Family sledding

Ok, ok.  I promise this is the last snow blog I will post in a great while.  Yes, that means that our snow is gone at last.  1 month and 11 days of snowy bliss before the warmer temperatures came with the rain that destroyed the pleasant dream of snow.  Since our snow days are now a few weeks into the past, I decided against any more snow pictures.  However, as I looked back on old pictures, I noticed several that I'd like to share. My family and I had a lot of fun going out to sled together over the holidays.  I'm so glad they could all be here to enjoy it with us!

coming in for landing under the fence.  Wonderful form

Selah sporting a hat just a bit too small.

Sledding races!  And in the dark.

And then 2017 happened!  As usual, we lit a few small fireworks (though Caleb and Keren contributed some good ones this time!) to celebrate the coming of a whole new year.  One still fresh and waiting to be discovered.

Sometimes sledding=painful consequences

I absolutely love that Elijah insisted on wearing these swim goggles for sledding.  "They'll keep the snow out of my eyes." Ironic fact: it wasn't snowing.  But he looked amazingly cute as he ran around the yard playing with his special goggles on.  He really rocked them.

Yes, this really is the end of my snow pictures and fun for this winter.  Am I sad it's all over?  Yep! It's been incredibly enjoyable.  But I must remember my love and loyalty for the rain, even when it melts my snow.
This is the amount of ice that we had on our driveway--a few inches packed down to a smooth, slippery surface.  After a while, we really weren't sure if it was a driveway or a skating rink...

It's been cold

Until this week, it had been more than a month since the temperature had been above 30 degrees.  We often woke up to 10 or 12 degree mornings.  I know that is almost like a summer dream to some of my friends who are surviving negative temperatures right now.  I've been in those temperatures before, and I'm not envious.  At all.  I'm glad it stayed cold enough to retain the snow, but it didn't need to be any lower.

Tirzah and I (we share a room) are labeled things such as "crazy" and "insane" when it comes to winter.  Why?  Because we religiously leave our room window open all year round.  Nothing beats the cool freshness, and it's perfect for sleeping in.  As a side benefit, I also enjoy seeing if we can reach new record-low temperatures.  Well, this year we beat all records.  Our room hit 30 degrees, but liked hanging around 33 better.  (I know you are jealous and probably, at this moment, determining that you will out-do us next year.)

Still snow, slippery ice, sparkly frost, the blue sky's contrast with the glittering white ground.  These are just a few things that make this "the most wonderful time of the year."

Powdered winter

As I watch the temperature rise, the rain pounding outside, and the snow slowly melting into big, messy puddles, I realize that every weather--every season--has it's own unique loveliness that can't really be matched.  Of course, I have a special power that makes me especially happy and pleased with snow and rain...but each season truly has its own magic.

With the rain fall, it is easy to see that our snow days are coming to an end.  We've had snow for 1 month and 12 days now.  While the rain is a welcome, cozy sound to hear pounding on the roof, I hate to see the snow go.  Looking back on these pictures of our 2nd snow--a few inches and very powderific--I am very thankful and satisfied that we actually got snow this year, though.  And, for Washington, we really got quite a lot for a good while.  So as I look out on big puddles taking place of the still white, I am grateful.  Seasons are good.

Driving out into a new world for the first time!

I love the way the snow hangs on every tree branch, weighing it down.

On some particularly happy days, it snowed hard enough to be thought of as a "Washington blizzard."

It's been a lovely winter!