Happy New Year!!! We are back in the lovely state of Missouri after a very exciting and eventful 5-day trip to Ohio to visit family. And though we packed in many day trips and attempts to see people, we still weren’t able to see everyone we wanted to see. But I did take a zillion pictures and have whittled them down to a few hundred or so! I’m going to go word-short, picture-heavy on this one! We had an absolute blast at my mom’s house; eating a delicious warm meal, playing in the snow, baking with the boys, exploring the woods, and following animal tracks before heading back inside for warm apple pie and pear tart.
And then this happened:
The fact that my mom and sister were stuffing snow down each other’s pants really made my day, and Milo and Oliver were in absolute heaven (they had been hoping for substantial snow for months). We barely felt the cold- it is hard to focus on that when you are too busy laughing! (Plus, it wasn’t really that cold)
Milo and Cousin Jack found deer tracks!
… and then mean old Papa threw a snowball down the back of Milo’s coat! Oh, the injustice of it all!
I have really come to look forward to these Christmas-time walks in the woods. As the boy cousins get older (there are only boy cousins, no girls, on my side of the family- 7 of them, to be exact), the dynamic changes. They were more raucous but also seemed to enjoy each other more; running off to wrestle or play hide-and-seek or throw snowballs at each other. They ran wild outside, winding through the snowy woods and chucking ice balls into the creek before stomping back to the house to collapse under a blanket all together for some hot chocolate and quiet time. And it seems that this is slowly becoming the tradition, one I am fond of and hope continues until the boys are old enough to whine and complain as we drag teenaged versions of them into the woods and all around Grandma’s farm.
Thank you, Mom, for another great one!
P.s.- Here is last year’s winter walk (without snow, but just as beautiful)!
Looks lovely!
Cousins are the best! Especially cousins from Ohio.
So fun, I am just coming inside from a romp in the snow myself… Next time I need to dress just a little warmer because it really IS cold here 🙂
Glad you guys had a good trip!
what a beautiful time with family!
also, tell your mother i want her kitchen. specifically her stove and how it’s set up. her home looks so cozy and intentional!
Emily- I know! I covet her stove as well. She has a real eye for interiors.
Playing in the snow makes it all perfect, doesn’t it?
Happy holidays, lovely!