What do you do when...

...you are stuck inside for 4 days straight because the worst ice storm in 20 years hits your city? The city SHUT DOWN for 4 days straight. No school. No work (for everyone except Chris). No mail. No. Sonic. Nothing open FOR FOUR DAYS!!!!

( Yes, that is a -12 degrees folks. And yes, we live in Texas.)

First, you turn into one of these when you go outside to check the mail (that isn't there).

Next, you decide you will never check the mail again and MAYBE, if they beg hard enough, the door will be opened for 2.4 seconds so the dogs can go out to pee.

Then, you make the guilt-free decision to not get out of your PJs for the rest of the day.

You set up a big tent in the living room and have a Picnic in your Pajamas eating only P foods.

Later, you bake homemade chocolate chip cookies, because when else would you have the time to actually bake the real things instead of the slice and bake? You enjoy the cookies over a nice game of Balloon Lagoon.

Next, you crack open the paint and don your painting shirt and make sweet Valentines for your friends.

It's OPPOSITE DAY!!

Next, boil some hot water and make hot chocolate after eating some hot dogs. Try learning about the letter H while making words out of play-doh.

Try and kill some time by constructing a little airplane with tooth picks. OR, even better, a VERY large one with Tinker Toys.

It may be frosty outside, but it's never a bad season for Jello Dinosaurs.

Finally, use all those pounds of old coffee grinds you've been drinking through for the past few days and cook up some Dinosaur fossils! Click Here to find directions how to make your own fossils.

And how does mommy stay sane being locked up inside with a 4 year old for 4 days when it's close to 4 degrees out?

She makes some cute shirts she's been wanting to make for Josh's St. Patrick's Day and Valentine's parties.

She gets a head start on making some St. Patrick's Day decorations.

She tends to her neglected blog during nap time.

And, of course, she consults her good friend, the wine bottle, to warm her up.

Poor Chris experienced the ice mostly from the 27th floor at his office, but he got to slip and slide a bit on the way to the court house. He got home early enough one night to help release some of Josh's (and Jackson's) built-up energy and played chase around the house.

Thankfully, Pickles was in town for the great ice storm of '11. She kept Josh and I entertained, as she always does. A memorable week of fun and a hidden blessing forced on us. It was so nice to slow down and enjoy being in our cozy home with my little man and my dear friend.

Finally, the ice storm turned into a snow storm, what a great way to end the week. God sent us an extra special gift by closing Chris' office AND crashing their remote server, so he couldn't even do work from home. We were FORCED to do this all day....

(Yes, that is an old wake board fashioned into a sled by my "Macgyver- husband" himself. )

Pure delight.

Dork.

Show off.

Cutest sledders on the hill.

It started out as a nice little ride down the hill.

Then, something went awry.

And poor Josh got a face full of snow.

And eyes, and nose, and ears, and mouth, and pants... time to get in the warm car.

And time for hot chocolate and cookies.