Happy Winter Solstice! This morning we woke up to dark, rainy skies, which, if you ask me, is way better than having to thaw my van before leaving for school drop off.

Ice ticks me off, in general. It does not yield easily. Yesterday, I had all three kids seated in the van, with defrosters going full blast and both sets of wipers (and a partridge in a pear tree!) while I ran back and forth to the faucet for Big Gulp-sized cups full of water.

I felt like one of those ice-slinging superheros when I tossed the water from the cup and I swear to you that it froze shortly before impacting the window. From inside the van, the kids gave me thumbs-down and blew raspberries. An ill-timed toss of water resulted in a freezing spray courtesy of my frantically waiving wipers. The wipers were doing a great job of spreading a thin coat of water over the surface of the windows, allowing the ice to collect.

It was an uphill battle, and I was losing the ability to feel my brain. Which brings me to that show I've been watching: Everest: Beyond the Limit. Holy Effin Sheet. That right there is some riveting television.

I don't understand the urge to climb mountains. I like me a little day hike action, in mild temperatures. I like pretty views as much as the next person, but I also prefer ascending hills by mechanized means. Hopefully to find a snack-bar at the top. The fact that these climbers set out to climb Everest is beyond my comprehension, and I admire their drive, but I still think they are crazy.

Anyway, watching this show has inspired a few comparisons for me: my children, in the last moments before we walk out the door to anywhere, are like climbers with Summit Fever. They can see the top of the mountain, the show is almost over, the game is at a crucial point...

And I'm like the boss down the mountain. You must turn around. You will be late for school. You must get in the van. You will die when your oxygen runs out. (Something like that.)

What I need are some sherpas. More than awe for the forces of nature at work on Everest, more than respect for the power of mind over body that these client-climbers exhibit, the amazing strength and toughness of the sherpas blew me away. They kept those frozen-limbed, Summit Feverish people moving. And I betcha they've got some handy tricks for de-icing a windshield.

Hey, there's an idea for a new reality series. Sherpa Nanny.