Snow Day! (Again...) And 8 more days at this location!

We had to shovel for 2 1/2 hours this morning. Brutal. And we had to entertain a slightly sick 5-year-old who wanted to build forts and have a snowball fight. I had to get to work. I did not know it would take 5 minutes of discussion for each shovelful of snow that I lifted. I'm exhausted.

Jack: Mom come here!

me: I kind of have to finish this Jack, can you wait a minute?

Jack: Come look!

me: (trudge back up the steep driveway with my shovel) What? What???

Jack: Look, I found a leaf.

(this is all totally real...look, here's some more:)

Jack: Can we have a snowball fight?

me: Here (I biff him with snow and keep shoveling)

Jack: NOT fair! I wasn't ready and your snowball wasn't round!

me: I don't have the snowball maker. Look, I have to finish this first okay?

Jack: I can't make snowballs because there's ice on top!

me: Dig down to where it's soft.

Jack: Can you do it?

me: (I whack a big chunk of ice off the snow). There ya go. Dig away.

Jack: (struggles for a minute) There's no snow out heeeerrrrrrreeeeee!

me: (standing in a 4-ft. bank of snow) Really?

(few minutes later:)

Jack: Can I help shovel?

me: Grab the small shovel and come on up. (onto the deck)

Jack: (grabs a shovel and stands right in front of me to start digging) There's too much snow here.

me: That's why we're shoveling. You're in my way.

Jack: No. You're in MY way.

me: Sigh.

Jack: Forget it. I'll go down here and make snowballs again.

me: Come on Jack, don't play exactly where I'm throwing the snow. Please go over there! Sheesh.

Jack: But I want to play HERE, where the snow is all soft from you throwing it!

me: Move or go in. You have a choice.

Jack: Can you put my mittens back on? They're all filled with snow. (he stands with two crusty mittens clutched in his bare hands.)

me: Sob.

Jack: I'm thirsty too.

And now do you wonder why it takes an additional hour to shovel the snow, even when I had so much "help" from a 5-year-old? I could shovel for hours. It was the arguing and pleading that I couldn't stand for another minute. Fingers crossed that school is open tomorrow. :)