inevitable

We almost made it!  We were getting closer and closer to the "BIG DAY" and hoping for warm weather, but alas!  The first snowfall came today, just four days before Halloween.  It was inevitable.  It actually happens almost every year just like this... we have a beautiful October and we all hope for good weather for all of the trick-or-treaters, but winter seems to tease us a little bit, and the first snow will usually fly just a few days before the holiday.

While I was kind of hoping for at least another week or so of the nice, warm weather we've been having this month, Josh and Jane couldn't have been more thrilled to wake up to a blanket of snow outside.  "Let's get the squirt bottles!" were the first words that came out of their mouths. Translation:  "Let's fill squirt bottles with colored water, so we can go outside and paint the snow."  That's what we did last winter to keep ourselves entertained.  Unfortunately, I wasn't quite prepared this year... no boots that fit, no gloves, and no food coloring.  I made a promise that we would go out right when they got home from preschool.

While the kids were in school this afternoon, I made a quick trip out to Target... one-stop-shopping.  Big, giant boots, in hopes of making it through maybe a couple of winters, two pair of gloves, and a small box of food coloring.  We were outside in the snow within five minutes of them coming home from preschool.  Although the boots are gigantic, and they really do clomp around in them, I think Josh and Jane were so excited to have them that they both exclaimed, "they fit just perfect!"  Oh good... they're keepers!

Although the snow had melted quite a bit by the time we made it outside this afternoon, Joshua and Jane still had fun... especially with the big tractors and huge mound of dirt piled up next to our home.  Needless to say, Joshua's boots and gloves were just a big blob of mud by the time we were finished playing.  At least the snow looked pretty with all the bright colors squirted all over it.

I actually love the first snowfall... it is so beautiful and I look forward to all that comes with winter... warm sweaters, glowing fires, holiday decorations, family parties, snowman-building, snowball fights, sledding, and of course... painting in the snow.

Here are the beautiful rocky mountains right out our front windows...