Snowmen and Snowballs and Sledding, Oh My!

What a day! The snow fell steadily throughout the night, so before I went to bed  I pulled the blinds up in the girls' room so they could see a winter wonderland first thing in the morning. Their excitement upon waking was out of control. A blanket of white, as far as the eye could see! They got right to their schoolwork so they could go play outside, but I had to take pity and let them have an hour long "recess" mid-morning. They were in heaven!! They built snowmen (we were out of carrots, so they got celery noses!), sledding hills, made angles and, as always, snacked on snow. Dashiell kept sneaking his mitten off so that he could gobble up some handfuls, too. After some more schoolwork and a nice warm lunch, back out they went! The neighbor kids had a snow day from school, so some friends joined them out front as they built a few more snowmen and another sledding run. Finally, frozen and soaked from head to toe (but beaming from ear to ear!) they headed back in to "bundle up on the inside" with popcorn and hot chocolate. In the world of kid-dom it simply does not get much better than this!

It Came Back!

Dashiell simply could not contain his wonder and excitement as Winter returned in full force...snowing for three days in a row, right outside in his own backyard. He ponted out the window, jumped up and down, and squealed with delight.  Mostly, though, he stood mesmerized, watching the beautiful flakes descending outside of the window. Snowfall always has a magical quality about it, regardless of how old you are. Watching a little one really see it for the first time? A priceless gift.

Winter Leaves

We've had some beautiful frost this year. So thick it almost looks like snow.  We even got snow one day...enough that a dusting stuck for a couple of hours. The last week or so, though, is a bit ridiculous! 50 degrees and rain, rain, rain! It was in the 20s and 30s for a while and was completely dry..and completely dry is not something we see often outside of July here in the Pacific Northwest! So as we pout about our lack of Winter (NOAA said it was going to be harsh..they had our hopes up!) it helps to find the beauty in the little things.
We have this tree in our front yard. It gets a bit confused about the seasons.  The leaves turn a brilliant shade of red in the autumn and then, they just hang there. We always talk about lighting up the tree when we put our "Juhala lights" on the house, but it just seems wrong as it is still covered in leaves. So, now that it's January, the leaves have decided that it's finally time to start dropping. (Last year I think they dropped in March?) My kids have been out in rain boots and slickers, raking the leaves they wanted to rake when everyone else was cleaning up their leaves three months ago.They can't quite jump in the piles as the laves are soaking wet, but they're perfectly happy to throw armfuls up in the air and laugh their little hearts out as their artificial Autumn comes fluttering back down around them. They'll bring a few leaves to the door for Dashiell to touch, then have him in fits of giggles as they toss them up and let them shower down around him, too. Of course, his baby laugh is so contagious it starts the whole cycle all over again.
And I will say one thing: The leaves really do look lovely in the morning laced with all of that frost.
I typed this post title "Winter Leaves" actually talking about the leaves themselves, but it does feel a bit like Winter is actually leaving. I hope not. With Christmas packed up and the New Year full speed ahead I must admit I'm (okay, we're) hoping for a little foul weather. (Sometime when I don't have to go anywhere for a couple of days, of course, and am completely stocked up from the grocery store, right?) In the mean time we'll enjoy beauty where we can find it.
Like out front, in those leaves. And in the simple joy they bring.

Making Way For Winter

This Autumn has been absolutely spectacular. I'm always a little bit sad to see the last few leaves falling from the trees as the sun seems to hibernate behind the clouds and the cold air comes barreling down from the North. I have to remind myself that the leaves aren't just leaving, they're graciously stepping aside to make way for something new. They've had their moment in the sun. Now where the leaves were just a few days ago, there are magical fairy lights. Where there was grass, there is frost, lending that magical clean look of Winter to the yard. Now there is hot cocoa. Apple cider. Christmas carols, cookies, wish lists and candy canes. A fire in the fireplace and decorations on the tree. Stockings 'hung by the chimney with care'. We'll miss the leaves when they are gone, but we know they'll be back soon with their little blossom friends and those warm rays of sunshine.  For now, though, it's time to make way for the season of Joy.