Farewell to Summer

I've never been a fan of the long Idaho winters, but now that I have children who adore playing outside with the neighbors (hence my house staying clean and me being able to accomplish a few things) I dread winter like the plague.

The nice fall part isn't so bad and then it's fun to have a little snow around Christmas, but by January 2nd I'm dying for it to be warm again, and by March I'm ready to scream. This is now what winter means for me and all Idaho moms pretty much:

• Your child's average amount of TV intake per day dramatically increases.
• I do try to encourage non-television related activities, however those usually involve mess making to some degree which is a downside.
• Your children will still want to play outside, so you'll take 1/2 hour to drag out the snow clothes, bundle them up and then they will play outside for 10 minutes and then come back in because they are cold.
• Any step out of the door for whatever reason takes twice as long, all the extra clothes and shoes and socks.

Here is some of the Pheasant Hollow neighborhood gang, as Chan calls them, in our backyard for one of the last summer play sessions of 2008.

Anna (the upside down one, this is usually how we see Anna!), Ogden, McKinley, Halle, Ellie, and Emma

McKin performing her dance for everyone (hmm..... McKinley performing, that's weird) and Halle and Ellie on the swing. Halle loves Ellie, she takes such good care of her.

So goodbye summer, don't be too long.