Let it SNOW!!!

We got our first big snow right before Christmas again this year. It was beautiful and oh so Christmasy. The kids have been super anxious to build a snowman....so, we hauled out all the snow gear, spent way too much time trying to bundle up whining kids and teach them how to put their little fingers into gloves. As I was doing this very frustrating task Nedra commented on how she hated bundling up kids, as soon as they were bundled they had to go to the bathroom. Sure enough, after being outside for not more than 60 seconds Hazel came in freezing and crying and needing to go to the bathroom. So, we started all over again....un-bundling, bundling again and then, after about 120 seconds out in the snow she was bright cheeked and crying and wanting to come back in for hot cocoa. Luckily Charlie made the bundling worth it. He stayed outside with hot pink cheeks for about an hour....most of that time he spent piling up snow to build his very own mountain man (the snow wasn't right for a proper snowman so he just piled up snow into a small hill and stuck on some eyes and a nose and branch arms). I kept checking to see if he wanted to come inside (it was way too cold for me to stay out with him) but he was as happy as a little clam and has been wanting it to snow ever since. The only thing he wasn't pleased about was having to wear snow pants that were "girl" colored.

This is a few days later....out again with Saul. Although I didn't exactly capture a smile, he was still thrilled to be out in that freezing cold snow and stayed out by himself for what seemed like forever.

Look at those hot pink cheeks....no photo editing here, he was as pink as can be and totally thrilled.

And Hazel was mostly excited about the Hot Chocolate.

It also snowed just in time for the annual "Carolers on the Bus" event. Some of our dear friends rent a whole school bus to take us around to carol to some of the elderly in our community. This year was our best year so far.....the kids dug driving around on a real school bus and Hazel even sang a little solo at the different stops. There's really nothing like caroling to get you into the Christmas spirit.