Defeating Fairies and Slaying Dragons

In some form or another I know we've all been here.
Me: Snow boots, coats, gloves, hats, let's go!!
Shmitty the 3 year old is sprawled out in the middle of the living room
apparently trying to make snow angels on my carpet, insisting he

doesn't see his things.
I step over him for now. Bigger fish to fry.
Me: (calling up the stairs) Shmeep it's cold outside please be dressed
for winter. Don't forget your gloves.
Shnook comes up from the basement and says, "Ive looked everywhere and
I can't find my snow boots."
Mind you he just wore them yesterday.

Me: Well if you left them in the basement I can guarantee they are               
still there, we do not have a snow boot monster. Go back down and look
again.
At this point Shmeep comes down in jeans and a T-Shirt. Yes, yes the
boy has lived in Massachusetts for the last 4.5 years and knows that
it's pretty close to freezing outside, but insists on trying to get
away with wearing nothing but a short sleeve shirt everyday of winter.
You can take the boy out of Cali but you can't take Cali out of the
boy:) At this point I give him the side eyes with the pursed lips to
the side face and turn my back as I say "there's a long sleeve
undershirt in your closet." That was way to small to blow a gasket over.
At this point I realize that's what they are trying to make me do.

They being some imaginary green fairy people who sprinkle crazy dust
on my children every time I need their cooperation :) There's a war
going on between us, and though I usually when the battles, those
little suckers are persistent.
Soo at this point carpet boy is wondering around picking up every shoe
except the right ones. At one point he even tried on rain boots.

Shnook has found his boots, coat and gloves but no hat. I check him
off the list 3 out of 4, we'll take it. I wrestle Shmitty into his
boots, gloves, hat and coat and send him and Shnook outside. * That is
one trick that works for me, once they are dressed for outside I send
them out even if they stand on the porch they are one step closer to
the car*
Shmeep comes downstairs, long sleeves, coat, gloves, hat, check check
check check, but with damp snow boots. Now this is a kid who wouldn't
even allow you to swaddle him, so nothing even slightly bothersome is
touching his skin. They were beginning to cheer thinking they had me
beat, but alas I pulled out my last lifeline, the hand-me-down card. I

had an old pair of snow boots waiting for a kid to grow into them in my
closet. He tried them on, they fit, voila, I sent him out, grabbed my
gear
Then we were Free!!!





After countless snow storms and days spent in the house or in the Y,
escaping to the woods in 32 degree weather with nothing but a sled and

a smile sounded like heaven to me. My plan was to simply get out in
the fresh air and go for a nice long walk in the sunshine. Mission
accomplished :)
As parents we all want to do something fun with our kids every now and
then, but the prep work seems equivalent to slaying a dragon
sometimes. I know for me there are many times when I am defeated
before I even attempt it because it would take so much energy to get
us all going. To-glorious-day has reminded me that it is worth it. 30
minutes of hassle is nothing compared to the timeless memories we
create when having fun with our children. So ignore the fairies and
slay the dragons. Shake out the sand toys, dust off the hiking boots,
or whip out the coats and mittens and get out and enjoy your children.