Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees

Living in the Midwest allows us to celebrate four distinct seasons, and although we enjoy some seasons more that others, we try to celebrate the arrival of each one here at the homestead. Winter is one season that I don’t joyfully anticipate, but even I can get excited about the first snowfall. As an experienced Midwesterner I can feel it in the air! I remember my days in the classroom as both student and later as teacher; just as soon as the first fat flakes started coming down it was impossible to settle down for any kind of work!

That excitement happened again this year, the day before Thanksgiving with a record snowfall blanketing the capital city where we were visiting Grandma’s house. Traveling was treacherous with a layer of ice under the snow, so we gladly hunkered down with all the cousins for a day of games, hot chocolate and of course, our Snow Cake.

The tradition of Snow Cake began when I was a young mom and Matt and Laura where just little tykes. It was so exciting to see the first snow through their eyes that I decided we needed to celebrate it! We made a chocolate brownie and then cut a snowflake out of paper, laid it on top of the cooled brownie and sprinkled it with powdered sugar. When the paper was removed, the children saw the powdered sugar snowflake remaining and were awestruck!

That first Snow Cake was a hit and a new tradition was born! Now, no matter when it happens (and some years the timing was awful!) when those first snowflakes of winter start falling, we celebrate with a Snow Cake!