1st Winter Snow

There's something magical about the first snow fall of winter. The giddy feelings watching it come down from cloudy skies, whether it's watching from the window or waking up to a marshmallow-colored surprise. The excitement when it stops, leaving a crisp blanket of pure white, followed by the crunchy sound walking through it and seeing fresh footprints left behind. The excitement only escalates getting down the sleds from the garage shelf and shuffling through the winter tote in search of cozy snow pants, hats and gloves. WOO HOO!

Then there's the squeals of joy and laughter from the sledding hill!

Then there's going to the hill and seeing numerous kids playing and sledding...and spying a kid who just finished a sledding run at the bottom of the hill jump up, dust off some snow and turn around to run up the hill for another run down on the tube. He's wearing only thin cotton shorts and a hoodie. And he's my Ethan.

I shook my head, my mommy-voice chiding

, "I told him to get one of his 2 WARM coats on!" Then I smiled. That's my Ethan.

He and the neighbor kids and Maiya had so much fun sledding, snowboarding and playing in the snow. It was dang cold out there, but they were having too much fun to notice pushing each other down the hill and running back up, laughing, taking turns. It was a joy to watch.

The kid who refuses to wear jeans. Or socks. And lives in flip flops.
And smiles like it's going out of style.
That's my Ethan.

Sledding at Daybreak Elementary

Hugs are the bestest!