In which I somehow start looking forward to this winter

And did we get the snow that the weatherdudes predicted? To quote a currently prolific but much maligned phrase, you betcha! Here is the photo evidence:


I love the sapling maple in the background still holding onto its brilliant yellow leaves.

As much as I feel this is too early for my liking to have the white stuff on the ground, I also have to say that I LOVED playing outside with the girls this morning. And as I pulled the sled along the path and listened to them laughing and saying "Faster, Mummy, faster!" I was so thankful again that it was me doing this and not someone I was paying to do it for me. I'm so thankful to be living these moments with them every day rather than wishing I was.

And, miraculously, it actually made me feel a lot better about the coming winter even if we get a lot of snow again this year. We made snow angels and I towed them around on the sled and even took them down a small hill. We had a lot of fun. Hope didn't want to go in at the end of it all.


Which is a stark difference from last year and the reason, I think, that I'm feeling so much more optimistic about the coming winter than I did yesterday. Last year, Hope whined most of the time we were outside. She had a lot of trouble walking through the snow. She wouldn't leave her mitts on and cried whenever snow touched her skin. I forced her to join us regardless but I always had to put up with a lot of whining each time we went outside to play. Today would indicate that this winter could be a lot different.

Emily also loved playing outside, although she did last year too. However, today was made extra special for her because one of her favourite fruits of the season just hit the stores: pomegranates.
The evidence of the massacre after the pomegranate met its ugly fate:


I even have a recipe to share for What's cooking Wednesday after all this but it is late and I have a book calling my name and a warm bed to get into. Perhaps next week.