Too Much of a Good Thing

What a winter it's been! Seven snowstorms later (plus 2 over Christmas in PA), I think we've all had enough snow.  The kids don't even ask to play in it these days.  This morning they said, "Mom, how much longer till spring? I can't wait any longer!!"

We ordered our water park passes today, so as we watch the snow fall we'll be dreaming of splashing, sliding, and sunshine :)

Another Snow Day, Really?!

I can't believe we are playing in the snow for another day.  I love it! And the weather has been perfect for it- so warm and sunny.  Today we spent 4 hours in the backyard throwing snow balls, swinging, playing with the neighbors, sliding, snow painting, and building.  Today it was a snow fort...

 

One of the best things about snow is the fun workout you get.  Shoveling and hauling all this snow across the yard is some great strength and cardio.  Give me snow over Jillian any day! 

If you look closely you can see the snowmen from yesterday.  The kids tackled them and then we used the snowballs to make our walls higher, poor snowmen. Is that wrong?

  

We all had a really great time.  There's nothing better than a day when you can all just play like kids.  I still can't believe how much snow we have and how long it has lasted.  Now they are forecasting another snowstorm for the end of this week.  Could it really be?

 

Snow Kids

Yesterday was bitterly cold and painful to be outside.  Today was the total opposite.  Bright, clear blue skies, no wind, and warmer temps.  We headed out after lunch...

Overnight the snow changed from dry powder to icy, packable snow.  We could finally play with it and build things.  Here are our snow kids...

 

We decided they looked cuter personalized...

  

Then we played with the mountain on the back porch...

  

The kids wanted a tunnel, but we didn't want them crawling through it- too dangerous, so we made a cave instead.  Julia made it her own little doghouse.... 

 

Winter Wonderland

We woke up to a winter wonderland.  I have to admit it was hard to believe it was going to happen as warm as it has been this week and the dry day we had yesterday.  It started around dinner time and was coming down fast and hard.  The grass was covered within two hours and still falling.

 

Julia enjoyed a snow bowl with her pancakes this morning.

  

The kids couldn't wait to get outside.  We had to wait till after lunch because of the sleet this morning.  The wind and cold was biting, but they enjoyed in nonetheless.

  

As beautiful as it is, it is very powdery, so we can't sled or build with it.

  

And we won't be using our back door today.  I can't believe the size of this drift! Between the wind and snow falling off the roof it is a small mountain!

Julia of course wants to eat it.  She had a great time pretending to be a puppy...

 

Sledding Time

The cousins had a big time sledding at Great-Gramma and Grampa's house- on the old hill kids have been flying down for 50 years! This was their maiden voyage...

 Then it was Julia's turn to be up front.  She wasn't too sure...

 

 

One more trip and she decided to be the launcher instead...

 

 Carter and Logan couldn't get enough.  I love their faces!

 

Great times, great memories!

Family Snow Fun is So Fun

We've been enjoying the beautiful snow up here.  They fortunately got pure snow and it's been so fun to play in! Anderson and Julia were working on a snowman.  They rolled a huge ball and started adding decoration.  Their favorite part is adding the sticks, so in the end it resembled a snow porcupine...

 

We had some great snowball fights.  I have to say the kids all have really good aim.  Grandpa has been teaching them the finer points of ambushing and they have nailed most of the family that has come to visit.  So if you're getting out of you're car, I advise you duck.

 

It's the perfect snow for snow angels.  We always knew we were surrounded by angels and now the yard has literally, a dozen.

 

 

Here's our finished snow Marine...

 

The kids still love shoveling.  How long does this trait last? Not long enough I'm sure.

 

We also played some fun snow baseball and golf.

 

Julia was of course eating it by the handful.  She found picking it up by hand rather slow, so instead she crawled around on her hands and knees and ate it with her face instead...

 

Mimi and Grandpa's new house has a great old climbing tree in the backyard.  The kids (and Grandpa) have spent a lot of time in it...

 

Four hours later we were all worn out and starving.  Fortunately, the temps have remained close to freezing this week- so we have clear roads, warm sunshine, and lots of snow to play in, perfect.

Waylaid by Winter

We woke up to a winter wonderland and VA was being slammed with the Blizzard of '09, so the car is still packed and we are staying put.

 

The kids weren't too upset today (They cried about it for almost an hour yesterday) because the snow was much more exciting.  Julia had a snow appetizer before breakfast and a cup full of icicles with her eggs.  This girl loves to eat snow!


As soon as she was outside, she was at it again.

Our neighbors came to join us for some fun.  Carter and Jackson were working on a snow fort.  Well, Carter was doing a lot of directing, as usual...

 

His brickbuilders (Selah and Julia) weren't so speedy...

 

They played some fun snow football.  Carter's squealing was hysterical...

 

..and of course sledding and snowball fights...

 

It was a great morning.  the kids are a great age to actually be able to run and play without falling or getting frustrated.

 

So, even though we had to stay home for now.  It's been a day full of memories and beauty...

 

...and after hearing about highway 81 in VA being shut down and having to evacuate motorists by humvee, I'm thinking home sounds like a much better choice (though Carter would have thought that was the best thing that ever happened to him!).  So for now we wait...

Playgroup Christmas

Friday morning was our annual Playgroup Christmas Party.  We have been hosting playgroup at our house every Thursday for over 5 years.  We've hardly missed a week.  They've even had it at our house a few times when I wasn't even in town! I love these girls and kids dearly.  They are our framily (friends who become like family).  When Julia was diagnosed we had to stop hosting.  Thankfully the group has continued at others' houses until we can do it again.  We have so missed seeing everyone.  It has left such a void in our hearts and lives.  We decided to celebrate Christmas with the ones we love.  Julia was very hesitant and spent most of the time in a room alone or just playing with one friend.  It's going to take a while for her to readjust socially. 

When the group started we had 4 babies.  We now have 22 kids and another on the way....  

Here's the youngest of the bunch...

It was crazy, but so much fun- truly an all-hands on deck situation.  We made angel ornaments, read Christmas stories, told the nativity story, sang songs, and played instruments.  There was actually several minutes of total silence- when they were all eating...

 

After lunch, it started to snow...

 

The kids were giddy with excitement to get outside.  There's nothing better than surprise snow at your Christmas party and the chance to play in it with your friends!

 

 

Poor Heather was supervising and got tackled by the crowd.

"Hurry Heather, run!"

 

Daddy came home from work early and he and Carter made a snowman.  Such a peaceful night.  There is nothing quite like falling snow to quiet your life and heart.

 

Julia was happy to eat the snowball they brought her...

 

So it looks like our travel plans may be on hold...

Snow Day!

March came in like a lion all right.....a winter lion that is. After a weekend of cold rain, it finally got cold enough to snow. This was the view outside when we went to bed (after 4 hrs of snowing).....
...and we woke up to a think blanket of

....covering every surface like big fluffy marshmallows!
There is nothing quite like the feeling of walking in fresh, new snow.....

The sky today was beautiful Carolina blue which made the snow even more pristine and perfect.

Being outside in the peaceful quiet of a snowy day is one of God's special gifts. It's like traveling to another time and place, right in your own backyard. You can't help but feel God's peace and take the time to pause and reflect. Everything is so quiet and pure. The only sounds we heard were all the birds as they looked for food. We took a minute to refill our bird feeders and in they came......
We didn't have to worry about feeding Julia. She ate snow from the moment we got outside until it was time to come in. I have many pictures of her snacking in different spots all over the yard. Here she is out front where she built a mountain- just to eat it......

We were so hopeful for this snow forecast because it had rained for so long and the air was heavy and wet, but somehow the snow wasn't. I am still perplexed at how we got such dry snow out of this wet storm. We tried sledding in the yard and road, sadly, without much luck.
"Nice catch Carter."Julia eating again.

On the way in we discovered a pretty big icicle. Julia loved it. here she is doing the "icicle dance" and devouring her treat :)We were so happy to have Daddy home for two hours to play with us. What a great morning :)