winter is here!

Well it appears that the white stuff is here to stay now, and it has also been very cold (-24 this morning!) Ari was thrilled with the snow and took to the hills with his sled before we had more than an inch or two, and has wanted to sled every day since. It is so amazing to see how much more independent and capable he is this year, marching up the hill pulling the sled himself, lining himself up for a good run and flying down, not minding the snow and hay seeds whipping past him (as I said, there was only a couple inches of snow when he started sledding, so really he was mostly sledding in the dried grass.) He even managed to convince Perry to go out with him in the dark after work a few times.

Dorian on the other hand was not so sure about this whole winter business, it was windy and the snow was blowing in his face, and there is all this uncomfortable bundling to do first, and mittens fall off and walking in the snow is hard... but by the end of the week he seemed to be getting used to the idea. Yesterday he marched over to the llamas on his own and even walked a little way before asking to ride on my back. I'm hoping he becomes a snow-lover like his brother by the end of the winter!

But of course, we are not outside all day, even bundled with wool long johns and wool socks and many layers under the warm snowsuits, at -20, faces and fingers and toes get cold pretty fast. So there has been lots of indoor play, reading books and building farms and towns and fox dens and other engaging activities. Both boys have been doing lots of spontaneous art making. Ari is loving playing with paper and scissors, "writing" lists and letters and chopping up paper into all sorts of teeny creations. Dorian likes to quickly fill a page with scribbly pencil lines, name it- "a baby bunny!" " a baby dragon!" and then start on a new one. We are moving through a lot of paper around these parts.

::gnome operated crane::

And me, I've been sewing and knitting up a small storm over here. I have a rather large list of holiday gifts I am working my way through- our usual solstice family gifts, plus plans for making gifts for friends and family. I signed up for the Handmade Holiday group, and it is inspiring to see what other folks are working away on.

The other big project on the go is for an fundraiser auction we are putting on for our friends. They have had to go back to the city again for more treatments for little W, and it was so hard to watch them go, they had been so glad to be home and leaving again for unexpected medical treatments was very difficult. But W is amazingly strong and vibrant, and we will be celebrating this incredible little girl and her strong loving family by having a made-with-love auction and night of music and treats. For my contribution to the auction I'm sewing a felt castle play set. Lots and lots of hand sewing fun. Unicorn and tree down- knight, princess, dragon, castle and play mat/carry case still to go.... wish me luck!