Brrrrr....

Look at our temperatures this morning to see what Steven gets to enjoy as he walks between buildings on campus.  Notice the windchill!  (Click on the picture to make it bigger.)   This is unusually cold for us and won't last long.

We're in a pattern of several inches of snowfall every few days, which does make life interesting.  On the plus side, shoveling snow and using the snow thrower are the best winter exercises I get!  

18 Inches of Snow in One Day

We really enjoyed watching this snow come down.  It helped, of course, that we didn't have to be anywhere.

It was too windy to enjoy being out as the snow was falling, but after it stopped we had some work to do and then could play.  The kids were in the yard this afternoon sledding and building snow tunnels.  Even Thomas got in the game with socks and a plastic bag covering his casted leg so he could wallow in the snow as he usually does. 

This snow won't melt until spring, so we'll have great snow for winter play for quite a while.
 

The view from the garage before snow removal...

...and snow removal.  We really appreciate our snow thrower!  The height of the snow at the end of the driveway exceeded the height of the snow thrower, so I had to develop a "chipping away at it" technique.

Snow drift in the shape of a curling ocean wave

The morning after--sunshine on our deck table

Catherine makes a snow angel

Hauling Thomas around the yard (no crutches in the snow!)

Catherine builds a tunnel from the top to the street...

...and Anna gives it a try.

Steven measures snowfall on the garden beds with a yard stick.  And, yes!  He's vertical after being couch-bound for a week with back problems!  He did go flat on his back for awhile after his little adventure, but he's much better.

We ended the day with syrup poured over freshly fallen snow.  The very first snow cone.

Fracture!

 
Thomas got his skis crossed at the top of the local ski hill on his first day of lessons.  Here's the result...a nasty looking fracture of his right leg.

The orthopedic doctor explained that this break is actually going to heal very well because it is so long, giving the bones a nice large surface to knit back together.  And his cast is completely waterproof, which makes life much easier!

Update:  As of January 12th he's using his crutches well, is able to get into the tub by himself, and is generally independent.  He gets itchy inside his cast, which drives him crazy, but he's doing well overall.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We had a lovely, quiet Christmas, including Midnight Mass at a monastery. 

It was not a "white Christmas" with just smatterings of snow on the ground as a result of warmer temperatures.  The kids received sleeping bags for Christmas from Aunt Lori and were eager to try them out, even in 20-ish degree weather.  That lasted about 20 minutes before they had the sense to come inside!  :-)