SNOW.

We received a foot of snow this past week. And I didn't cringe. I recognized its beauty. It was a huge step for me. We even went out and about in it. And I have a great coat and so it was wonderful.

We made snowman pancakes.

The past several days have been a repeat cycle of getting everyone bundled up, getting them back bundled down to go to the bathroom, getting back bundled up, kids coming in and out of the house, wet snow clothes all over the mudroom, cleaning up the mudroom, and kids crying next to the fireplace as their frozen bodies go from that painful numb to thaw phase.

Our neighbor built a snow slide in his front yard, and the kids have never been happier.

Friday night, Dan announced he was going to IKEA to get the bookshelves we need to make some fake built-ins in his office. But IKEA was out of a lot of the stuff we need. So he bought some stools for the island instead. The kids helped put the first one together, and then Dan put the remaining three together in about half the time it took the kids to put the first one together.

Of course the kids have been fighting over whose stool is whose and then I told them that I wanted a stool too. June piped up and informed me that I'm "too old" and "too big" to sit on a stool. And then Dan told her that wasn't very kind, to which she responded, "I'm sorry, Mom. These stools are very wide so your bottom is probably the perfect size."

Also, we continue to go Christmas caroling as in years past. I forget to take a picture but we're going again this week so I'll snap one. I just wanted to document here that I'm keeping up on my promise to Dan to embrace winter because this was the weather when we went.

All of our neighbors looked at us like we were absolutely insane. It was a bit different this year too because we moved the singing to the end of driveways to be covid-safe and all that. They probably wished that we moved the singing down to the end of the earth because we are not very good singers. 

I've had quite a few people over the years (people who didn't know that we carol) tell me how uncomfortable they find being caroled to. I understand because the carolers just keep singing and the recipient doesn't quite know where to look or what to do in the meantime. But I still think caroling is important. I think we have to get over the awkwardness and appreciate the gesture.

Miscellaneous: 

I found this great photo of Gwen washing windows on my phone. All of my kids clean with smiles on their faces. Just like their mama.

Church! Sunday before Christmas church!

Christmas colors and fancy hair:

Tried to do a bow out of June's hair. Gwen informed me that it was much too messy. So many compliments from the kids lately!

Here's Beck being how he is all of the time lately. 

And of course refusing to join the photo.

I played a piano solo at church today. I played an extremely sour note and am in mourning. Mourning! I cannot get over it even though the world seems to moving on. It's almost as if everything doesn't revolve around me.

The kids were so wired from the Christmas spirit. I spent a lot of time between playing the piano solo and songs on the organ chasing Harris around chapel. Once when I was up on the organ, Dan dropped Harris off at the bathroom and then ran back to get a crying Beck. Then he went back to help Harris, and there was Harris, just outside the chapel, with his pants and underwear down. 

Sometimes we are in way over our heads at church. 

Since the three older kids were wiggly at church, they spent 30 minutes in silence on the couch after church. Well, the girls did. Harris was still crazy. He's taking a nice, long nap.

So even though church wasn't perfect, I will close with some liberties I took at the organ today. (By the way, when I told Dan that I was planning to change some stuff on the organ, he rolled his eyes and said, "Oh yeah, Heather. You're a real renegade on the ORGAN." And then I realized just how nerdy my life is.) Since I'm playing the hymns and no one is singing, I don't feel as concerned about keeping a stiff tempo the whole time. While playing, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", I took a lengthy pause on the fourth verse after the words, "God is NOT DEAD!" and of course I played a crazy long ritardando on the fifth and final "OF PEACE ON EARTH GOODWILL TO MEN."

Because that is my testimony. God is alive, and He still speaks to us. And I want to love my fellow man.

The End.