "Here Mr. Groundhog,  Mr.Tony Soprano has some concrete shoes he wants you to try on. Can you say Anacostia?" (The Anacostia is a river in DC.)  NOT NICE!  I like Phil!   (Phil is in Punxsutawney, PA- a place I MUST be next year...it's on my bucket list).  Phil is just calling it like he sees it.. and apparently YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH, Steve!

Anyway... I was leaving to go pick up my kids, just as the flurries started to come down.  One of the little girls was outside in her front lawn, arms spread open, looking toward the sky, mouth wide open and tongue hanging out. 

Ahh... I remember tasting snowflakes, fresh ones, falling from the sky.  It's been too long.

Then, I picked up my kids at daycare.  We walked out to the car.  They both, instinctively, stuck out their tongues to get a taste.  The kids are all on the same page.  What is wrong with us?

This time of year there aren't many Roses to 'Stop and Smell'.  So, I am going to encourage you ALL to 'Stop and Taste the Snowflakes'.  When I did that tonight, I suddenly felt excited about the falling snow.  Thrilled that we'd have six more weeks of this possible miracle. 

A new perspective changes everything.

Stay tuned to http://www.livinginloco.blogspot.com/.  In the morning, I will be posting some ideas on how to prevent cabin fever.  Crafts, games and special snacks...for kids and parents alike.

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If you're looking for more information on what life is like here in Loudoun County, check out my web site, my Loudoun County blog (LivingInLoCo) or just give me a ring.  You can use the HOME SEARCH tool to find houses for sale in Loudoun or you can run an automated 'Market Snapshot' (click here) to see what the real estate sales in your Loudoun County neighborhood have been recently if you're thinking of selling.

Groundhog Day FUN!

Here are some fun "Groundhog Day" crafts and activities to do with the kids. 

Start out the day with a special Groundhog's day breakfast of Peeping Groundhogs and Sunny-side up Eggs.  Peeping Groundhogs are made by taking canned biscuits and balling them up in your fist, then plopping them onto a cookie sheet.  Take a half a link sausage and stick it in the middle of the biscuit - with only the top sticking out.  (This represents the groundhog's head.)  Then bake until biscuits are done.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, if desired.  Over breakfast, talk about the tradition of Groundhogs day. 

After breakfast, have the kids make a Groundhog day mask.  Then, get a large box (one they can climb into) and have the kids decorate it as the Groundhogs "house".  Have each child take turns playing "Groundhog" (think Jack in the box, without the crank). Experiment with a flash light or lamp (the sun) and pillows (clouds).  This way, you can discuss how the sunshine and clouds affect whether the Groundhog sees his shadow.  You can also experiment with the light source being closer or further from the Groundhog, and with the Groundhog being closer or further from the ground - see what happens to the size of his shadow.

If you do not have a box large enough for this, consider using a smaller box and making a Groundhog puppet - use the same concepts, but on a smaller scale.  Sock puppets are GREAT for this - and the more stained the sock the better! 

Also, do an activity involving their OWN shadows.  

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  Practice making shadow hand puppets. 
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  Have the children sit in a chair and create shadows using a lamp or flashlight and then tracing the shadow to create a silhouette. 
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  Or, my favorite - do a shadow dance.  Put a spot light (flashlight/lamp) behind a sheet.  Then, have the kids dance between the lamp and sheet while you record a video to watch back.

For dinner, there are a couple schools of thought:

*  Serve your favorite meal which includes ground port sausage (get it? ground hog?).  Or, if you are more like me...

*   Eat like a Groundhog... salads all around! If you're kids don't like salad, dress it up... make it like a party platter with raw veggies and dip.

Even if you skip the dinner options for Groundhog day, don't skip dessert:  Make a bowl of chocolate pudding, add chocolate whipped cream (if you have it), and sprinkle "dirt" - ground up chocolate graham crackers or oreo cookies (not the white middles -just the cookie part) - on top.  Then, put a popsicle stick with a picture of a groundhog in the middle.  Ta-da!  A groundhog coming out of his hole!

The Inspiration of Ground Hog Day (The Movie)

Most of us have seen the movie, Groundhog Day.  But I always wonder, am I the only one that sees a morale to the story? 

At first, Bill Murray is miserable and barely makes it through the day, hating every moment.  Then, he wakes up the next day and it's NOT the next day.... he's very confused.  By the third day, he's annoyed. He hated living through that day the first two times, surely he does not want to continue to relive the same day. 

This pattern continues and continues, each day the same, only worse, than the same day that he'd just lived.  Eventually, he begins to approach each day as a new opportunity.  He learns new skills, meets new people and does new things.  His day gets better and better.  Eventually he "gets the girl" and is able to move on to February 3rd and the movie ends.

But, what is the lesson here?  You can't change the calendar, or the events that will happen to you that day.  You can only change your reaction to the situation.  Your reaction determines the type of day you will have, it determines the life you'll lead.

I even think a little deeper (because I do that)... we don't get an unlimited number of times to re-live the same day until we make it the best it can be.  But, we do kind of get a "do over" each day.  Yes, you must still deal with the consequences of your behaviour the day before, and depending on how you lived it, that might be good - or not.  But, every morning that the sun rises and you can experience it, you get a new start.  An opportunity to change the course of your life.  Do you make the most of it each day?

Think about work... maybe you hate your job, but the economy is too scary to try to make a change.  Rather than head into work and be even more miserable than the day before, try a new approach.  See what happens.  It will be small at first, but over time, it can be a completely different experience all together.  People around you may be confused, but maybe your new perspective will start affecting them.

It could be your home life, marriage or other aspects of your life, but the same principle applies.  If you want a different experience, change what you can - change YOUR action.

Maybe for you, re-watching the movie the Ground Hog day will inspire you.  Or, maybe you're looking for another inspiration.

At my church (Leesburg Community Church) they've been doing a "New Years" series about making changes in your life.  There have been some great sermons and messages about choosing to live your life with love, joy, peace, patience and compassion.  (In case you're interested, the sermons are available online-just click here.)

Bill Murray's character went through all of these changes in just one day (re-lived, and re-lived and re-lived, until he got in right).  In the end, he was a changed man, and had a much better life.

Today is February 1st.  Tomorrow is Groundhog Day.  Do you have changes you'd like to make in your life?  Don't wait until New Years Day 2011.  Groundhog Day might be the right occaision to begin.  And, remember, everyone has off days. 

The next sunrise is a do-over.  Start again.