Making it through the Winter

February in New England is the dead of winter, freezing cold, we haven't seen the ground since December, no hope of Spring for another 3 months, and this year we were running out of places for the snow.  There's not a lot of things to do for family fun, and when you've been cooped up inside a tiny apartment with a 12-month old all day, family fun isn't fun when you have to stay inside.  So, we have mostly resorted to becoming mall walkers.  Sigh.  Before you scoff, go back and read the first sentence to remind yourself of our surroundings.  Museums and aquariums are quite pricey for seminary-grad/missionary support raisers - not to mention the fact that Jude is just as impressed with the animals in Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You See? as he would be with the ones at the aquarium.  So for now, those are out.  Parks are out....they're under snow and the windchill is in the single digits.  Mall walking is in.  In fact, the thought of getting a milkshake at Chick-Fil-A and walking Jude around in the stroller while we talk is actually doesn't look so bad.

BUT, every now and then, we get to make just a 2-hour drive to go see my aunt, uncle and cousins in New Hampshire.  It's the first time I've ever been able to live close to them and it's been wonderful having family to celebrate important events with, a place to go crash and relax, and to just spend more time with my wonderful family that I never got to see this much.  So we packed the car and went to New Hampshire for a short weekend at the beginning of February.

We were so excited to take Jude sledding for the first time.  I think he hated it.  His face never did look happy.  I think he was very concerned.

 

 Don't worry - we only did a small part of the hill with him.  Uncle Mike held him while Greg and I sledded down the whole hill.

 It was quite painful being in the front - I felt like someone had a snowblower pointed at me. Notice the snow stuck to my eyebrows and face.

We had a great time visiting with my cousins and their precious little ones.  Here's a picture of Jason and Lily with us.