The Tao of Snow

This is what happened to us last night...My estimate is around 8-10 inches of the fluffy kind with more on the way. I have friends who think this is an uncivilized way to live, but we've deliberately chosen to live on a northern parallel, and if it's going to be cold, I prefer to have snow along with it.

I don't love snow, but when you live in it, you have to find ways to accept it. Acceptance is key; if you don't somehow embrace it, you'd feel pretty grouchy and shut in for almost half of the year here in Vermont. Some say St. John's wort helps; I say a vacation to a warm place in February is paramount.

We've found lots of other ways to cope with winter:

Sledding -- We have a little hill in our backyard that entertains the kids for hours. They especially like sledding in the dark wearing headlamps. On free afternoons, we venture out to the big hills known for great sledding around the area.
Skiing -- With Max on skis for the first time last year, we *enjoyed* days at a lodge about 20 minutes from our house. (I say *enjoyed* because I'm not sure lugging five pairs of skis, boots, poles, and three kids in snow gear up the hill was really *fun*.) This year, we're hoping to do more Nordic skiing and snowshoeing.
Scarves and neck gators: You simply have to add these to the bins of mittens and hats.
Smartwool socks: They really do keep your feet warmer than the average sock.
Baking: There's nothing like waking up to a fresh snowfall and warm cinnamon buns for breakfast...
Arts and crafts: Mia is learning to sew and quilt, and I'm going to start knitting socks this weekend. Max can usually use up a few hours coloring, painting, or gluing something; Tom and Will don't do crafts; they play Wii instead.
Hang out the bird feeders: I love seeing cardinal pairs against the white snow. We don't hang out bird feeders in the other seasons because there's a bear in the neighborhood that tears them down and eats the seeds, and I don't want him ambling around our yard.
Enjoy the summer: You sure don't take the summer months for granted when you live in a four-season climate!

So Tom told me it's my turn to snow blow the driveway this morning. (He says things like that to see if he can get a rise out of me.) I told him I sure would, but I know he'll do it anyway because he kind of likes clearing the driveway. Besides it's 6 degrees out, and I've got socks to knit and Christmas cookies to bake...

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The Big Holiday Lie

A week or so ago, one of my Facebook friends posted a link to a blog written by a [self-righteous] “Grinchmommy” who didn't believe in "lying" to her kids about the existence of Santa Claus. She was sure that the proliferation of the jolliest elf of all led to mistrust and disappointment. And she called Santa "a beast":

http://www.momlogic.com/2008/12/santa_claus.php

I guess her bell just doesn't ring anymore.

I tell ya, I had just read 'Twas the Night before Christmas to Max right before I read that bog, and I wouldn't trade the wonder on his face during that story for anything. I love the intrigue, magic, and fun that Santa -- and the season itself -- brings to our house. Mia knows "the truth", and when she found out, she thought she had been let in on life's biggest secret. She wasn't upset or let down. Instead, she was tickled that she had such an advantage over her brothers. She was also thrilled to realize that it was me who made her wooden horse barn, not elves.

At age 9, Will still claims to believe. He doesn't ask any questions; I think he may not want to know the answer. He did tell me a few years ago that while he did believe in Rudolph, "there's no way he can have a red nose. It's impossible." [Yet it's possible that he flies? I didn't press that issue...] This year, when I asked him if he'd go visit Santa Claus with Max, he said no because he isn't into the fake Santas. Just the real one. So my guess is that this is Will's last year on the Polar Express.

Max is in the full swing of the fantasy. I'm not taking him to see Santa though because I'm pretty sure he won't sit on Santa's lap if Will won't. (That's just the nature of the brotherhood.) But we're reading all the stories and watching all the movies. ("Elf", "The Santa Clause", and "A Christmas Story" are our favorites.) The kids are buying each other gifts -- with their own money for the first time. And it's likely Cookie Day this weekend.

So even after Santa is outed for everyone, we'll still watch the shows, eat the cookies, carefully choose gifts for one another, and do what we can for those in need. We'll cherish the opportunity to remember the joy in traditions -- and such singular phrases as "You cotton-headed ninny muggins" (courtesy of "Elf"). And contrary to Grinchmommy's allegations, we'll experience understanding and acceptance from the spirit of giving that only this season brings.

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My Second Childhood

I was cleaning out our basement yesterday -- seriously purging -- and fussing over our bookshelves. I mentioned something to Mia about getting rid of some books, and she said something like, "Yeah Mom, you always say things like 'Oh, I remember this one. I can't get rid of that.'" Implying that I'm a sentimental old fool. Which I am. Sometimes.

Without a doubt, my favorite time of the day is bedtime. Not because the kids are out of my hair, but because of the time we read together before they fade off. It's also the time of the day when all work is unconditionally put aside for a good book. That doesn't happen often (enough) for me.

Our current routine is that I read to Max first and tuck him in, then the older two and I head off to whatever fantasy we're living in pages. With Max, I have the chance to relive stories and picture books that have become family favorites over the years:

How I Became a Pirate
Muncha Muncha Muncha
There's a Cow in the Cabbage Patch
Ferdinand
The Carrot Seed
The Mitten and most other Jan Brett stories
We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Felicia Numeroff's circular tales
My Many Colored Days
The Magic Tree House series
Sophie's Masterpiece
Roxaboxen

Max has also added a few to the list himself:

Anything written by Mo Willems -- the Pigeon series, Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Knuffle Bunny
Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies
The Mercy Watson series

For the older two, top picks include the following:

The Peter and the Starcatchers series (at the top of both kids' lists)
Dragon Rider
The Tale of Despereaux
The Miraculous Journal of Edward Tulane*
The Charlie Bone series (We're in the middle of Book 6 now)
Trumpet of the Swan
The City of Ember, The People of Sparks, and The Diamond of Darkhold series

The list of books we still need to read is pretty long, so I hope they don't mind reading with me when they're eighteen. We haven't tackled Harry Potter yet; mostly because I've already read them all on my own, and Mia thinks she's not interested. I'm determined to bring her around to Hogwarts, Dumbledore, the Sorting Hat, and J.K. Rowling's seven-volume brilliance however.

So yes, Mia's right. I can't give bring myself to give away any of our books (and my second childhood) yet. Wonder how long it will be before I blog about finally letting go of them...

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*When we were reading Edward Tulane, we came to a rather sad part of the story, and I started to cry. "Just take it slow mom. Calm down. It'll be OK," the kids told me. Who's the parent here???

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