Snow Flake courtesy of OpenClipart.org/FireLee

The Elementrees had a big surprise the morning of Monday, December 7. Green Lawn Elementary School announced a snow day on all the local news stations and on WWQ AM Radio.

It was such a beautiful thing for every student to read on the television screen “School Closings” later followed by the highly anticipated words “Green Lawn Elementary School.” It was an early Christmas present and an early holiday present for those who did not celebrate Christmas.

The parents, on the other hand, were not so thrilled. They had to scramble to find babysitters, or rather a babysitter. As usual, they all first called Dina Lockhart, Amy Lockhart’s mother, to see if she was available. Dina worked as a part-time self-employed caterer, event planner, and babysitter. She also worked part-time a couple days a week at a local flower shop. Luckily, she had this day off from the flower shop, so she was able to babysit all the Elementrees while their parents went to work.

The Elementrees dressed, ate breakfast, and then made their way to Amy’s house for a snow day party. Parents made sure their children were wearing snow boots, winter coats, gloves, scarves, and hats before they left out the door.

“Hip, hip, hooray! It’s a snow day!” Tommy Tomorrow shouted as he walked toward Amy’s blue house. He was usually the last one to finish things, but his parents kept his act on the straight and narrow, so this time he was the first out the door.

“Snow day our way!” Bobby Bishop yelled back to Tommy from the other side of the street. Their houses were directly across from one another.

Cynthia Buttons was wearing leg warmers under her boots and a dress under her coat. She insisted that good fashion sense and being a girly-girl did not stop just because there was some snow on the ground.

It was the first snow of the approaching winter season. The tree branches and leaves had been warm the day prior, so when the snow met the trees, it stuck to them like glue. All the tree branches held at least a couple inches of snow. It was a winter wonderland from the rooftops, to the treetops, porch railings, and walkways. All was covered in a blanket of twinkling white snow.

The wind pushed against the faces of some Elementrees and in the backs of others, depending on which direction they walked down Brush Street to reach Amy’s house. Some of the Elementrees spread out their arms to their sides and pretended they were flying. Flakes of snow kept falling from the sky.

Amy greeted her friends by standing on her driveway and waving at them as they approached.

“Every day should be a snow day!” she said to several Elementrees—Tommy, Bobby, Cynthia, Cleo Redding, and Brenda Books—who were now close enough to hear her. She could see Pete Moss, Brian Glass, Abigail Abacus, and Trudy Jones making their way.

“Snow blast, hope it will last!” Trudy shouted as she ran toward Amy’s home.

Brian was able to walk in double-time because his legs were about twice as long as all the other Elementrees’. “Yesterday, it was sunny and warm. Today there is so much snow. I was shocked when I opened my window shade and saw all this snow!” he said.

“That’s Michigan weather for you, Brian. If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. It will change,” Amy told him.

Cool Cal loved the snow. He weaved around all the Elementrees’ legs. He was the first to run into Amy’s backyard. The Elementrees followed behind him.

The Elementrees made snow angels, built a snowman, and made a small hill they could slide down using Amy’s round saucer sled. After most of their work and play was done, they went inside Amy’s house for hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows, homemade sandwiches made to order, and raw slices of carrots, celery, and broccoli with a choice of dips: ranch, hummus, or Italian dressing.

“I wish every day was a snow day,” Trudy said.

They all clinked their hot chocolate mugs together and said “Cheers!” They had a very satisfying snow day their way.

Question: What is your favorite snow-related activity? You can leave a comment by clicking here.