a little more snow

It won't stick around for long, but we decided to be excited about it, and go roll around in the wet wet snow and throw snowballs at one another.  In a few months we'll be praying for green grass again, but for now the snow is a novel thing, and we're going to just have fun and acknowledge that snow can be magical - to see the world transformed by white!

First Snow; ten weeks to go!

With the snow here this morning, and hard frosts finishing off the last of my garden produce, it is time to take down the trampoline.  Of course the snow melted during the day, and didn't stick to anything that holds heat, but still we recognize it as the beginning of the end.  I have to admit, in some ways seeing snow this morning sent a thrill through me.  I've been telling myself, "The baby's not coming until Winter", and here is the first sign of Winter - literally on my doorstep!

So, perhaps the change in weather is what prompted my "nesting", or perhaps it was just the fact that things are moving along so fast in the basement (we got carpet this last week!).  But this weekend we have moved a lot of furniture, including moving the crib and rocking chair into our bedroom!  That was really exciting, so of course I had to empty out a drawer for baby's little onesies, buy teeny tiny diapers and pack my hospital bag.  Derek set up the boy's bunk beds which is just thrilling them no end (especially the idea that they may be able to jump from the top bunk onto a bean bag chair...mommy's nervous about this one), and we are getting homeschool books and activities sorted and organized - which means the top of the piano and the dining room table are at last clearing off!  

Hurray for nesting!  Hurray for snow!  Hurray for only 10 weeks to go!

All I Want for Christmas

Before Christmas, Luke and Derek went down the hill on the toboggan Derek used when  he was a kid.

And they made father/son snow angels.

After Christmas Luke and Papa raced each other down the hill: Papa on the old toboggan, Luke on his Christmas present.

"All I want for Christmas is a sled with a steering wheel and brakes!" says Luke.  And, thanks to Gramma and Papa, he got it!

Freezing Rain

 I know this was several weeks ago, and I am far behind with posting the blog, but these photos were worth dragging up and looking at again.  We had a spectacular freezing rain earlier this month.  It was inconvenient, and made driving dangerous (and of course we had to take Seamus to the Emergency Room for a bleeding ear infection on a slippery Sunday morning), but the freezing rain left the most charming icicles, icy branches, layered flax, and made each tiny blade of glass a frosty, shimmery glove.  You almost felt sorry to walk on the cruchy grass (do the blades break or just the ice?), only it was so satisfying to hear it scrunch beneath your boot!

You can see the ice on the back door, looking like a textured glass, nestled comfortably atop the poppy head like a snug hat, and shimmering in the sunset light on each stubbly corn stalk.

Winter in Manitoba has its perks.  Pesky, yet pleasing, perks.

 

 

 

Snow, SNow, SNOw, SNOW!

This snow is a great one for playing in.  It's sticky to make snowballs with, it's not so deep you get stuck in drifts, and the weather's not too cold yet (only around zero Celsius) so you can stay outside for hours at a time!  This is Seamus's first snow that he can actually play in.  And fall on his face in....dear poor baby!

Luke really wanted to ride his bike in the street, but I drew the line there.  There's far too much slippery ice for bikers to be safe on the roads in this weather.  However, after Derek cleared the driveway, Luke rode to his heart's content.  You'd be surprised at how difficult it is to pedal a bike with snow boots on! Luke always rises to the challenge.

 

kid of the day

Today Luke was kid of the day in preschool.  If you remember, he was kid of the day once last term as well.  Kid of the Day gets to be line leader, push the buttons on the elevator, help the teacher teach a new letter, wear a special sticker, and bring something for show and tell.  The Kid of the Day's parent is in charge of snack and is welcome to spend the morning helping out around the classroom.

Luke played nicely with his classmates during play time.  His favorite thing to do was stir up the buttons in the play table with the magnet stick and collect the metal magnets into an "ice cream cone".  Luke loves to play with his cousin Roehn, mostly racing cars.   Luke must be dragged away from playing to do his craft.  Today the craft was making little nests.  Luke put two green eggs in his nest.  I asked him who was inside the eggs, was it perhaps Luke and Seamus?  No, he said.  Those eggs were for eating.  Green eggs!  All we needed was green ham.

I didn't get to participate in gym time because I was setting up the snack:  rice krispy treats and bananas.  When the children came back from the basement, Luke produced his show and tell during circle time.  He brought the horse that my Great-aunt Deanna gave to him before he was born (and which he rarely plays with, I might add).  The teacher asked if the horse had a name and Luke said, "no, it's just a boy horse".  He went on to talk about how this particular horse doesn't have a working mouth, so he doesn't eat, but he's very soft and perfect for hugging.  He also reminded everyone that this was a "very special horse" that was given to his Mom when Luke was still in her tummy, but she gave it to him when he came out at the hospital.  The teacher whispered in my ear during snack that she would like to ask Luke more questions and just let him talk because he always has something interesting to say, and she is so right!

It's special to have someone tell you something they've noticed about your child, and put into words what you may already know.  Those things that most drive me crazy are skills that Luke is perfecting and may someday be his greatest strength!  When Derek and I can't get a word in edgewise at the dinner table I need to remember this may be annoying now, but if we help cultivate it, Luke could turn into a famous author, or an amazing public speaker, or a fantastic father who makes up original stories for his children's delight! Dear Luke.  You play so hard.  You love so strong.  And you always have a story to share.

You are my kid of the day, everyday (I can say that because Seamus is my baby of the day, everyday!).

A couple of weeks ago we made a snowman on a Friday.  On Saturday I watched it's head fall off, on Sunday there was nothing left but a little puddle of snow and lily stalks (arms).  It has stayed very warm since then - we even had a thunderstorm. I do believe we even hit 80 degrees F one day last week!

Playing in the Snow, as promised.

We shoveled the driveway, we rolled down the pile the snowplow left on the yard, we threw snowballs (powdery ones, but snowballs nonetheless), we got snow in our socks, we built a tunnel, we climbed through the tunnel, we took photos of ourselves, playing in the snow.

And according to the weatherman, we'd better have our fun while we can.  Plus 10C in the next week oughta do away with all our snow pretty quickly.

PS- that scarf Luke is wearing was made by my great-grandma Ada, Luke's great-great-grandma Ada Bergen.  The toque I'm wearing I actually made for Derek when we were dating.

To Catch you Up

This guy is crawling.  It may not look like the crawling you know, but he's MOving.

Lots of snow.  Acres of snow.  Wind that howls and blows the snow.  March comes in like a lion they say.

He brings the snow inside for us, the little turkey.  On his hairy little paws.  Then he dashes around in an effort to warm up and gets the snow all over my freshly cleaned floors.  Yes he does.  Lord, let me laugh instead of cry.

the best kind of friends bring books.  drink coffee.  love on the baby.  don't notice the dirty floors.  and don't hate the dog too much.

Our diaper baby doesn't play in the snow too much yet, so for him it's always a good time to be naked!

I just adore his naked chubbiness.

With all this snow you'd think I'd have some photos of us playing in it.  But since I'm participating in the play, there are very few photos to show for it.  I pick up the camera when we're sitting inside with company though!  I will make an effort to photograph the snow-play.  Now I'm being intentional; it'll happen.

At last...

It snowed.

Just when we were beginning to yearn for green.

We got white.

Lots of it.

It was fun to watch it come down.

But it won't be so fun to shovel the driveway.

That's what you get for living in Manitoba.