Now is the discontent of our winter. See what I did there? Anyway, we’re trapped inside much of the time now. Poor kiddos. At least they’re brave about being out in the cold. So when we can, we bundle them up!
This is what we found right when we returned from sunny Portugal: a white Christmas.
Whenever there’s just a bit of snow, the kids start asking to go shovel. I hope they have this same enthusiasm when they’re older and actually have the upper-body strength to really move the snow in a meaningful way.
Poor Mina. Just a dusting turns out to be knee-deep for her!
Our little snow bunny hates mittens. She’ll often start out wearing them, but very quickly rips them off. Then she begins to complain that her hands are too cold. “Too cold! Too cold! Inside!”
Don’t mind my pants: they’re pajamas.
Linus may not have the strength to shovel, but he was very helpful clearing off Grandma and Grandpa’s rental car, which didn’t have a cozy spot in the garage.
Yen always piles the shoveled snow into big slopes on either side of the driveway. Perfect for tummy sledding.
Back inside, what is there to do but eat bread and Nutella?
The kids still spend a lot of time trucking around the house on Linus’s blue car. Most of the time Mina’s able to stay on.
Don’t worry: she still loves riding the bee. I think she’ll keep at it until we have to take it away because her legs are so long. She’s got a little while yet.
And sometimes Mina just rides them both.
Lounging. I’m not sure when Mina got so skinny (remember what a chubbo she was?!).
I miss the double ponytails (or “bunny tails,” as she calls them). She’s moved onto one big unicorn horn in the middle.
They may be trapped inside, but they certainly find things to do.
Getting ready to go again!
Maybe Yen can provide a transcript of this conversation for me? If nothing else, it’s fun to hear their little voices.
I’m not sure who was more excited for Mina’s birthday: Linus or Mina. He was beside himself when we started singing.
And even more exicted when we had leftover cake for days afterward!
I came home one day from work to find this scene. Everyone was upstairs asleep when I found it, so I didn’t know quite how it happened until I saw this photo. Look how meticulously he’s arranging them!
These kids love stripes! Mina looks a little nervous about Linus’s driving.
Mina is obsessed with reading. Yen keeps making fun of me because when she was little(r), she had no interest at all and I was terrified she wouldn’t grow up to be a reader. Now it’s a constant parade of, “Mimi! Read a book!”
Linus is a little less interested in reading now – because he’s got projects to work on.
Grandma got these for Mina for Christmas, but Linus has adopted them. I don’t think she minds.
Bunny tail parade:
