Last night brought the season’s first snow. The first flakes were falling as I buttoned up our home for the night, and exclamations of delight from the Middles and the Littles greeted us this morning. My husband and I were not quite as thrilled. While we enjoy the beauty and stillness the snowfall brings, we are also very aware of the work that comes with it.
Before my first cup of coffee, all the children were asking to go outside. Unfortunately, even though I knew this snowfall was coming, I hadn’t yet gathered and sorted any of the winter gear. All the coats and snow pants were brought up from the basement, held up, tried on, kept or put aside. Boots were found and tried, hats and gloves were brought out, tested, exchanged and retested. And finally, after much activity, everyone was (mostly) dressed for the morning adventure, even my littlest Nursling, whom I could barely get away from the window to dress he was so excited. He was a little less excited once he was in full gear.
And now they are done, the snow angels have been made, snow man and snow horse have been built, hot chocolate is being sipped (with marshmallows of course). And there is a large pile of wet snow clothes next to the wood stove, waiting for me to hang the line we use to pin hats and gloves, a mat on which to dry the boots, and some invention that I haven’t discovered yet to hang 5,6,7,8,9, 10 wet coats and snow pants in a very small space to dry, and somehow I need to make room for all these wintry things in the coat closet and shoe rack. But the rosy cheeks, sparkly eyes and smiles all around make it very worthwhile.
