Snow fun!

I don't mind winter (I hate it when it drags on, though).  In fact, I like it when it's cold and I get to burn candles and snuggle under blankets.  However, I only like the cold when there is snow outside! It's just so pretty and clean looking, haha.

I really want to say we've had our last snow for the year, but unfortunately, I've heard the dreaded S word brought up again.  For now, I'll choose to ignore it and instead look outside at the sun shining in the 60+ degree weather outside!

On one of our last big snows, Bean and I bundled up to play outside while daddy used the snow blower! Unfortunately, it was one of those heavy dense snows that was tougher to plow than shovel. It took a little longer than normal, but Steve was finally able to clear off the driveway.  Bean loved trying to help and even played with the shovel (and car scraper).  She ate some, laid in it, and overall squealed with joy. Her cheeks got super rosy and I had to make her come inside

(Checking out daddy's shoveling/plowing)

(Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!)

(Are you sure I can just walk around on this?!)

(Here's some snow for you! She's laughing, not crying - ha.  She thought it was funny having snow all over her mittens.)

(Look guys -- I can do this myself!)

(Daddy showing her how to do it with the shovel)

(Look at those rosy cheeks!  She also just discovered the Bumbo seat in the corner -- I use it when I watch Baby J a couple times a week -- and thought it was hilarious to sit in it.  But then, she got stuck and it wasn't so funny -- but I was sure laughing!)

Sandy in Ohio

Who would have thought that a hurricane on the East Coast would affect us here in Ohio?  Well, it happened.  While the Jersey Shore and other east coast areas were being slammed with water & wind, we experienced our first snow of the year!

It was a shock to wake up Oct 30th with huge snow flakes falling from the sky.  We probably got around a 1/2 inch of standing snow after about 3 hours, but the snow soon turned to a winter mix to rain.  By the end of the day, almost all of the snow was melted :(.

Steve and I are so ready for Christmas.  We had a pact to not listen to Christmas music or watch movies until November, but with the snow on Oct 30th, I caved.  I figured that the first snowfall should count as the beginning of winter!  So as the snow fell, I watched my all time FAVORITE Christmas movie -- White Christmas.  I have the ENTIRE movie memorized and even know random facts like the girl (Vera Ellen) who plays Judy struggled with anorexia and she always wears a turtle neck in the movie to hide her neck.  So I should say, I didn't really watch the movie, more like listened to and sang along as I put plastic up on the windows (which honestly probably does nothing for our house since there's no insulation in the walls).

(This was taking around 8:30 in the morning.  At first it was just a light snow with some rain mixed in.)

(About an hour later the flakes were becoming bigger and everything was getting a nice covering of snow.  It was hard to try to take a picture of the actual flakes, so you will just have to take my word that they were big and beautiful!)

(We had one little fatality -- the tree in the middle of the rose bushes bit the dust.  In the previous picture, you can see it leaning a lot, and finally it snapped -- I heard it from inside!  This tree has always struggled with staying upright in the wind.  We had just finished staking it 2 days before it snapped.  Oh well --- 2 little shoots are intact.  We'll see how it fares through the winter and decide what to do next spring.)