KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Friday was a snow day for a lot of kids in East Tennessee. Even though some didn't get as much snow as they had hoped, they still made the most of it.
Sometimes life doesn't hand you what you plan, but the key for kids like 6-year-old Joe Roessner at Lakeshore Park is making the most of what you've got. He and dozens of other families flocked to the closest place they knew with big enough hills for sledding.
Despite a disappointing draping of flakes, many had the same idea as West High School junior Taylor Jessie.
"My first thought was sledding," Jessie said. "On Monday, I woke up at 7:45 to come out here and sled again so I knew that today I wanted to do the same thing."
Even if there's more grass on the ground than clouds dumping snow in the sky, the ice left behind on the grassy hills was enough to get a sled going.
"I mean I'll always take more snow, but I'm just thankful to have snow today, enough to sled on," Jessie said.
She gladly took her day away from class on a thrilling ride.
"It's like a roller coaster, but on snow, so it's fantastic," Jessie said.
By 12:30 p.m. the sun started melting even more frost; but, the paths of sleds were still frozen in time on the hillside.
Many stayed out until everything melted.
On the other side of the park, sledders like David Grubb and Mia Ford rode through the leaves with ease. They are juniors at UT, so aren't in classes again quite yet, but still took the chance to glide down the side.
"We make it with what we got," Grubb said.
"Yeah, we're a little jealous of Nashville getting like 6 - 8 inches and we're kind of sledding on snow and leaves," Ford said.
Still bundled up and bracing for the cold, the crashes weren't as icy as time passed.
"We don't get many snow days, so when we do have it, we have to make the most of it," Grubb said.
"Yeah, usually in East Tennessee we'll take what we can get," Ford said.
Taking what they can get and going for it.
"Go as fast as possible and make the most of it, have fun," Grubb said.
"I would say watch out for trees, watch out for people, don't let the pavement or grass patches stop you," Ford said.
Even when life doesn't hand you what you plan, jumping in head first, is a sure-fire way to make a snow day stick.
The kids say they will be back the next snow day to sled at Lakeshore, hopefully with more snow.