december in an instant

I love everything about December - the smells, the lights, the traditions, the people. I love watching the simple joy of my children as we spend time together as a family. I love the time I take to slow down and focus on my Savior and see the goodness in the world around me. There's a lot of hustle and bustle this time of year - places to be, gifts to buy, things to check off my to-do list. But my favorite moments are the quiet ones - sitting in the glow of the Christmas tree lights, watching the snow fall softly to the ground, singing a favorite carol. And I'm grateful for each of those moments and more this December. 

february in an instant

February brings a chill to my bone, literally. 

Iowa sure knows how to do winter. With a high of 42 for the month (not accounting for wind chill - I can assure you it felt like 42 exactly one day of the entire month and we spent it playing outside) and a low of -19 (still not accounting for wind chill - I can also assure you it felt much colder than -19 at many points during the month), and 15+ inches of snow (I know, we've got nothing on Boston in that department, but the WIND, I tell ya), it was miserable, on most days, to go outside. 

My front entryway was a snowy, salty mess of coats, boots, hats, mittens and scarves. There were tissues scattered throughout the house every single day. And Ryan happened to be out of town (in very warm places) during each major snow storm. With the exception of one fabulous friend on a particularly snowy Sunday morning, I single-handedly kept our driveway and walks shoveled (and burned a lot of calories doing it!).  

Luckily our time inside was well spent celebrating birthdays, valentining, reading good books, exercising, snuggling up to movies and eating yummy food to keep us sane. And we had one picture-perfect snow day that we spent sledding in our backyard with friends. 

Some good times were had, but I'm ready to put this chilly February in the books. 

Wonderfully Wintry W day

Today's preschool lesson was brought to you by the letter W and the number 12. We learned about Winter, working out, ate watermelon, drank water and so much more. And, because Valentine's Day is coming up, they also got to decorate a little bag and exchange cards and treats with one another. 

It was a fun-filled, busy, quick day of learning. I always have so much fun with these kids!  

a perfect snow day

Today was a perfect snow day. And I dare say we've earned it this year! 

Lots of snow dumping down this week + warm temps today (I took my coat off!) + a killer hill right in our backyard + great friends = a perfect combination for a great snow day.

So much fun hiking up and racing down, building snow chairs and men and just enjoying time outside without getting frostbite. Thanks for coming, Oakeses! I'll take another day like this, please, Iowa. 

solo snow storms

We've had some serious snow storms this winter in Iowa. Lots of time spent shoveling and bundling.

And Ryan has been traveling to warm places during all of them. 

It's a good thing the snow is beautiful and that I have some fun playmates. 

January in an instant

This January I did my best to just love January. I do love new beginnings, but I also love green grass and flowers, sunshine and warmth. 

And since January in Iowa has none of those things, I tried my very best to enjoy what January in Iowa does have: cold, wind and snow. We embraced the snow and boots and mittens and coats and below zero temperatures. We got out and played and discovered and experienced as much as we could without getting frostbite. And I enjoyed it. We tried to make the inside stuff fun too. And I enjoyed it. 

Well, almost all of it. 

I still don't like the wind. 

Thinking warm thoughts

Today it was cold. 

Really, really cold. 

So cold school was cancelled for fear of children getting frostbite for being outside for less than five minutes. 

So, naturally, we donned our swimsuits, filled the tub and thought warm thoughts. 

There's a chance I also said a prayer that I will survive this winter. 

P.S. Don't you love Leah's new haircut!? Three cheers for tangle-free mornings!

It snowed...enough

Last Saturday, it snowed. Just a little. But enough to make use of the giant hill in our backyard and the sled our friends left with us when they moved to sunny Texas last May. So, we bundled the girls up and went up and down and up and down and up and down our hill. 

Until dad broke one of the sleds. 

Today, it snowed again. Enough to teach Kate the art of making an angel. 

She was a fan. I think she's got the hang of it.  

december in an instant

It's hard to not just love December and all that it stands for and brings. A time to give, to worship, to love. A time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the new. A time to be with family. A time to rejoice and sing. 

I love blasting Christmas music all day long (I do it sometimes in June, but it's not as universally accepted then). I love opening my mailbox every day (and opening more than just utility bills). I love sitting on the couch at the day's end in the glow of twinkling tree lights. 

Fall is still my favorite, but I'm really glad it's followed by December. 

lambs and lions and such

March came in like a lion and out like a lamb, that much is true (thank goodness for that lamb part). But it was a really, really big lion and an unusually small lamb. And it was also pretty confused in between. We wore our snow boots, rain boots, regular boots and then some shoes. We donned our winter coats, rain coats, light jackets and once just t-shirts. We had warm days then frigid days. Sunshine then rain. And then more snow. 

Always more snow. 

There were a few afternoons I walked out into the warming Iowa air and thought, "Okay. I can do this. The sun might actually exist." And then the next morning, I did my best to hide my tears as I felt the bitter wind and more freezing temps. 

Always more freezing temps. Painfully freezing temps.

This March, more than ever before, I despised the lion days. Mostly because it wasn't just snow. It was bitter cold winds not meant for human life. And it had just gone on for too long. But this March, more than ever before, I also relished the lamb days. I lived for them. I soaked in every second and sunbeam they had to offer.

So here's to leaving a confused, muddy, mucky, cold and snowy March behind, or I just might make good on my threat to divorce Iowa. Bring on spring!

a newfound appreciation...

Today marks six weeks until the 2014 Boston Marathon. And I've had a realization, a new found appreciation, if you will. You see, thanks to Mr. Polar Vortex (x5 now is it?), Iowa has been a frozen tundra for the last few months. Its coldest and snowiest on record, I've heard. And, though I'm no stranger to cold weather running, a few things have to align to allow me to get out the door:

1. Temperatures that don't cause frostbite in less than 5 minutes.
2. Sidewalks not lined with ice, underneath a fresh layer of snow.
3. Wind chills conducive to running with a one year old. 

So far, not even one of these things has happened for me in the past two months. Seriously, the warnings were to not go outside for more than five minutes for risk of getting frostbite. FIVE MINUTES!

As for number two, I actually like running in snow. I find it relatively peaceful and calming. But I like to leave the skating part to hockey players and ice dancers.

Those wintry conditions + dark skies until 7:30am and then again at 4:30 pm = no running sans kids for me = no outdoor runs. I'm still not completely familiar with the roads in my area, so I'm not going to risk running alone in the dark. And pushing a stroller on ice while trying to run is most likely less fun than run/skating on it myself (but in full disclosure, I haven't tried).

The dreadmill and I have become very close in the last few months. Too close, actually. Of my 207 miles of training since December 30th, a measly 54 of them have been outside (and that includes 18 glorious miles in California). For all you number crunchers out there, that's 26%. 

Which leads me to my realization/appreciation. Because the other 74% have been inside on my trusty treadmill, I've had a lot of time to stare off into space at my 1960s wood-paneled basement wall, feeling like a mind-numbed lab rat. Running round and round and round on my rubber wheel for hours at a time.

But that's when it hit me. 

A lab rat! 

Research for Rett syndrome! 

That's what this whole thing is about! 

And honestly, underneath all the moaning and complaining about where I'm running, I am truly grateful for the ability to run at all, and for the opportunity to run for Rett syndrome. For Leah. To raise funds for life-changing research. To finish what we started last year. 

I'm grateful for my treadmill. And I'm grateful for those little rodents. 

And so I run. And run and run and run. Sometimes on a treadmill, sometimes outside. It doesn't really matter. For Boston 2014, I run for Rett. 

Please consider a donation to our 2014 Boston team on behalf of Leah's runners:

Blythe:

http://www.crowdrise.com/RettSyndrome2014BostonMarathon/fundraiser/blythechorn

or Elissa:

http://www.crowdrise.com/RettSyndrome2014BostonMarathon/fundraiser/elissajones