Will Spring Ever Come?

Yesterday, the weather got up to a gorgeous 53 degrees!  The boys and I took complete advantage of it and took a walk near our house.  It was so warm, we didn't even bother to grab jackets or put on socks and boots!  In retrospect, the boots might have been a good idea, since the boys also wanted to run on the snow some.  But it was so pleasant not to worry about bundling up!

One of our neighbors is having someone come and cut branches off a tree in their yard.  Don't know if they're pruning or taking out the whole tree, but they're out there again today, sawing away.  It was fun to watch the boys locate the source of the noise, then be entranced watching branches fall every few minutes.

I caught sight of a bird of prey - really not sure if it was a hawk or a falcon - come to land in this birch down the street.  We walked until we were under it, and it just sat there looking back at us.  I thought it was pretty cool, though the boys didn't seem to get why I wanted to stare at the tree.

The boys had to turn around and watch a train rumble by.

We found a hill where melting snow-water was trickling to the bottom and watched it for a while.

The sawing workmen got Cole's attention some more, even when I thought he'd moved on.

Cole kept watching our shadows while we walked.  He wasn't afraid, like many toddlers are shown to be, it was just like he found it interesting.

We found some evidence that spring might come eventually - melting snow and grass!

The sky was so big and so blue.  I'm grateful for the beauty of the world around us and for the amazing things that can be seen in the changing seasons!

The boys beat me back to the front door and were frustrated that they're both too short to open the door from the outside.  It was fun to watch them try.

Sledding with Grandma and Grandpa

Grandma and Grandpa B invited the kids over for a few hours to go sledding and play in the snow!  We looked at options like sledding down the long hill to the pond or on the small hill by the vineyard, and finally decided to go ahead and make a sled hill from Grandpa's snow plow dumping - he used a big machine and made a grand slope and Grandma took the shovel and made a set of snow stairs up the side.  It was really a great setup!

While we waited for Grandpa to finish working out the man-made hill, the kids played on the play set with less-than-awesome results.  Lizzie was very frustrated because she couldn't get the swing to move through the high snow.

Evie made the best of the slide.

Carson used the play house at the top to play peek-a-boo with me.

Finally, the hill was ready to be used!

We had lots of fun, and were so excited when Uncle Brian and Jessica came to join the fun!

Evie, Aaron and I had fun finding that the ice on the pond was really thick and slid around some.  It was hard, though, because the ice wasn't smooth and flat, it was bubbly and rippled - hard on the knees when we tried.

Evie's bright pink outfit stands out pretty much anywhere, but in all this white and light, it was a beacon!

Evie tried sliding across the ice like a penguin.  I guess penguins are made for it or something, because she barely made it two feet!

I handed the camera off to Evelyn for a few pictures of me with my honey.

Jess was super helpful - she wanted to pull Carson back to the top of the hill but hit a spot she couldn't get over and deserted her endeavor.

It was warm enough that we started getting a puddle at the bottom of the hill, on the driveway.  Lizzie loved splashing through it and then Grandpa and Uncle Brian brought extra snow and filled it in.

Aaron and Grandpa also spent a little time making a mini snow cave.  It was barely big enough for the kids to squirm into one at a time, but they thought it was pretty cool.

Another sweet Jess moment - she wanted to check on Grandpa and make sure he was okay at the bottom of the hill.

It should be noted that there are no pictures of Cole in this fun - because he SLEPT through it all!  He fell asleep on the way over and stayed that way two more hours!

In a winter that seems to be endless like this one, it's been great to take advantage of family time and the fun that can be had in the snow.  It may be the end of February, but the snow shows no signs of melting away and giving over to spring - curse that groundhog...

Snow Day!

Today, the day before Thanksgiving, the girls had school out AND it's been snowing so much.  What else were we to do than go outside and enjoy it?!  As soon as Cole was down for his nap, the three older kids scrambled to get their snow gear on.

The sled got put to use immediately!

It can be tough work, dragging that sled back up the hill, but someone's got to do it!

Taking spills is just part of the fun!

Carson waiting his turn to go alone down the hill.  I love seeing his breath and the snow on his gloves!

Lizzie tried to make some snowballs, but this snow was just so dry!  Even when she did get a good snowball, it fluffed apart as she threw it - look at that glittering snow trail!

I love our willow in all seasons - there's just something beautiful about it still, even without the leaves.

Lizzie made me a snow angel!

Carson wanted so badly to swing!  Too short to GET up, but too stubborn to GIVE up, he settled for this hanging swing.

Happy kids - Hooray for snow!