Shoveling Snow Kid Style

Before I even begin this post, can we just take a look at something real quick?



Okay we can move on now.

On Saturday, we were finally able to leave the house. For the first time since Monday. We were stuck inside for four solid days. By the end of the 4th day, we had run completely out of milk, eggs, and cereal, and were eating a watery version of a cornmeal pancake for dinner. I'm sorry for that, children, but you survived didn't you?

When the sun came out on Saturday and we were able to get into the van and go, we went. There were still icy patches here and there, I maybe slid a little bit more than I would have liked to near a stop sign, but we made it down the street to the commissary (a perk of living on base) safely.

The kids however, thought we were going there to play in the snow?

Charlie and Eleanore were pretend ice skating on the frozen patches, to the point of Charlie's shoe coming off and half of his body getting soaked. Luckily, that happened on the way out of the store, but- it sure made things difficult when it came time to go inside.

He wanted to stay out and play, but he was soaked so had to get a change of clothes, but then how come sister got to stay out when he had to go in, well because she didn't lose her shoe in a parking lot puddle full of ice- thats why!

A new pair of socks/pants/shoes later- and everyone was outside, shoveling and shuffling around all of the snow they could get their gloveless hands on, before it all melted (its snowing again, as I type this, by the way).

Sooo, we've got more snow pictures.

Scooping it up.


Shes sharing it with you!


And this thing.


And picking up leaves.


So then Charlie comes into the picture.


Steals the spotlight and starts walkin' around like bigfoot.


Gives me a whole lotta shots that showcase the back of his precious little head.


And then he starts innocently dumping snow on my legs (like he doesn't know its freezing and I hate it).


Hah Hah, Mommy! You're covered in snow and I'm laughing because hah hah at yooou!



And then the line between our driveway and the side yard suddenly become a balance beam? In which he lost interest in real quick.


And in the end they were playing together (sort of), digging holes in the cold and filling them back up again- enjoying the last of our fun February blizzard.




...but I'm not so sad to see the snow shadow melt.

Flashback Friday- Snow

Since we're going on day 3 now, of being snowed in (iced in, actually, since we haven't seen temperatures above freezing since Tuesday afternoon, and everything is pretty much a solid brick of cold), I thought I'd make this weeks flashback snow related.

And when I say snowed in, you guys, I mean- the whole town, including the base on which we live on, is closed. Christopher has been home from work (they've shut it all down). Our fridge is empty because we dare not drive to the stores that aren't open anyways, and- the heater has been working overtime to combat the bad breath that jack frost keeps blowing in and around our doors and window panes.

I've said it before, but- we get way more snow down here in Texas than we ever did when I lived up in Washington. When we first moved here, we were under the impression that snow was an impossible occurance. That it absolutely could not happen. Based on the sweltering heat that we experienced in the summer months, I figured if anything fell from the sky, it would probably be balls of fire, as opposed to ice.

But- the seasons changed, and it came the storms. And it snowed? And then it snowed again? And now after being here for 5 winters (really, five already?), we see that it snows every year, and sometimes it snows a lot.

Maybe a lot at once, maybe a lot spread out over the entire season, but either way: it snows in Texas.



This was the view from our apartment balcony, our second winter here. We still weren't used to the idea of cold and cactus collaborating, and every flake that fell lit up our eyes and made us feel comfortable, like only the way your hometown can.

We missed Portland, back in those days. We would have done anything to go back (which isn't the case anymore). Feeling cold, meant feeling warm.



Eleanore had never seen snow before. She was right around 18 months old, in the above pictures (and the pictures to follow). She pointed, and shouted at it. She loved it, whatever it was.

Well. She loved it until it touched her.



Snow is never as pretty when its landing in your hair and stinging your fingers and cheeks, is it? ...mad, mad, mad.

But the next day, after it had warmed up a bit and the wind had gone back to wherever it is that winds go- she had changed her mind, and decided to give it another try...



This is another perfect example of why pictures are so important to me. ...I don't actually remember that moment. Of her running around on the patchy brown and white grass. She looks adorable in that baby plaid pea coat, and I remember those purple velcro shoes as if she were wearing them yesterday- but the moment itself? ...no. No matter how hard I try, I just can't find the play button on that time and place from our past.

Thank God, for photographs.

The picture of her crying in the snow though- I remember that one very well though.

Oh Eleanore. You are my sunshine in a snow storm.

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Flashback with us! Go through your polaroids, scrapbooks, old crappy cell phone pictures- whatever you've got. Scan them, upload them, get them onto the computer somehow, and then share them with the world! Or... with us at least. Post them onto your blogs, write a little bit to go with them- tell us your story. When you're all finished, grab one of our buttons from down below (wayyyy down there at the bottom of our page) and put it somewhere inside your post (or link back to us the old fashioned text way). Come back here to this post, and add your link to the photo list below!