¡Nieve!

I couldn't get them both to smile at the same time & could barely get them to both stand still at the same time!

I had to come up with a different title since I labeled the last one "Snow". Same thing, just different language :)

Yesterday morning we woke up to another 4-5 inches of snow. And it was still coming down. And it kept coming down for a good part of the day. When it finally stopped we probably ended up with close to 6 inches. I told the boys when we got home from Joshua's party at school that after Nathaniel had a nap, we could go outside and build a snowman. When it finally came time to actually go outside and build it, I wasn't exactly thrilled. I cannot remember the last time I built a snowman. I know that one was built when I was in the MTC...there was snow the weekend before I left for Spain...but I don't think I helped in its creation. If I did, I've forgotten about it. So the last time I helped was probably when Carrie was younger than Joshua. Yeah, a long time ago. Snow is not my most favorite part of weather...I like looking at it when it comes down and everything is so pretty & pristine & white (I'm curled up inside nice and warm with hot chocolate, a book, scrapbooking, knitting, something like that)...but I hate it when it gets gray and slushy and icky (kind of how it's getting right now). 18 years growing up here I learned to deal with snow. Then 4 winters in Utah at college walking to campus, uphill, in a skirt (student teaching classes) early in the morning in the snow with no car really put a "damper" (hahaha) on how much I enjoy winter wonderlands...especially when I feel my nostrils freezing shut and remember getting to that early morning Book of Mormon class and feeling trickles down my back as my hair thawed out because it wasn't dry when I left my apartment (I hate blowdryers). So for the past 11 years it was nice to live in a town called Winters that was called so with no relation to the season! I'm trying to be better with the snow though. And so I took the boys out to play. We did our best to build a snowman...Joshua deemed it the best one ever (it is the only one he's ever made, but that's besides the point). There was no way I was getting balls rolled and stacked for making a snowman...that just wasn't happening. So we scooped and piled and eventually got something about as tall as Nathaniel. Joshua "rolled" the head and I had the boys dig some rocks out of the driveway out of the snow, slush & ice there for its eyes, mouth and buttons. I'd snagged a carrot out of the frig that I broke and stuck in for its nose. And there he was - our Frosty. We hoped that the nose would still be there this morning, that the neighborhood deer community (a dozen plus) wouldn't remove it. We know they are always in the front yard...their tracks and other signs tell us that, besides the times when we have to chase them out of the driveway to get out or wait for them to move out the street so we can drive. Doesn't appear that deer like carrots all that much because Frosty's face is still intact.

After Frosty and snow angels, we were ready to come in. Then it was time for what I believe is the best part of playing out in the snow...HOT CHOCOLATE! Joshua (and Nathaniel) had received little bags from one of the kids in Joshua's class that held a pack of Swiss Miss and a couple of candies. Joshua had Mint Chocolate and Nathaniel had Caramel Cream (I did refrain from downing Nathaniel's even though I LOVE caramel anything). So I fixed the chocolate, which Joshua insisted had to be called hot COCOA because that's what the package said. I tried to explain it was the same thing, but he refused to agree with me..."Mom, it SAYS hot cocoa, so you have to call it that." (Why was I so excited that he can read just about anything now?)

All in all it was fun afternoon with Mommy...no chores, no nagging about homework, etc. I need to do those more with the boys.

I tried to do a self-portrait...at least Joshua was smiling...Nathaniel wouldn't even look toward the camera!

Today we had a little more of that kind of fun. My grandmother and her sister have belonged to Eastern Star for 50+ years...my mom had belonged eons ago, not any more, but every year for as long as I can remember Mom has baked cookies for the Easter Star's Christmas cookie trays. I vaguely remember taking cookies with her down to the Masonic Hall when I was a kid. This year I helped with some of the cookies and took them and my grandmother's down with my mom. My great-aunt was there and some other members of their chapter. Mom and I helped load up the trays - 15, a lot fewer than in years past, I guess. And then I offered to run my grandmother's down to her, along with trays for her two cousins, another woman that lives near her and the local newspaper (members of 50 years or more get trays, as well as rest homes and newspapers, it seems). So the boys and I ran down to Fort Jones to grandma's. We took her on a few errands and she told me where a couple of the people lived and I took in the trays. Met one woman who swears I look just like my mom did 20 years ago. Anyway, after visiting with Grandma for a little while, the boys and I headed back home. It was starting to snow a bit more (it's since stopped and hopefully will hold off a few more hours unitl Brian gets home) and we decided to sing Christmas songs and carols as we rode home. Nathaniel LOVES "Jingle Bells" and tried to add it to about every song Joshua & I sang.