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It starts out with the absolute best part of the day, and that is the moment I find out school is canceled. So glorious! Then I immediately go back to bed. Being a snow day, chances are it is between the months of November and March, so I am in great need of sleep as that is in the midst of basketball season. After catching up on some much-needed Zs, I get up and make breakfast for Renee and I, as she works in the district too. I probably find something to do outside- shovel, give a little bit of food to the barn cats (gotta keep them hungry to hunt mice!), fill the wood stove, and anything else that needs doing. I will probably find a project to keep me busy, or should I say procrastinate from grading those papers or planning lessons. I have to learn to keep in mind eating a frog. At some point I will get to the school work, hopefully enough to get a few days of breathing room. I would also work on some basketball things, such as breaking down film, working on a fundraiser, or scouting an opponent. Since I don't get the opportunity much during the week, Renee and I will probably cook a nice dinner and actually get to eat together. Since our dinners are usually pretty late, there will be some time after to relax before turning in and wishing we had another snow day tomorrow.

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Snow days I feel are even better now as a teacher. As a kid I remember always waking up early to see if my schools name was on the list of schools closed.  As a teacher I find myself watching the weather forecast very carefully and trying not to let myself  get my hopes up of a possible snow day.  The best thing for me about a snow is day is being able to spend extra time with my girls. I loved being able to start my day out with big cup a coffee and for the girls hot chocolate with marshmallows. We usually we end up staying in our pajamas all day watching Disney movies. Another thing that I loved to do on a snow day is cook and bake. There is nothing better then fresh baked cookies and a big pot of homemade soup to warm you up on a wintry day.

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Snow Day! –Suzanne Pilger                                                                                       I usually am already up when I get the Snow Day text.  My husband and I are always up at 5:00 to have our coffee and make our plan for the day or week.  I of course rub it in a little with a ‘You know, I’m just not feeling it today, I’m staying home.” He never thinks this is funny.  I then make another pot of coffee and think about my day.  When I am at school anticipating a snow day I plan all sorts of things I would do on my day off, clean out that junk drawer, organize the craft room, mop all the floors, defrost the freezer, etc.  I never do any of those things.  And honestly I never regret it.  My children are really good sleepers, and two are teenagers, so I know no one will be up until at least 8:30 probably 9:30 or 10:00, all this time to myself!  The first couple hours consist of a lot of coffee, a book or a Jane Austen movie and maybe a TED Talk or two.  I am also using snow days to try to learn how to make a perfect poached egg, not there yet.                                               Lydia, my 9 year-old, is usually up first so we snuggle and read and talk about her plans for the day.  I love this time with her.  If I know about the snow day the night before I get dough ready for homemade cinnamon rolls and her and I make them, otherwise Natalie makes pancakes and waffles when everyone is up.  This is usually followed by a board game or two, Lydia’s favorite and then many hours reading, my teenagers’ favorite.  If it is a true snow day, not ice, the kids will get dressed up in all their winter gear and head outside to meet up with all the neighborhood kids.  There will be forts, snowmen, snowball fights, some tears and lots of cocoa, made by the gallon and drank outside in the snow.  Our house is the cocoa house, the neighbor’s house diagonal from us is the banana bread house, the kids usually make a few visits to each.When everyone is cold and wet they come in and we have lunch and then bake.  All the outdoor gear goes in the dryer so it will be ready for round two.                                          My snow days are filled with cuddles, books, rosy cheeks, wet mittens, warm goodies fresh from the oven, lots of coffee, and laughter from children.  I cherish every one of them!

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Snow Day! –Suzanne Pilger                                                                                       I usually am already up when I get the Snow Day text.  My husband and I are always up at 5:00 to have our coffee and make our plan for the day or week.  I of course rub it in a little with a ‘You know, I’m just not feeling it today, I’m staying home.” He never thinks this is funny.  I then make another pot of coffee and think about my day.  When I am at school anticipating a snow day I plan all sorts of things I would do on my day off, clean out that junk drawer, organize the craft room, mop all the floors, defrost the freezer, etc.  I never do any of those things.  And honestly I never regret it.  My children are really good sleepers, and two are teenagers, so I know no one will be up until at least 8:30 probably 9:30 or 10:00, all this time to myself!  The first couple hours consist of a lot of coffee, a book or a Jane Austen movie and maybe a TED Talk or two.  I am also using snow days to try to learn how to make a perfect poached egg, not there yet.                                               Lydia, my 9 year-old, is usually up first so we snuggle and read and talk about her plans for the day.  I love this time with her.  If I know about the snow day the night before I get dough ready for homemade cinnamon rolls and her and I make them, otherwise Natalie makes pancakes and waffles when everyone is up.  This is usually followed by a board game or two, Lydia’s favorite and then many hours reading, my teenagers’ favorite.  If it is a true snow day, not ice, the kids will get dressed up in all their winter gear and head outside to meet up with all the neighborhood kids.  There will be forts, snowmen, snowball fights, some tears and lots of cocoa, made by the gallon and drank outside in the snow.  Our house is the cocoa house, the neighbor’s house diagonal from us is the banana bread house, the kids usually make a few visits to each.When everyone is cold and wet they come in and we have lunch and then bake.  All the outdoor gear goes in the dryer so it will be ready for round two.                                          My snow days are filled with cuddles, books, rosy cheeks, wet mittens, warm goodies fresh from the oven, lots of coffee, and laughter from children.  I cherish every one of them!

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The excitement of a snow day never wears off!  I get the same feeling I got as a little girl when my mom would come into my room early and tell me to sleep in because there was no school.  I immediately text my co-workers and my mother in law and tell them to enjoy their day.  Before I had my son Isaac, I took full advantage of the day off and the usual recommendation to stay off the roads.  That’s why I could justify sleeping in, staying in comfy clothes all day, and catching up on any shows saved in my DVR.  It’s a totally different story now that Isaac is here and full of energy from the crack of dawn!  We usually enjoy a lazy morning, followed by some intense games of ball, a lot of time spent at his play kitchen, and a trip around the neighborhood in his sled.  I agree with Ryan that snow days tend to fall right where they are needed for a much needed mental break, so I try to give myself a break from school and know that I can fall right back into the swing of things a day later.  Nothing beats the excitement of a snow day!

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Whenever there is a chance of a snow day, I try not to let the excitement and anticipation get to me. I spend the night before preparing my lunch, my outfit, and my school bag just as I would any other day. And when the text or e-mail arrives that school is cancelled I do a little happy dance! While there are many things I might do on a snow day (clean the house, bake a new recipe, catch up on a good book), my favorite thing to do is sit in my pajamas and watch "old" movies. It might be my favorite Disney movies, maybe the Wizard of Oz, or a bad chick flick from high school, but it's always enjoyable. But I don't just watch the movies while sitting on the couch, I like to watch wearing pajamas from the comfort of a blanket fort while eating the lunch I packed as a picnic on the floor. Maybe this is why I teach kindergarten!

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I absolutely adore snow days!! I think that sometimes I get more giddy about them than some of my students. If my body allows me too I will sleep in past 6 am. It's usually not too much longer, but just knowing that I am getting a little bit more sleep than usual makes me pretty happy. In the morning, I like to get some work done. Whether it's doing some extra planning or grading papers, and now even doing homework it helps make me a feel productive. I also like to get some house work done as well. It is a great day for getting ahead for the week. My husband is also a teacher so we usually get snow days together. We like to act like kids and go outside with our puppy and build snowmen or have snowball throwing competitions. The neighbor kids usually join in. After that we head inside for hot cocoa and a movie. It is the perfect day to relax and get reenergized.

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Snow days are an awesome perk of being a teacher! It is an exciting feeling to get a surprise day off - especially when they call it the night before. On my snow days, I usually get up early and treat myself to some rare weekday TV. I will do some schoolwork/grading, and then I go out to shovel. Winter is my favorite season, so I don't mind the snow at all - and my dog LOVES to jump and dive through the growing snow piles. My mom is a teacher as well, so usually if she has a snow day too, I'll head to my parents' in the afternoon to spend some time with her. I try to keep my snow days as relaxing as possible, but also prepare enough to feel really good about going back to school the next day.

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Snow Day, Lovely Snow Day!  Jennifer Rogers

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Snow Day, Lovely Snow Day!  Jennifer Rogers

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In anticipation of a snow day, I usually rise early because I love to watch the name of my school scroll by on the TV screen.  I LOVE that so much that I watch it several times before I make a cup of tea and enjoy the quiet in the house.  Before anyone else is up, I like to go out and shovel the driveway.  I like the instant gratification I get from shoveling, always have.  The rest of the day is up in the air.  Activities have varied over the years ranging from cleaning out the Tupperware cabinet to neighborhood sledding parties.  One year we happened to have paint purchased for an entryway makeover, much to my teacher/husband's dismay!  Our most memorable snow day happened almost 9 years ago on February 26th when we were all able to stay home and celebrate our youngest son's first birthday together. Some careers send you jetting off to exotic locales on business or place you in a luxury suite at the Vikings stadium to smooze clients, these are great but nothing beats an unexpected day off filled with whatever you want to fill it with. I put snow days at the top of the list when it comes to career perks.

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At this point in my life, my snow days are what most people would probably consider pretty boring.  I often spend the entire morning prepping or grading in my pajamas!  I try not to sleep in past 6am, as to not screw up my sleep schedule, and I try to complete as much as I can from home before lunch!  Often this includes replanning the remainder of the week, then planning and prepping for the future.  I live very close to my school, so I often end up going in for an hour or so (after I've finally decided to change out of my pajamas) to make copies, organize, etc (all things that help me to feel more prepared).  Once I feel accomplished, I allow myself to enjoy the rest of my day from the comfort of my couch in front of a "good" Hallmark movie with our two pups.  I also really enjoy making something special for supper, because I have the extra time.  Although my snow days aren't spectacular and exciting, they are great for my mental health!  I hope that once I have a few more years under my belt, I'll be less likely to be using snow days for work and, hopefully, we'll have little ones that I can enjoy my snow days with (I enjoyed reading Ryan & Connie's posts about how they share their snow days with their children)!

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On my snow days, the very first thing I do is sleep in or go back to bed! There is something reenergizing about having an unexpected day to just relax and get a few extra zzz's. Usually, I then have a plan to be as productive as I can be for the day - I want to do laundry, clean the house, prep for the rest of the week, etc. so I get started right away! As the day goes on, my productivity starts to slide, I end up making more than one cup of coffee (that I have in a real coffee cup instead of my mug that I take to school!), and I tend to end up snuggling with my dog, Nala and catching up on those TV shows that we have saved on DVR. My snow days are a perfect mix of getting things done around the house, but finding time to relax and take full advantage of those unexpected days off.

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Snow days are a magical and amazing experience for teachers because many times they fall right where we need them for that extra boost of energy, for planning, grading, or fun. Prior to my children being born snow day consisted of a lot of shoveling, helping my wife get out the door to work, and working around our house at the time to complete a project or two. Since my children were born snow days became something completely different. I try and make it as meaningful as possible for them. When Ava was a baby we would stare out at the snow, play with toys she was into, listen to music, and take naps together. As she got older we starting shoveling together, having epic Barbie adventures in our basement, and building forts both inside and out. Then Jack was born and Ava and I would start the process over, watch and play with him and when he napped we had our time to play. Ava (9) and Jack (4) love our "home days" when we can have adventures in our new house, playing Wii Mario, listening to music, having dance parties, and building forts out of blankets and anything we can use to make a cave. Both of my kids help with shoveling, although it is more playing than helping. I really try not to do any work unless it is necessary because these are the days they will remember forever!

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Wonderful Winter Wonderland Snow day-Brenda Grupe

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Wonderful Winter Wonderland Snow day-Brenda Grupe

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Several items have remained constant with snow days. We always spend at least part of the day outside.  There is always  cocoa made from scratch.  We play a game  at first when the children were little it was Candyland now we play Munchkin.   I always  get up and enjoy the early quiet, morning snowfall with my coffee.  I am grateful for Nature's mid-winter mental health day!

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My snow days have evolved over the years.  When my kids were young, I would make sure to have extra ingredients on hand for homemade ice cream.  We would go outside to get a bucket of snow to use in the ice cream machine.  In a few hours, we would enjoy a sweet and special treat.

Now, I actually keep a snow day list of things that I have been meaning to do, but keep putting off.  The list may include the pile of laundry in the laundry room, the paper work that has piled up on the desk, or deep cleaning the kitchen.  A December snow day is extra special.  How awesome to have extra time for holiday baking or sending Christmas cards!

I have also used that time to catch up on grading or plan a new activity for my classroom.  I love the feeling of accomplishing something extra on a snow day!  LET IT SNOW!