It actually snowed this week and it didn't melt away, so today was party time in the yard!
The boys asked to go outside as soon as we finished breakfast and I automatically responded with "in a little while" before it occurred to me there was no reason to wait. (It's habit, I'm usually doing something...) So I pulled out their winter garb and started putting it on them - they got pretty excited once the coats came off the hangers!
Thomas had his snow flinger in hand and was ready to be out the door before I had finished getting Henry suited up. The snow was unfortunately super powdery, so he ended up using the flinger as a horn instead. I have no idea why they designed the flinger to also be a horn that sounds like an angry goose, but they did and he loves it.
Henry was walking around saying "shovel" with a big grin on his face, but didn't actually use the shovel. He did block his brother from trying to steal it though. So, a typical morning around here. :)
Henry did move on to a broom at some point. I leave the garage door open when we are playing outside and most of the tools become fair game. I have no idea why he thought sweeping the snow was a good idea, it is quite possibly the least effective snow moving device we have. But of course Thomas immediately wanted it as well...
After playing for a few minutes with them, I started working on clearing the driveway. Powdery snow is a dream to shovel from the driveway until you drive over it. Car tires compress the powdery snow into thick, hard snow that likes to stick to the driveway. So in order to shovel easily, you have to break up the hard, crusty snow first. Fun!
I think Henry is on his fifth or sixth tool by now. Matt had joined us at this point and found him a more size appropriate one (which of course, Thomas tried to steal). Also Matt pulled out the adult-sized square shovel and made easy work of the compressed snow. Apparently trying to get it up with the metal edge of the snow shovel is not the best way. Who knew? Not me, apparently.
When I finished my half of the driveway (Matt started helping halfway down so we weren't running into each other), I wandered into the cul-de-sac to take photos. I think it's so pretty when the houses and trees are covered in white snow. It's less exciting when the snow has been there awhile or the edges of the roads are brown snow from the plows. So I wanted to get pretty photos while I could!
We kept getting clouds rolling through the area, so the mountains were super foggy in the background. It was very ethereal and just so pretty looking after all the yuckiness of the past two weeks. Also, I kept trying to get photos of Natalie and she kept avoiding me. This is the best I got as she was slinking away from me
But once the work was done - it was play time again! We bought Thomas skis a few weeks ago while REI was having their big sale and we hadn't had any snow yet to try them out. He has been super excited about being able to ski with Matt, but we wanted to get him comfortable with being on the skis before we took him to the real slopes.
He couldn't quite figure out how to make them go on his own, so Matt had him hold on to the broomstick and walked him down the hill. He needs a little work on his form, but he seemed to think it was fun to ski down the "hill".
Matt eventually got him to stay upright without help and then pulled him across the yard with the broom.
The snow really isn't deep enough to build him an incline to practice on, but it was a good start at learning how to stand on the skis and how fun it is to glide across the snow. Both Thomas and Matt were having a great time.
But someone was having the worst time ever:
Henry was so upset the other day when we bought the skis and boots. Thomas wore the boots at the dinner table and Henry kept pointing at Thomas, "Boot?" and then pointing at his feet. He's no fool...
Well that little bit of upset was nothing compared to when Thomas was on the skis in the yard and Henry could only watch. He was devastated! This is quite literally the worst moment in his life.
Thomas didn't seem to be fazed by the hysterical sobs of his little brother, but when he was done practicing, we asked him if Henry could borrow his ski gear to try it out. And he didn't have a problem with it. (Sometimes they are great at sharing!)
The tears dried up so fast once Henry realized it was his turn! Of course, he wasn't really able to hold on to the broom like his big brother did. In his defense, he has little hands and big mittens and it's hard for him to do anything with them on.
Matt ended up just guiding him down the hill. Henry really didn't get the concept of the proper skiing stance. Oh well, he can wait another year for his turn at skiing with Matt. I know Thomas will love having alone time with his dada, especially with such a fun activity!
Also, I love it when the kids find one of their costumes or dress up clothes and put them on without any encouragement. We were hanging out in the living room and suddenly there was a rocket ship running around the house. And then the rocket ship got distracted by the lit-up Christmas Tree.
Rocket ships are adorable, aren't they?? Also, Henry likes the tree much more than he did last year.
Hahaha - I can't not post it again. I will love this photo for ever and ever.
I finally got a photo of Natalie! I was worried she was going to feel left out with all the Eliza photos I posted, but she was in no mood to be photographed. She ran away from me outside and when I got her in my sights inside, she either ran at me so I couldn't focus on her or she just ran away. I finally managed to get her to sit still long enough by holding a dog treat just above my lens and snapped a photo or two while she longingly stared at it.
And she has gotten so gray! I knew her muzzle was going white, but the top of her head is all speckled in white now. I refuse to believe our fur baby is getting old. It's not allowed to happen!
She's still gorgeous. :)