how to build a snowman...southern style.

When it snows down here, people completely freak out.
Schools close.
Grocery stores become flooded with people rushing to buy bread and milk and eggs.
Weather Reporters stand on "treacherous" highways chomping at the bit for the first hint of slippery wet stuff, and - with any luck -the real glory shot: an actual bonafide snow-induced collision.

It's crazy.

I tend to be pretty cynical about all the snow hype, but even I have to admit that a real, true, snow is just about as close to Heaven on Earth as you can get.

And even though David and I spent 3 years living in Ohio (where it can snow as late as May), building a snowman is something that we've never done together. Ever. In fact, I think the last time I built a snowman was in Elementary School. It's not that building a snowman didn't sound fun to me, it's just that my nice, warm house, comfy jammies, and Alias re-runs sounded like way more fun.

But now, we have kids.

And live in the South.
Where it never snows...

SO - this year, we built a snowman. With two very excited little guys in tow.

We've been back in the South for 4 years. Which - as it turns out - is just enough time to become totally unprepared for any type of freezing precipitation.

Commence Operation Improvisation.
or Operation Southern Rookies Build a Snowman.
or Operation Freeze Your Fanny Off While You Pretend to Know What You're Doing.

Example #1
Use Ladies' Garden Gloves as protection. Because your manly, warm, Ohio gloves are in STORAGE.

Example #2.
No snow gear? No problem. Rainboots and 2 pairs of socks should do the trick.

No rainboots? Hmmmm...that's a little more tricky...
Mom of the Year says that footed jammies and a some crocs will just have to do.

At first, Avery and Charlie were all about helping us out.

But after about 3 minutes of hard-ish work, they decided that they'd rather do something else.

Like throwing snowballs.

...eating snow.

or just...going inside.

Despite the obvious sting of losing our once motivated "help", David and I stubbornly pushed ahead. By the time frostbite officially started to set in, we figured out a method for rolling giant snowballs.

Because if Charlie Brown and Lucy can do it, so can we.

(side note: at one point in the process, I literally referenced the scene in Frosty the Snowman when the kids are building their snowman for assistance. Because I'm a mommy. And I've seen that movie 1.5 million times.)

 and created quite the curvaious snow...lady.

Hooray.

We admired our handiwork for approximately 2.5 seconds before Avery and Charlie started whining and crying due to the numbness in their extremities.

It felt a little like that scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
You know, the one where Audrey looks like this?

Ellen: Clark, Audrey's frozen from the waist down.

Clark: That's all part of the experience, honey.