Oh the weather outside is frightful...

but hot chocolate is so delightful,


and since we love playing in the snow,


let it snow,

let it snow,

let it snow!


You know it's a REAL snow storm when even the snow plow gets stuck! Ours sure did, while trying to plow our street. Katie came running down the steps from where she had been watching it, to inform us that the driver was shoveling out his truck. We didn't believe her, so we went to see -- sure enough, there he was, poor guy, digging out his tires. Finally he was able to move, although his wheels spun a bit at first. I don't know if he attempted to finish our street -- I wouldn't blame him if he quit right there! All the streets are a MESS. Northern Virginia just is not equipped to handle this kind of weather. Mr. Pickles (who is after all from Minnesnowta, where they probably wouldn't have even canceled school for snow like this) tried going out to mail some packages, and everything was whited out. You couldn't tell that the snowplows had been through recently -- you couldn't see the curbs or medians or anything, and there were even a couple 4WDs that had gotten stuck in the sides of the road. He says getting back home was an adventure -- he had to barrel throw a snow drift to get back in our neighborhood (because of course the plows hadn't bothered to come down our neighborhood street yet, and there was a wall of snow blocking the entrance to the street!), skidding and fishtailing the whole way. I'm so glad I didn't try to go out -- I might have been like one of those driving down the middle of the road, going 5mph, with their hazards on. (Okay, if you feel you have to drive with your hazards on, you shouldn't be on the road!)

So, no errands for us today! (If you don't receive your presents from us before Christmas, you'll know why!) Instead, we all got suited up to go outside and PLAY!

Joseph took this part much more stoically than last year. He maneuvered around in his boots pretty well, although he kept getting stuck whenever he fell over.

I love snow like this. It covers everything so gently, and turns what was once dead and barren into a thing of mystery and beauty.

Anyone for a swim? What, you don't see the pool? It's that indentation thing right there... oh never mind. Well, how about some grilling? (Actually, for an ironic twist we had hamburgers and lemonade for dinner tonight.)

It's been doing this for 24 hours. The snow is even deeper in the hours since I took these pictures -- our van is completely buried! I had to walk one of Miriam's friends home -- that is, I had to blaze a trail through the snow for her, since it already came up to my knees. Wow, was I tired when I got back home!

It's going to be a chore digging everything out tomorrow... but meanwhile we had lots of fun and got all thoroughly soaked and cold and tired. Time to go -- the fireplace and hot chocolate await!