Virginia Winter, the Second Time Around

This is our second winter in Virginia and it has been even milder than last winter, with lots of warm days and no real snow.  Being from the north, I think the winters here are not wintry at all. Over the past few months I have said many times that "fall in Virginia lasts all winter long!"  Well, yesterday we got our first real snow, which led to school, the library and the university being closed, so we have all been home celebrating a snow day. 

Everything is new for us in this house.  This is our first real snow!

Snowball fight!

Elise thought it was unfair that these
two were both launching snow balls
at her.

Elise build a snow fort, complete with
built-in seats and a couch.

Snow!

Virginians take snow very seriously.  Just the threat of snow causes schools to close and people to make emergency stops at the store for milk.  Up until this week, school had been cancelled three days because snow was forecast.  And then never came.  I think one of the days it rained instead.  And one of the days there was some ice, which makes for very dangerous driving conditions on the narrow, twisty-turning, up-and-down hilly roads of Virginia.  I have tried to not snicker about the fear Virginians feel about a bit of snow; I try to not be judgemental, but it hasn't been easy.  This week, though, we've had ourselves a true snow event, and have gotten about 3" of snow.  So we've had two days off from school and work!!  The girls' school, the public library, and the university where Jason works have all been closed for the past two days (along with just about everything else including the Marine Corps base at Quantico and most state and federal government offices in the area).

Our view at 5:00 a.m. Tuesday (schools, library and university closed), 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, and 5:00 a.m. Wednesday (everything closed again).

The girls totally enjoyed the snow and have been out in it as often as they can.  We have a small hill behind our apartment and it made for some great snow fun!  The girls pretended they were penguins and slid down the hill on their bellies. (see video here)