Fall, you came late and your stay was too short, but winter, we love you too

Well, after a whopping 8 1/2 days of fall (Booo!) winter seems to be here to stay.  The kidlets are THRILLED and even though I could use s'more autumn, it is the end of November so I guess I need to suck it up and be grateful for what we have rather than wishing for something else (least wise that's what we tell our sprites when they are "I wishing" away so I guess I should take my own medicine).

Last Friday Josh and Aubs and I trundled our hineys downtown to watch a dance performance by Repertory Dance Theatre.  I still occasionally do articles for the newspaper on dance events and this happened to be one of them.  This dance piece was geared toward children and it was a lot of fun.  Aubrey had a great time and it was fun for Josh and I to be with her while she ooohed and aaaahed over the dancers (the super adorable guy in the pictures is by far our favorite dancer...Nathan, you are fabulous!).  It was a great way to spend a Friday evening.  (Read all about it in the Deseret News review of "Snapshots" here.) 

When we came out of the theater we found our car coated with a soft frosting of snow (and we were glad we decided to shut the side door of the van parked across from us...hopefully whoever owned the van wasn't locked out or anything, but at least their interior didn't end up snow covered and soggy). 

The next day, we had a few inches of snow to play in and the kids were eating it up.  I mean that literally because Aubrey decided to make "snow apples" which she pedaled to the other kids and everyone ate them.  Yuck!

They boys wrestling in the snow...that's what boys do.

Aubrey teaching Ellie the finer points of snow angeling.

Ellie's chilly face needed daddy smooches to warm
it up when she came inside.  Daddy was not sad about that

Everyone enjoying hot chocolate after our frigid outdoor adventure.

These are not snow related but they make the house so much more inviting
when it is cold outside...Thanks honey, I love you too!  (He can be such a sweetheart.)

 Also this weekend the kids had some friends over (at one point we had 10 children in the house, but very seriously, when you have six wild tykes already four or five more is NOTHING!  No kidding.) One of their mothers brought us some very tasty treats (because she is sweet like that). 

Ellie decided to sample them for us. 

Every single one of them.

I came in the kitchen to find her perched on the table with a guilty look and some frosting on her face.  She was more than happy to let me take a couple pictures of her exploits (while she continued to finger dip mind you).  Funny girl.

So, I sigh and say "Welcome Winter."  I'm sure this will be a beautiful season.  There are few things I love more than snuggling into a comfy couch surrounded by my little ones and reading a story or two together as a curtain of snow floats quietly past our front window.  Fall may be my favorite, but winter definitely has its moments.