Life in a Snow Globe

Tyler has been asking me when it is going to snow for the past 5 months. Yes, since the hot, sticky one-hundred degree days of July. He loves everything about snow. Sledding, snowmobiling, packing it into a waffle cone and calling it ice cream.  He’s silly, that one.

I however, love exactly two things about it. The first day the snow appears and everything is a coated in a crisp, clean layer of white perfection and the glorious day when the last little flake melts.  Bundling up each morning and driving 12 miles an hour to work only to sit down at my desk (late) and realize the bottom of my pants are soaking wet? I’ll pass, thanks.   

Anyways, on Friday night, we finally got that much anticipated snowstorm. I happened to be driving home from downtown Minneapolis with the boys and it took over two hours to travel 30 miles. Typically, this would equate to my own personal version of hell, but Matty slept almost the whole time and Tyler? He didn’t complain a bit. He sat patiently in the backseat making idle chit chat with me while pressing his tiny little nose against the window and watching the flakes fall. He was over the moon. If I could have bottled his excitement up, I totally would have because at that moment I realized that seeing the snow through the eyes of a 5 year old makes winter suck a whole lot less. 

Saturday morning came and the snow just kept on falling. By Sunday morning we had  a billion inches of snow and there was nothing left to do but put on my big girl snow pants and get outside.  And you know what? It was incredible. I felt like we were living inside a snow globe. And not the cheap Anthropologie inspired mason jar  type that currently adorns our mantel. More like a fancy kind that snow globe collectors everywhere dream of {those people do exist you know.}

Tyler and I spent the afternoon building this guy.

We used rocks for his eyes, mouth and buttons and we included some winter appropriate apparel for an added touch. Unfortunately neither we nor our neighbors eat vegetables so an orange ball had to stand in for the carrot. We were proud of our work, can you tell?

We put our architect skills to good use and created an igloo. No, I’m not kidding. Tyler got the igloo cubes for Christmas last year and considering we got exactly one snowfall, they got no very little use. We were happy to make up for that. And so were these other helpful little people. Another perk of living in a neighborhood jam packed with sweet kids.

We introduced the little man to the delight that is the first snowfall of the year! He wasn’t quite sure what to make of it, but he also didn’t cry, so that’s a win in my book.

And, we finished off the day with a batch of Christmas cookies. Because really, why not?

Christmas has Arrived

Around here, Christmas officially begins 6 seconds after the Thanksgiving turkey is digested. Ryan hikes into the woods, locates the perfect tree and chops it down Paul Bunyan style assembles the Christmas tree while I climb under the crawl space in hopes of locating the decorations before the spiders attack. We turn on holiday music, throw some cookies in the oven and bedazzle our whole house in a matter of 45 minutes. 

Ok that's the way it used to go down. 

This year? It's safe to say that while the the tree is now assembled {lopsided}, the banisters are wrapped in garland and artificial icicles don the gutters, it took a whole lot longer than normal to locate our Christmas A-game. I am going to place full blame on the germs the besieged our house and my own personal fear that the two newest members of our family would band together and make it their mission to destroy as many decorations as possible. I was right, at least on the latter. Honestly? I'm not sure if I spend more time prying ornaments out of Matty's mouth or trying to fish Harley out of the Christmas tree without toppling it over in the process.

Anyways, the holidays have arrived and they are in full swing. Need proof?

The tree is decorated.

Matty finds pure joy in grabbing the nearest ornament...and then repeatedly smacking Harley in the head with it. 

Tiny pine trees have found a new home atop the mantel {And that embarrassingly large collection of video games? Since banished to a bookshelf in the corner}

The Christmas village has been unpacked. However, Thomas Kersey's Coffee House {and the rest of the village} remain dark as it didn't take long to realize how tempting all of those cords were to two tiny little hands.

Christmas pajamas? Yep, they've made themselves right at home in the top drawer of the dresser. 

Good Luck Charlie has been replaced by Charlie Brown. Well, maybe not Charlie Brown, but other holiday classics...Elf anyone?  

No, Ty does not wear glasses...but he IS a pretty big fan of lense-less yellow spectacles. {Have you noticed, he's awesome?}

 

Finally, driveway bonfires? They're no longer enough to keep us toasty outside...hats are once again a necessity. Hello, Minnesota. 

I'm guessing that we'll have no problem getting into the spirit for the remainder of the month...it's jam-packed with fun festivities. I'm just hoping there are many quiet moments in between. Moments to soak in the season and just...enjoy my little guys.