Winter Time

What does a family of eleven, living in the snowy U.P. in their tiny handmade home do all winter?

The short answer: play!

... And the long answer would be this blog post. ;)

Morning.

Brr!

Heating up on the warm rocket stove bench before braving the weather for farm chores!

 

Once outside, it's often not as bad as the thermometer says, especially when the sun is out.

Fuzzy animals stay warm by staying ... fuzzy.

After a snowfall, there are impressive drifts hanging off the barn roof.

And a driveway that needs to be shoveled.

 

Laundry that needs to be brushed off.

 

  And sparkly snowbanks that little brothers have to push their sisters into (...like, constantly. Seriously, if Johnny asks you to go for a walk, just say no. What he really means is: 'do you feel like being tackled into the snowbank?') ;)

Theresa's been training these useless pups so that they're not so ...useless.

 

And Donna's sure enjoying the process! Yesterday they finally used our handmade dogsled.

Once the driveway's shoveled, we can get our big van out...

...and go play hockey!

 

With our family, we're four on four (dodging Donna who skates around with a stick and occasionally takes a swing at the puck if it comes by).

And on the weekends, it's snowboarding! Donna can't wait until she's old enough to come along.

Me sitting in the woods, taking it in.

 

Pretty sunsets, getting later all the time.

In the evening is band practice,

 

old movies, card games, puzzles, and finally, gloriously, after an active, playful day: bed!