[Kitsumi]

When Kaleb woke up that morning, he was confused to see that the sun was already shining through his bedroom window. What's going on? he thought to himself. Did mom forget to wake me up for school?

He bolted down the stairs of their two-story house, looking for his parents so he could get an explanation.

[Kitsumi]

"Good morning, sweetheart!" his mother greeted him with a smile and a plate full of food. "You're just in time. I made chocolate chip pancakes to celebrate the occasion."

Kaleb's brows furrowed in confusion. "What occasion?" he asked. It definitely wasn't his birthday, and he was pretty sure that it wasn't a holiday yet.

[Kitsumi]

"It's the first real snow of the year!" his mother said, smiling at him and ruffling his hair fondly. "And it was quite a big one. We got about eight inches of snow last night. Your school called this morning to let us know that they were having a snow day. It looks like you'll be able to enjoy the day outside!"

[Kitsumi]

For a moment, Kaleb didn't respond as he processed the information. Then, his face broke out into a wide grin. "Yessss, a snow day!" he exclaimed happily. Abandoning his pancakes, he ran to the window and beamed at the sight of puffy white snow covering the yard. "I want to go outside!"

[Kitsumi]

Kaleb's mother laughed at his enthusiasm. "You can go outside as soon as you finish your breakfast," she said. "So come on over here and eat up!" As Kaleb walked back over to the table, his mother poured him a glass of orange juice, knowing he would need a drink to wash down the pancakes.

[Kitsumi]

The boy scarfed down his food like a starving animal, smearing chocolate and syrup all over his face and the table as he did so. He was eager to get outside and play, knowing that his friends who lived on the same street would probably already be out there playing together.

[Kitsumi]

"Slow down, hon," his mother advised as she watched him devour the breakfast she had prepared. "You won't be able to go out and play if you start choking!" The boy simply looked up at her and gave her a messy smile, revealing the half-chewed food that was still in his mouth.

[Kitsumi]

His mother rolled her eyes, but seemed more amused than annoyed as her son finished his meal in record time. As he went to leave the table, she called out to him again. "Don't forget to take care of your plate, Kaleb. We take care of our own messes in this house, remember?"

[Kitsumi]

Kaleb heaved an overly dramatic sigh, but did as he was told. He grabbed his plate, balancing the glass and fork on top of it. Bringing them over to the sink, he turned on the hot water and rinsed off the syrupy remains of his breakfast. Then he set the dishes in the sink and turned to head outside.

[Kitsumi]

"Don't forget to bundle up!" his mother reminded him. "Make sure you put on snowpants, gloves, boots, and a hat. You might want to wear a sweater under your coat, too. And two pairs of socks, to keep your little toes warm."

"Mooooom," Kaleb whined. "I know, you don't have to tell me every time!"

[Kitsumi]

It felt like it took ages for Kaleb to don his winter gear. The snowpants got caught on his legs, tripping him up as he tried to pull them on. Then he couldn't find his boots, which had been packed away in the spring when they were no longer needed.

[Kitsumi]

Finally, the boy managed to put on all of the requited garments. He was already out the door before his coat was even fully zipped, fumbling with the tricky fastening through his thick winter gloves. The cold air immediately hit his face, chilling his cheeks and causing them to blush a light pink color.

[Kitsumi]

Snow crunched beneath every step, and the sound was like music to Kaleb's ears. He was smiling widely, although it was half hidden by the enormous scarf his mother had insisted that he wear at the last minute. His feet slid a bit on the slippery surface of the snow, but he managed to maintain his footing.

[Kitsumi]

He could hear the sounds of laughter coming from somewhere nearby. Immediately Kaleb moved towards the sound, recognizing the voices of his friends. It soon became clear that the noises were coming from a nearby backyard. He walked over to the gate leading to the yard, waving at the children on the other side.

[Kitsumi]

"It's Kaleb!" Trixie noticed him first, squealing her happiness. "What took you so long? We were waiting and waiting for you!"

"My mom let me sleep in," Kaleb explained. "And then she made me eat a big breakfast before I came outside. But I'm here now, so let's do something fun!"