Fitz Neal, 7, looked at the pile of snow that he and his brotherFinley, 6, and his mother Gretchen were piling up in the frontyard.

“I don’t look so good,” he said as he evaluated a snowman meantto represent him among the Neal family.

Gretchen Neal explained that whenever it snows, she and herfamily build a snow family in the yard – one snow person for eachfamily member. Hence, while Fitz looked just fine in person, hissnow effigy was a little sickly until the three piled some moresnow on it.

The Neal boys said they had already waged war on each otherearlier Friday morning. When they tired of throwing snowballs, theyhad taken to throwing the football.

Then the pressing task of the snow family took over theagenda.

Such is the life of a child on a snow day.

“I’m glad to have them home,” said Gretchen Neal.

The slushy precipitation did not keep James Kitchens from work,however. He kept a good attitude as he scraped the snow off his carwith a piece of a cardboard box, getting it cleared off so that hecould make his way to work.

Meanwhile Khaylie Riffle, 10, her sister Lillie Riffle, 9, andtheir brother Blake Guidry, 12, labored in the front yard on asnowman that has been brewing in the heads of the children forquite some time, their parents said.

Parents Stacy and Olivia Guidry watched as the kids romped inthe early morning snow.

“We just got out of bed,” said Olivia Guidry. “But they’ve beenplanning this for a while. They’ve been waiting to make asnowman.”

Once the children began rolling the pieces, the snowman began totake shape.

“This can be the head,” said Khaylie as she brought a snowballabout the size of a basketball to where her family stood with therest of the first snowman.

Olivia Guidry explained that she and her children are fromIndiana, so they are familiar with the snow, but just don’t see itvery often, obviously.

As Stacy got into the frozen fluff with the children, thesnowman began to take shape.

“Let’s give her some hair,” said Lillie as she packed snowaround the head area.

Before long, three snowmen wearing hats and scarves waved theirskinny arms at the passing traffic.

And Darlene Morgan and her dog Butterfinger enjoyed the day athome as well. Butterfinger made his way through the snow, trying tofigure out what it was, exactly, as Morgan waited for him toacclimate and take care of business.

“He loves this, he’s just so excited,” she said. “It’s just somuch fun out here.”

Morgan said her husband has the day off work, so she plans tospend the day at home doing household chores and spending time withfamily.

“I’ll probably clean the house and enjoy the snow, and hang outwith my husband,” she said.