Winter, I'm starting to like you...

I've learned a few things from midwest winters~

If you're going to be shoveling driveways, sledding, walking kids to school, pushing grocery carts through snow covered parking lots etc.  you'll need a good pair of boots.

Enter in my new Bogs.  Love them.

Nice and tall so my legs and jeans stay dry.

They've been getting plenty of use as of late.  Our first storm dropped close to 8 inches of snow two weeks ago.  We had more all afternoon yesterday and since today was forcasted to be frigid I thought it better to get out last night to enjoy the white stuff.

Also, if your kids are old enough to handle their snow gear, and stay up late without being to crabby the next day, winter is actually quite doable.  Except when they have to get said gear on before 8:00am in time for school.  Then it can make a mama crazy, but only one more week before Christmas break so the light at the end of that tunnel is in sight.

Our neighbors built this snowman last night.  It's much taller than myself even.  Very impressive, and just the work of two teenage boys don't you think?  The girls were upset that he had no eyes.

Our streets are normally plowed but because of the severity of the weather city plows stopped plowing in the later afternoon.  Enter inThe Gunn's taking full advantage of a snow covered street.  (when they plow they spread salt which melts the snow and then the streets are mostly bare...no sledding)

What started out as fun for the girls quickly turned not for Sara.  Apparantly she is freaked out by sledding.

Who knew?

She spent the better part of the evening inside crying and crying, but the big kids and I had a ton o' fun going down the hill on our bums and bellies and to the delight of the kids, even stacked on top of me. 

Here is Ella Jane going down the sidewalk which was still icy from earlier in the day.

Here I caught up with Matthew going down on his belly.  Doesn't he look like a little penguin?

At the end of the night we snuggled up in the living room for a Christmas movie.  We all started off sleeping "under the Christmas tree" as my mom used to call it when we were kids, but at 1:30am Sara woke up, which woke up Ella Jane but not Matthew.  He is a very sound sleeper and slept through the whole 90min. period of the girls requesting snacks, Christmas music and books.  Eventually, enough was enough and Sara went upstairs to sleep leaving the rest of us a few more hours of shut eye.

As a sidenote, see that belt Ella Jane is wearing to bed?  It has to do with the accessories we see from her everyday around here.  So stinkin cute.  A post coming up soon about her obvious passion for fashion.

The anatomy of a walk. in the snow. in 10 degree weather.





First, let child know that after breakfast we're going to go for a walk (with her in the stroller)

(she'll say okay)

Next, proceed to gather all winter gear from closet.

Lay it on the kitchen floor.

Take child to the bathroom.

Clean child up.

Run upstairs to get socks for child.

Put socks on child.

Put snowsuit on child.

Zip up snowsuit.

(Tell her it's okay if she's still in pajamas; her snowsuit will go on easier this way)

Put on boots.

Ask her if she's comfortable with the boot on the outside of the snowsuit.

(She'll say yes)

Roll up snowsuit sleeve but leave down pj. sleeve.

(This one is important)

Put on mitten.  Put down snowsuit sleeve over mitten.

Repeat with other arm/hand.

Put on hat.

Put snowsuit hat on top of fleece hat.

Tell her she's ready to go!~

Put on own hat, coat, shoes and mittens.

Go out to garage and place blanket in stroller.

Put child in stroller and proceed to wrap in said blanket.

Make sure baby is wrapped up too.

(This is also important)

Go back inside to get favorite pink blanket for child.

Snuggle pink blanket to child's face.

Put rain cover on stroller to protect from wind.

Put extra blanket over exposed part from shade so that child is enclosed.

Take a deep breath.

Enjoy a 20min. walk with the sun shining on your face and your littlest little all bundled up.

Repeat again tomorrow because you had so much fun doing it today.

I promise you she was super warm and had a nice little snooze.

O Christmas Tree...

How I so wish I had pictures to share with you on our adventure to the tree farm today.  Sadly, I forgot the camera at the house so we just had to do without this year.

With all the recent snowfall the tree farm was just as beautiful as ever.  The big large evergreens that won't ever be cut down outlining the itty bitty ones we all will take home.  Not to mention the knee deep snow for all the kids to run around and play in. 

Since we do not have family in the area we've just had to create one for ourselves.  We are grateful for these annual outings and the chance it gives to our kids to build fun memories with our adopted families.

After church we gathered at a friends house for chili before we headed out.  We caravaned out to the country and made our way to the tree farm.  Kids ran, hid, threw snowballs and the adults walked around laughing and looking at trees.  It's one of those places that invites you into the garage afterward for hot cocoa and a candy cane.  I'm more than thrilled that our kids can have this experience!

Next year, I'll be sure to bring the camera~

Oodles and oodles...

oodles and oodles?  Or maybe loads and loads.  At any rate we got a bunch of snow last night.  The first big storm of the season and it did not disappoint.

Matthew is stilll outside digging his way to China~

The girls are inside coloring after watching The Grinch~

I just gave Jim a haircut before he retreats to the basement for studying~

And I'm going through pictures I took this morning of the kids in our first big snow!

News Flash~

Matthew just came in raving about his fort and Ella Jane said,

"That's a fort?" 

"Yeah"

"It looks like a big pile of mush"

(And I'm sitting over here chuckling at that interaction)

Sara's first steps in the snow led by her mama

One of my favoirtes of Sara

We weren't all smiles and laughter.  Certainly we had moments of tears and frustration. 

"I'm cold. I'm wet. He got snow in my face" etc.

But, I think for the most part once we were out there long enough to get those first snow day kinks out, they had fun.  Most of all, Matthew.

Happy snowday Midwesterners~



Driveway soccer...

We have a little bit of grass in the front yard but it's on a slope and most of it is landscaped.  We have a backyard but it's all on a hill so while it makes for great sledding parties it does not bode well for a game of soccer.

Thus, driveway soccer was born.

We don't acutally call it that but I think it's got a nice little ring to it.

I do have to note here that the kids played soccer in the summer and fall but didn't have a huge desire to play or practice the game at home....

until it was 25 degrees outside apparantly.

Thus, driveway soccer was born.

And, like most times when I'm willing to jump in with both feet and play with the kids, it was a lot of fun.  We donned all the appropriate winter gear, Matthew outlined the field while Ella Jane decorated it and then we got down to business.

We stayed warm, even got a little hot with all the running and laughed a lot.  I had a blast with Matthew; if you can do goofy slapstick comedy, you're in.  So things like helping him up off the ground by grabbing hold of his mitten and taking it off in the process but wondering where his hand was, made for uncontrollable laughter from our 7yr. old.

Thank you driveway soccer for adding a bit of humor to our evenings!

Our weather has definately turned and soon there will be snow on the ground.  Glad we could get a few games of soccer in before the driveway got coverd.  Next up?  Snowshoeing.  Sledding.  Hot cocoa.  Skipbo.  Coloring.  Dancing to Elizabeth Mitchell and Peter, Paul and Mary.  The Grinch and of course,  Frosty.

We speak two languages...

English, and Sara.

Showee~Shower

Beeba~Ladybug

Atthew~Matthew

Teef~Teeth

Wuk~Milk

Better Sheets~Dryer Sheet

The list goes on but that last one is the funniest.  She just came downstairs telling me that her hair was in her face.  She already had one hair clip in, I thought maybe she was requesting another.  Nope, not that easy.  I asked her again what she needed.  She told me.  (Still stuck).

"Show me."  (what I say when I still don't get it)

"C'mere" (gestering with her hand for me to follow)

"Show you" (her again as she leads me through the kitchen)
(Why on earth are we in the kitchen?  Did she leave a hair clip in here?)

She takes me to the laundry room, and then it hits me.  She needs a dryer sheet because her hair is in her face.  It's staticky.  We use them a lot, especially after coming inside and taking off her winter hat.  I grab a dryer sheet and rub it through her hair and it's exactly what she needed to get the hair out of her face.

Oh gosh.  We had a good laugh.

At a football game last month...

She's on the phone with her agent.

(That little purple Hello Kitty thing?  It's a recent favor from a birthday party.  It's actually a mirror but there are some toys around here that rarely get used as they were intended.  This dear ones is a phone.)

Did you know?...

That I love going to the dentist?  (Orthodontist too, but that was years ago)
That I got a filling this morning and my mouth is still numb?

That Jim has a really good black eye from playing ball but won't let me photograph it?
That Sara loves Blue's Clues?  And Memory?

That I make a latte and "special coffee" for Sara and myself every morning?
That along with our coffees we have a chocolate earth ball and play a game?

That I've been taking long walks with Sara in the stroller before the weather gets to nasty to do so?
That we're getting our one tree trimmed next week?

That we're hosting Thanksgiving this year?
That we've started to eat more root vegetables?  (who knew routabagas, and parsnips could be so tasty?)

That I'm still wearing my coat and that my fingers are cold from typing?
That it's time to go and move so I can get warm?

It is.
Good day friends.