The joys of the season.

Juliette woke early this morning having to go to the bathroom. The sun was just dawning, and as I stumbled out of bed I noticed the white blanket of snow that had fallen overnight. "I hope Juliette doesn't notice that" I thought, knowing that if she did she would not go back to sleep.

Of course she noticed. "Can we go outside and play?" she squealed with excitement. "It is too early." I replied. "We'll go out later." She went back to bed, I went back to bed and I drifted off to "the zone", that pleasant half-asleep place where you are resting, dreaming even, but still somehow aware.

15 minutes later I heard both girls talking. Then my door opened. "Mommy, John (our tenant) has a christmas tree! And a deer on his picnic table! Can we get one? Can we go outside now?" As much as I really wanted to stay in my warm bed, their excitement was contagious and my heart swelled as I watched their youthful joy shine through the smiles on their faces.

I managed to convince them to eat some breakfast and let me drink half my cup of coffee before we suited up and went outside to enjoy the first real snow of the season.

Cosette discovering snow again:

Juliette causing mischief:

They are such angels:

Lucy was having fun, too:

Our "hill" required Daddy Power for any sledding:

But it was still fun!: