Episode 3: Magic Snow

I was trying to think of a clever title for this post, but all I could think of were a song from Xanadu and the tag-line from the Lucky Charms commercial.  Both were deemed stupid inappropriate.  So, I'm just going to go with reality.  Today I saw magic snow.

On Monday, the boys and I wanted to take a walk.  In the morning, the sun was shining so the snow on the ground did not seem to be a problem.  We are trying to be local!  When the sun shines, you go outside.  No matter what.

Well, through no fault of laziness on the part of me, we didn't make it out before lunch and nap.  We had to go after nap.  By then it was early evening and not sunny.  It was cold.  We had the wrong set of keys to get out our walk-up gate.  We had to be let out by a kindly neighbor.  The boys longed to climb the hills and defile the not-walked-on snow.  We were not dressed in any way appropriately, so I had to promise another try on Tuesday.

I geared the boys up much better.  Long-johns, snow bibs, scarves, snow boots, jackets, water resistant gloves, hats, and hoods from their coats.

We got outside, and it was sunny but snowing.  As we walked I realized the snow was different than any other snow I'd been in before.  It was literally like glitter falling from the sky.  The effect was dazzling.  The new snow that was landing on the snow already on the ground shone like diamond chips.  We had to stop and stare at it.  I was awestruck.

I couldn't quite catch the effect on camera, though I tried.  It really made me pause and marvel.  It was also surreal because the whole time we walked I could hear the sea birds calling to each other.  My brain has limited knowledge of snow, so it really caught me to hear birds associated with water and see snow falling at the same time.  I don't put those two things together naturally.

The boys finally got to roll around in the soft, white snow.  They climbed hills and learned not to touch the yellow parts.  Eventually (fairly soon, actually) Mommy got cold.  Though they were dressed well; I was not.  I need some fur-lined boots pronto!  We headed home at a maddeningly slow pace.  No one on Earth walks slower than my kids.  They pause to look at everything and ask questions.  Very cute but almost led to frost bite.

It was very pretty and magical.  It was a nice break from my efforts to get us settled and living here.  Enjoy more pics of the boys having fun!

 Yep, that's a sign to pick up after your dogs! 

We came; we saw; we conquered.