Here, left to right, are Riley, 4th grade, Dylan, 6th grade and Ryan, 4th grade, as they grabbed their sleds and headed over to Paint Creek Elementary to find the biggest hills they could sail down on the unexpected day off school. Photo by Susan Carroll.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Kids were treated to a snow day last Thursday after a winter storm dumped more than 8 inches of snow on the area Wednesday afternoon into Thursday.

Students could be found outside frolicking in the first measurable snowfall of the season.

Riley, Dylan and Ryan headed over to Paint Creek Elementary to find the biggest hills.

The boys said that having a snow day was “awesome” and they “love it.” But the “magical moment” happens when the word comes the night before that there will be no school the next day.

While Paint Creek Elementary was closed on Thursday morning, the custodians were hard at work clearing the walkways in preparation of the children’s return Friday.

The kids were also released early from school Wednesday in anticipation of travel getting dicey once the snowfall started blanketing the roads.