Beautiful and COLD!

I think winter is so beautiful. I love seeing sparkly, bright, white snow all over the ground. The frost on trees takes my breath away. Winter is beautiful. 

We had two HUGE snow storms this week. The first one on Tuesday.

The other storm was today. It was beautiful, but the snow is SOOOO deep out there! It's kinda fun. It's also an AMAZING workout if you try to shovel it. Full body sculpting workout ladies and gents. 

Last week the kids went sledding FOUR times. FOUR. TIMES. They LOVE sledding. We stop sledding when people can no longer feel their fingers or toes. Now you may ask why Miles was not wearing a coat in the photo below. Because playing in the snow in his coat makes him hot and sweaty he says! I totally understand. I get hot and sweaty...when I'm shoveling snow. Seriously, try it. Full body workout people!

Joey was sick on January 1, 2017 so he didn't attend church that day, but the kids and I did and here we are right before church on the first day of the new year. What really cracks me up about this photo is that I'm a floating head. Doesn't it look like I have no body attached to my head? Or maybe I'm a couch with a head. Like I'm mother couch with room enough for all my children to sit on me. It makes me laugh!! Happy New Year! 

Last but not least, I thought this sight was SO special and it sums up how I feel about the snow. When I was a kid I lived from 2nd grade until 6th grade in Illinois. I have great memories of playing outside in my snowsuit. And so whenever it's this time of year it makes me feel happy to see my little kids peer out the window first thing in the morning to see if it snowed. It makes me happy to see them play outside.

This is my beautiful Hailey building a snowman last week. And when I looked out the window and saw her out there it made my heart melt! (Pun intended!) And as I watched her, just for a second I remembered another 8 year old girl playing in the snow, a little girl whose now long gone, but somehow every once in a while, is still there inside of me and best brought out by these kids of mine.

Happy Winter from Mapleton! Now, I wonder what they're doing in Cancun this time of year...