Views From My Window - Today

Things you should know:

• Max is currently on a camp out with the Boy Scouts.
• I bet they are cold this morning.
• I should bake some cookies for his Boy Scout leaders.
  
• I did manage to find some hand warmers and tucked them into his backpack.
• I also sent a huge bag of giant colored bunny marshmallows for them to toast over the fire - but that has nothing to do with the snow.
• Sophie and Calvin both have a track meet today.
• I am supposed to be cheering them on from the bleachers from 9-3.
• I threw away all of the sleds two weeks ago.
• I refuse to shovel this crap.
• Waking up to several inches of snow in mid April makes me look forward to Oregon weather.
  

Views From My Window - Today

This is out of order as I am weeks behind on my blog, but you really should see what is happening outside today. It started snowing Sunday morning and I think it has finally tapered off. I still had to work today, but the kids had a holiday (President's Day). They went out to play several times today and would usually stay out until they were completely soaked and painfully cold. I have no idea how much snow fell but it was A LOT!

Views From My Window - After the Storm

There is so much snow that this thing showed up yesterday to lift up huge piles of the white stuff and shove it further up on our lawns. Needless to say, the kids were impressed. The roads are fine, though the piles of snow make it really difficult to see oncoming traffic unless you nose out into the street. The weather has warmed up to the teens - it feels like a heat wave!

Views From My Window

After-school cupcakes to celebrate a birthday. The weather has been so nice that the kids are eating most of their lunches outside again. Hallelujah!

P.S. Yes, Calvin is in his pajamas. Are you really surprised at this point?

Views From My Window

We are spending more and more time outside - it is possible that this is actually spring and not some cruel teaser soon to be covered in three feet of snow.

The older kids are currently obsessed with yo yo's because Dazzling Dave (I've never heard of his either) has been visiting their school.

After-school yo yo performances:


Look! the flowers in my yard think it is spring!

Views From My Window

It is raining. It rained yesterday and the day before too. It is grey and brown and muddy and the snow is melting revealing all of the hidden garbage accumulated under there during the winter. It is the ugliest time of year. My kids however, are big fans.

This year, I was smart and bought them all rain boots (thank you Target for your nice selection). Their winter boots are terrible in the rain; they absorb the water and weigh about 10 pounds by the time the kids get home. Saturated winter boots take days and days to dry and they stink. Rain boots are my new favorite thing. Calvin wears his on the wrong feet and loves his umbrella.

Why do umbrellas only last for a month or two? Can't they make them sturdier?

Views From My Window

This is going to melt any day now. . . . right?

Views From My Window Wednesday - New Snow

I was the only one out this morning at 6:30 am shoveling the driveway. It was beautiful and peaceful and rather sweaty. Lots of new white fluffy snow on the ground today. It is like a winter touch-up and we appreciate it as the snow was looking a little dingy. I had plans to take the kids out today, but we may just snuggle down with hot cocoa, crafts and movies.


The boys play snow football almost daily and it always goes like this:

3 . . . . 2 . . . . . 1 . . . . aaaaaaaand someone takes a kick to the nose. Tears, blood, yelling.

Repeat.

I have no sympathy. None.

Views From My Window - Snow Football

The weather is hovering around 10 degrees and the boys are playing snow football with a hunk of ice as the ball. What else can you do when you live in the frozen North? Last week they tried playing football in my family room until I lost my marbles and made them all do silent reading until their parents took them away.

The pattern of play is the same in 8 year old boys as it is in toddlers.

Ha! Ha! Ha! Shrieks of laughter, Ha! Ha! Ha!
Thud.
Crying, wailing, tattle tailing.
Repeat.

Somehow it is easier to handle the cycle in a 2 year old than with an 8 year old. A few weeks ago, the boys would not stop throwing a ball around in the house and I finally took a pair of scissors and popped the thing in front of them. It was actually really hard to do because I am so cheap and kept thinking that I paid $2.50 for that stupid ball. The visual lesson was worth the $2.50 though.

Views From My Window - Christmas Eve Morning

Oh, it snowed! These photos are from this morning before the day completely ran away from me. It has been snowing off and on throughout the day which means it is even more impressively white and glorious outside right now. I wish you could all see this perfect white Christmas. It is gorgeous!


Perhaps I should have put that picnic table under the deck for the winter. Oops.


My sweet neighbor came over early this morning without being asked to clear my driveway and walks. An hour later another neighbor arrived to clear the new snow and the pile of heavy snow at the bottom of the driveway left by the snowplow. In the meantime, I had received two phone calls from friends asking if they could come and shovel for me. Do you see why I am so grateful to live here? We are surrounded by the best kind of people and I love them.


I am still trying to get my way too excited to fall asleep children to calm down and nod off. Only Calvin has succumbed to exhaustion at this point. I have quite a bit of cleaning to do before switching to Santa mode and I need them to go to sleep!!

Views From My Window - Monday

A few more inches of snow fell during the night. When I braved the cold at 6:30am to shovel, I discovered the kids had managed to lose the snow shovels. We are missing an adult size shovel and two kid sized shovels. I assume they are buried somewhere in the vast whiteness that is our yard. We'll see you in April missing shovels! After sweeping the sidewalk, I decided the broom was not going to work on the driveway, so I borrowed a snow shovel from the neighbor.

Enter Ken who dropped off Evi and then stayed to clear the driveway. Thank you!!

Views From My Window

Oh, it's cold. Very cold.

Last night after the last child left, I had to go to the grocery store. It was an absolute necessity or I would not have ventured out in the freezingness that is Minnesota right now. It was so miserable to be at the store after an exhausting day that I practically bought the store out. I did not want to have to shop again for a long time. My kids were very concerned about the fact that our cart was overflowing, but I kept yelling at them to throw on another box of cereal to hold us over until I can face the grocery store at 9:00pm with three kids again! By the way, I had so many coupons, that I was buying boxes of name brand cereal for $0.49!! I think I bought 15 - I kid you not. It's fortified which means it can be breakfast, lunch or dinner - right?

Why, Hello There Winter!

We've been expecting you.