white apples . a blog

scenes from a snow day

Snow has been falling steadily for almost a day now. At times it has been fluffy and soft, swirling around silently for hours. Other times it has been a sharp, tinkly sleet making music on the rooftop. Since we have neither snow shovel nor snow clothes, we have kept inside for the most part, eating doughnuts and watching old movies. After some brief reluctance this morning (she peed on our back deck rather than venture forth into the yard), Sydney has thoroughly enjoying romping around in the snow, diving in and out of snow drifts and splashing in the half frozen stream next to our house. Juniper has also been fascinated with the snow. We bundled her up in her warmest clothes and took her outside to catch some snowflakes. She was completely delighted. Every time I tried to bring her inside, she would cry and scream and squirm and point to the front yard. She has spent much of the afternoon with her nosed pressed against the window, marveling at the falling snow. Neighborhood kids have been sailing by on sleds and making snow angels in their yards. What a rare little treat.

the world offers itself to your imagination

 

january blues

I love January. The rush of the holiday and birthday season is over and we've been spending our days puttering around indoors, enjoying all the little corners of our house. Like much of the country, we have just emerged from some uncomfortably frigid weather which, due our poor, drafty windows, prompted much snuggling for warmth in the chilly evenings and not a few mugs of hot chocolate. 

 

And since I tempted fate in my previous post by bragging about my lack of illness in 2009, I promptly got knocked over by some kind of cold/flu/virus last week, taking Juniper down with me. I spent several days glued to the couch, feeling miserable and whining pathetically and taking my temperature just so I could bemoan the extent of my feverishness. Juni also spiked a bit of a fever and spent a couple of nights revisiting her dinner (and lunch and breakfast). After each upchucky episode, I would rush to her side in a panic. She would be sitting up, rosy-cheeked and horrified at being jerked out of her sleep by such a startling occurrence. However, not two seconds later, she was smiling and giggling, delighted that Mama and Daddy have shown up for a middle-of-the-night snuggles. Needless to say, Juni tolerated being sick much better than I did. 

last year's words belong to last year's language

 

This past year was so chock full of large and new and exciting things here in White Apples Land that 2010 already seems like it should be a year of slowing down and snuggling in, of small, peaceful moments, of growing roots and finding rhythms and enjoying all the little things. In 2009, we watched a tiny little newborn baby tumble headfirst into toddlerhood; we left jobs and moved across the country; we bought our first home and made our first mortgage payment; we adjusted to a whole new and very different city; we said hellos and good-byes.

All things considered, 2009 was the best year yet and I could go on and on about how amazing and precious and surprising and joyful each day truly was but, good grief, I gush enough on this blog as it is. Suffice it say that it was a memorable year. And in case I happen to forget all the awesomeness that was the oh-nine, I have thousands of digital photos backed up in three locations to remind me.