SNOW SNOW SNOW

** if you are in a hurry, just skip to the end and watch the video of Aaron - I think it is HILARIOUS! **

A couple days ago (I think it was Saturday) we took this picture of our back yard with just a light dusting of snow. (as much as I HATE driving in snow, I think it is beautiful and I love looking at it...)

Monday it started snowing, not hard, just constant, and it's basically been snowing since then. The news tonight said we have received 8 inches over the past 2 days, but according to my very scientific RULER measurements, we are up to more like 10 or 11! Here is a picture taken from the same spot today. (notice the little dwarf pine in the left bottom corner is all but covered in the second picture)


As you can see, the birds are happily eating all around the feeder, which leads to the next photo. It is NOT a great picture, but if you look closely you can see the outline of what we believe is a Coopers Hawk. (looks like a peregrine falcon, but according to Tim's Internet research, peregrines don't often come down and hunt at feeders, but it is common for Coopers Hawks to do that...) At any rate, he likes to come perch in this tree and hunt at our feeder. It is SO awesome to watch. In fact, the first time we saw him, he was perched right on top of that post you see in the first photo, the one the bird feeder is hung on... I almost feel guilty, like I am setting a trap for the poor little birds, but I suppose it's all a part of the "circle of life" eh?



After I got home from doing afternoon carpool, the snow just seemed to call to Aaron, he got out of the van and into the snow. Here he is:

The inner child in me (that has been MIA for about 10+ years) came out of no where and decided to get into the action. I did a running leap/somersault thing in the snow. Amazingly enough, I didn't hurt myself. Aaron (after laughing, being amazed, and wondering what alien spirit had come over me) thought it looked fun and wanted to try it. I ran in and got the camera and took this video:

(I was laughing so hard I about wet my pants, and if you listen closely, you can hear Aaron laughing from under the snow.)

The kids talked me into getting dressed up in my snow clothes and playing outside for them for about an hour and 1/2. It was really fun. I mostly used the time to shovel the sidewalk and driveway AGAIN, and to help the two neighbors shovel theirs as well, but it was intermingled with digging snow tunnels and caves, sledding down the hill, making snow angels, and having a snowball fight with the neighbors.

Dinner was late, my hair was soaked, there is a big pile of wet clothes just inside the front door, and we were 15 minutes late for cub scout pack meeting . . . but we had FUN! (and tonight Aaron told me, "I can tell that you love us mom, because you played in the snow with us for a long time!" You just can't beat that)