Will Winter Never End?

OK, I know winter will end eventually but it sure doesn't feel like it right now! Michigan is simply freezing cold with tons of snow and even icy fog. It seems like I'm forever saying, "No, it's too cold to go outside today." Much to mine and the campers dismay. Peanut especially hates this because she adores being outside and when the sun is shining it "should" be warm enough to go outside!

We did manage to get about an hour outside on Monday, even though the temperature was only 21 degrees F. For the entire hour there were happy children sledding, digging, and generally being silly in the snow!

Preparing to take turns on the sled

Peanut makes it to the top
of the "mountain"

The girls telling their big brother
he's not sharing enough

No worries! No one went down backwards!

 Needless to say the time outside made for three happy little campers. They would have probably stayed out longer but the sun was going down and supper was almost ready, so they had to come back in. And the rule in this house in winter time is that once the sun is down children must be inside due to the temperature drop. We of course had or requisite middle of playing outside potty break for Peanut. For those of you who've never had to unbundle a child from snow gear for an emergency potty break (you're so blessed!) believe me it is an ordeal. 

We kept hoping all week long that we'd get another chance for outside play but it just wasn't going to happen! Monday night right after the children settled in bed a icy fog came in off of the river and it completely blocked even the view of the "mountain" of snow the children so love to play on.

Our "mountain" is there ... but I can't see it can you?

Tuesday morning our view of the world was gorgeous! However, it was freezing cold all day long. I kept an eye on AccuWeather every hour or so and kept asking ECJ when he came in from letting the dogs out if it was warm enough to play, but it was a no go...

Our trees were beautiful

almost like crystal sculptures

Icy fog hanging around into Tuesday

Looks almost like another world...

ECJ's head while he's letting the dogs out at 11 AM!

 Tuesday night the Cracker Jack's had catechism class and I snapped a picture of our view of the river and Canada from the church parking lot. It was easier to see in the picture that Canada was still there than it was to see it in person!

And Peanut made sure I got a picture of our church at night since we'd both realized at the same moment that it really kind of looks like a castle!

So, all in all just one hour outside for playing and about fifteen minutes of walking outside to take pictures before and after catechism classes. Which makes our total for the week 1.25 hours and our grand total for the year just 156 hours. With the first official day of spring being March 20th I'm impatiently chomping on the bit for warmer weather. 

I'm hopeful that we'll get some outside time in next week, but I cannot promise as the temperatures are forecasted to be in the 20's and below for most of the week. Although, Thursday through Saturday look to be slightly more promising at the higher side of the 20's and low 30's.

I'm happy to see on the monthly weather forecast that for now they're predicting the last two weeks of this month to be in the mid 30's and 40's! Nature hikes here we come! Fun outside for more than a few minutes at a time and nearly frost bitten fingers not an issue on the way.

 To read more about the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge and why they chose 1000 hours head on over there and check them out! There's always something going on from contests to Toxinless Tuesday posts.

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