Snowman-able Snow!

It rarely appears here, yet right after Thanksgiving it did. We received snow we could make into snowmen!
Heidi worked hard rolling balls all over the yard and only required help to stack them together.
And thoroughly enjoyed the fruits of her labor for the rest of the day.

Playing In The Blizzard

I just sent my children out to play in a blizzard.
Was it wise? I don't know.
But I do know that I needed some quiet and they needed to run and get rid of some energy.
So I did it, and you know what? They haven't come back yet. They seem to be enjoying it in fact.
It's really not so bad here in the woods, surrounded by trees so the wind doesn't blow as hard. The snow is coming down sideways,however, and I'm thinking Heidi will sufficiently release cabin-fever-itis by trying to shovel a path to the door. The one that's covered by a large overhang yet had snow come rushing in when I opened it.
Yes,I just sent my children out to play in a blizzard, something my California self thought I'd never say.

You know you live in a cold climate when...

your little girl insists on wearing gloves every time she goes outside. Even though it's the middle of May and nearly 80 outside.

And I'm not talking garden gloves here.

I try to suggest that she may not need those gloves any more. She just looks at me as if I'm the silly one and continues on her merry way.

Even if it does make it a bit hard to hold dandelions.

Life in the Frozen North

After a half an hour of preparation in the entrance a couple of weeks ago, the girls and I headed out the door for a walk. Then I realized: there have only been three months, three months, this year in which I have not had to go through this ritual. Which ritual, you ask? Why, the Land of the Frozen North Ritual of course! That of dressing everyone in snowsuits, hats, gloves, scarfs, boot, etc. before ever stepping out the door. It is, I have discovered a complicated art with little ones. Do you dress yourself first, making it more difficult to dress everyone else and risking becoming well overheated in the precess? Or, do you dress the children first, risking everything you put on them coming off by the time you have yourself ready? Then, there's the inevitable, "I have to go potty!" right when everyone's finally ready to head out. I do love the days of summer when walking out the door means just that, you simply GO, but this year, even then there were days of needing a jacket. I guess that's what I get for choosing to move North to be with my man. Every so often he talks of moving farther North to a colder climate and asks if I would be willing to go with him. I remind him I already have.

Ice Skating... Already!

I am incredibly proud of my husband. Proud of him, and honored to be loved by him. A year ago in August he lost his job due to the poor economy. Since then he has done whatever he needed to do to provide for our family. I have learned so much about him during this time. I have been amazed at his work ethic as he took on a job he didn't particularly enjoy and yet worked at it with all he had, even when sick or discouraged. In fact, the only complaint they had about him there was that he was too open with his faith! I am amazed by him again as he has now taken on the job of rink manager for an arena in a nearby town. He knows nothing, really, of what that job entails, yet he has thrown himself into it and is quickly learning as he goes.
I, too, had no idea what would be involved. He told me that he would have to make ice at the end of September. No big deal. Just flood the rink and let it freeze. Right? Wrong! Apparently it's much more complicated than that. Who knew?! He started two weeks ago, and during that time has really only been home to eat and sleep. We've been joking that he might actually get the sleep he needs if we just set up a bed at the arena and he didn't have to commute. I really don't understand the whole process, but this is what I do comprehend of it. First, the floor temperature, room temperature, and humidity all have to be just right. Then he can begin by sprinkling - yes sprinkling - the first quarter inch, letting it freeze between each sprinkle. Next water is slowly flooded on, layer by painstaking layer, with plenty of freezing time in between. Then comes painting the lines, and ... more layers!
He's nearing the end of the levels, now he gets to put them on with the Zamboni! Last night we went with him, strapped on some skates, and got some ice time in before the next layer went on. It's really not such a bad deal to have a whole ice rink to ourselves!
Here we are enjoying the fruits of my man's hard labor:

Well done Karl!