For the first time this season, we heard the dreaded "s" word in our forecast. It was only a matter of time before meteorologists started talking about snow. Here, in Northeast Ohio, the calendar tells us winter is closing in — even though we basked in 60-degree temperatures this month. In our hearts, we know we're long overdue for big, fat, fluffy snowflakes to fall.

Now, I know winter has its fans. Maybe you can't wait to sled ride, ski or glide around a pond on your skates. Oh, and don't you just love those unexpected snow days?

As for me, I'd rather take a pass, thank you. Except on Christmas Eve of course — after that, I'd prefer snow leave town with Frosty.

In honor of the first snowfall of the season, I made a sugar cube igloo with directions I found at Disney online at familyfun.go.com. The craft was inspired by Fun Foods by Wim Kros. I changed the directions slightly to make this craft easier for kids to complete.

A word to the wise: Construct your polar ice scene on a strong board and leave it to dry overnight before moving it.

1 12-inch by 12-inch piece of plywood or other strong board2 boxes of sugar cubes (about 175)2 egg whites3 cups confectioners' sugarWhite acrylic paintAssorted items to decorateSmall paint brushCompassWax paper.Paint the board white and allow it to dry.Mix egg whites and confectioners' sugar together to make mortar.With a compass, make a 5-inch circle on your board. Leave a space for your door.Use the paintbrush to spread mortar on the circle. Line it with sugar cubes, leaving open your doorway. Start building your igloo by placing mortar on the bottom of each new cube and covering the lines between the cubes on the base. Work from both sides of the entrance toward the back of the igloo. Move each row back slightly to make the circumference of your circles smaller with each row. Make about six rows. Let dry.Make the roof and the entrance arch on a flat surface covered with waxed paper. For the roof, measure the diameter of the top opening and connect as many cubes as you need to cover the hole.Make the arch by laying the cubes on the flat surface. Connect the edges with mortar.When everything is dry, carefully peel the sections from the waxed paper. Use mortar to connect both sections to the igloo.Decorate your scene any way you would like and use confectioners' sugar as snow.