Johnson Doodles: Let it Snow Snow Snow

This year winter hit us early and hit us hard. Temperatures have been in the single digits and we've broken records for the record low temperatures. The good news is that we had a big snow storm roll through and the snow hasn't left ever since. It has provided hours of joy for Grady and made our yard look like a winter wonderland. It has been so fun to play with him and then come in for some hot apple cider (on ice as requested by Grady). Grady loves the snow so much that it temporarily turns him into the nicest, most polite boy. He just keeps telling us, "thank you for putting my boots on mommy.... thank you for playing in the snow mommy.... thank you for fixing my glove mommy.... mommy, you look cute in your hat." I wish there was always snow to play in or that we could bring it into our house to enjoy this politeness inducing effect! Graham has been a trooper, either napping during playtime or hanging out in his carseat buried in blankets. He is the perfect little brother.

We were not sure how much it was going to snow so once there was enough to play in we headed out not knowing that much more was to come!

Tractors and snow, what could be better!

Time to upgrade to a real sled this year!

OK, perhaps jumping on the tramp is better than than the tractors.

This kid loves putting his snow stuff on, thank goodness. It is quite the process so I am glad he at least likes it. He puts his boots on over his jammies and regularly requests to go play in the snow.

It gets dark around 5:30 or so now. So on the big snowstorm day by the time Chris was able to make it home from work, there wasn't much daylight to play in the snow with his buddy. We had dinner and started Grady's bath and we were about 20 minutes away from bedtime when Chris looked at me and said, I really want to take him outside with me to go shovel and play. I said go for it. So back on went all the jackets, hats, and mittens and out the door the big boys went. Grady had the time of his life shoveling with daddy (and I am pretty sure the same was true for Chris). Grady "converted" his lawnmower into a snowblower and loved helping daddy out. After about an hour I went out and said they should probably come in and get ready for bed. I reheated the bath and expected them to come in minutes later. When they didn't I went back out and found Chris pulling Grady in his sled around the culdesac with giggles echoing all around. These are the times, these are the memories, this is the fun that makes it all worth it.

Chris crouched to get down on Grady's level for a picture and each time Grady kept crouching right along with him, he wants to be just like his daddy.