Snowy Days

I heard birds yesterday. It was almost startling, especially since it was a gloomy, snowy, and very cold morning. I wondered what they were doing here! And, if I closed my eyes and ignored every other sensory input, my ears helped me recall summer afternoons. Ahhhh.

Then I opened my eyes to the gloom, the dusty salt on my jacket rubbed from my dirty van that was sitting in slushy, icy snow. I looked at the ice-crusted snow in the yard, and the grey clouds overhead. Yup, it is February, and this is definitely the hardest month of the winter for me. The novelty of snow has long worn off, the gray is overwhelming and opressive, and I'm so much more than ready for SPRING!

So, I'm posting this to remind myself of what I love about winter. Sunshine sparkling on snow, rosy cheeks, sledding. laughter, and hot chocolate to end a fun but chilly afternoon

outside.

Megan runs to get the "bum sled".

Miranda climbs up the hill to make her way down the "slide".

Reverse Snow Angel. (Only sometimes is she a little Devil).

Megan showing off her snow angel.

Miranda sitting up after attempting her snow angel.

The snow was so deep that Miranda had a hard time walking out of it.

Ahhhh, the beauty of a blue sky while lying warmly clad in the freezing snow.

You can almost make out their snow angels!

Megan was giving me a grumpy look. I think she was tired of all the pictures.


Miranda's second attempt at a snow angel. It was a little too cold on her head.

Not wanting Zoë to miss out on all the fun, we had arranged to go sledding with a church friend, E. We loaded up ourselves donned in massive snow gear, grabbed our bum sleds and headed over to their house where we enjoyed the colossal hill. I had all four girls with me (Veronica in the Moby wrap), and I was ever so grateful that E.'s mom, was there with us!

Zoë had fun on the innertube flying down the hill.

Megan was very hesitant and fearful, but she did go down the big hill once on her own. She was most satisfied, however, with me dragging her down the "baby hill" on the other side.

Miranda, showing no fear and all excitement, was thrilled that E's mom was willing to ride with her down the hill.

E's bigger sister, C, was awesome to take Miranda down the hill with her.

Megan was having fun eating snow, and riding in the sled as I drug her up and down the short hill.

Doesn't she look perfectly content? She loved the sledding!
Veronica (in the Moby wrap) was happy to be outside, but was NOT happy to be so cold. It was sunny when we pulled up to go sledding, but unfortunately the clouds moved so quickly and a wind picked up. We all had runny noses, much like Veronica's. She was "singing" the whole time (and it wasn't always a happy tune), and I think even she had fun.