We woke up to an inch of snow covering the leaves, plants, and sidewalks yesterday. John and Lucy were delighted and ran from window to window trying to see what everything looked like in the early morning sun. Sophie, on the other hand, was disappointed and grumpy. (I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact she didn't fall asleep until after 9:30 the previous night - HA!) All she could do throughout our entire morning routine was talk about how Halloween was ruined because now they'd have to wear boots and coats and nobody would really be able see their costumes. I reassured her time and time again that it would melt, that I didn't think the snow was here to stay but she insisted on staying grumpy - at least until I picked up the kids from school and she ran up to me and said, "You were right - the snow did melt!" All I could say at that point was, "Thank you Mother Nature, thank you, thank you."Where did the young enthusiast go? The one who took her time strolling to the car, picking up snow in her mittened hands and putting it to her mouth? The girl who couldn't wait to drop off her sister at art class so the two of us could grab our skis and hit the cross country trails? Has my cynicism wore off on her - so that she too dreads the passing of fall and the diminishing of daylight? It isn't that I don't like winter - it is, in fact, one of my favorite times. Cross country skiing, sipping hot chocolate by the fire, and looking for rabbit tracks in the freshly fallen snow are all things the kids and I enjoy about winter. I guess it's time to remind ourselves that even though the end of autumn is approaching, winter really isn't all that bad.
And with that thought - here are some pictures of one young enthusiast, John. After dropping the girls off at school he immediately put on his snowpants and headed outside for some snowfun. It's wonderful how different the same swingset can be with just a little bit of slippery snow on it...
