Leaves and Snow

The view outside our front door this morning:

The view just a few weeks ago in the Miles' front yard:

Quite the change!  Ooohhhh, I just love winter!

Keats and Aidan have been wearing their hats ever since the first flakes began falling. Somewhere along the line, they got the idea that if it's snowing, then hats must be worn inside or out.  It is just too fun!  They are fully aware of Santa Claus coming for the first time this year, so each day they ask "Santa Claus coming too-night?"  

Meanwhile, Abigail finds the snow absolutely fascinating.   We continuously find her feet peeping out from beneath the back sliding door curtain.  She will stand there for 30 minutes at a time with her wee hands pressed against the glass, her nosed shmushed into the pane, and her eyes twinkling.  I don't think there is anything I enjoy more than watching little ones making new discoveries.

Shelby, Dawson, Isabelle, and Tucker are just very ready for there to be enough snow to break the sleds out of the attic-prison.  And we have promised that we will wax the toboggan this year so that it actually works.  (We never knew it needed wax.  The first year we tried to use it, it moved down the hill two inches.  Max.)  And so, Tucker asks regularly if I have "bought that wax stuff yet."

Scotty always calls Halloween the "beginning of the holiday gauntlet."  And yes, it does get a little crazy as we try and make room for everything we want to do, but I do love watching the sparkling eyes, hearing the stories that start with "Remember the time we . . ." and smelling the holiday perfume: wood smoke, baking, and wet wool.  It's just magical.