snowed in

on monday we were all snowed in, so we spent a relaxing day alternating between playing in the snow and playing indoors with huge cups of hot tea and coffee.

ella and i went out around 10 am and didn't come back in until 2 hours later, at which point elenora stated "i want to stay outside until it is dark" because she was having so much fun.  i spent half of my time pulling her around in a sled and building snow towers with our beach bucket and shovels, and the other half of the time digging out our driveway.  j. said "what will the neighbors think when they see you out there shoveling instead of me?" and i said "i don't care! i want the exercise." 

well, it sure was a good workout.  my back and shoulders are killing me 2 days later.

when i got to the end of the driveway the plow helped me out with the last 3 feet of snow, leaving us with a 6 foot mountain by the side of our drive.  elenora and i had fun climbing up and sledding down over and over.

when we went in, i made a big pot of pea soup and then we headed back outside to sled as a family.  we have a great sledding hill at the front of our neighborhood, and elenora was having fun going down all by herself, now that she's a big girl.

yesterday i was back at work, but left early because there wasn't enough to keep me busy for the morning.  so i took ella to the library to get myself the 3rd wally lamb book and to return some books to the children's section.  we have found such great selections at the library.  i love going there with elenora, and i love that we can check stuff out and keep it and enjoy it for free.  the librarians have all gotten to know us and are so sweet to ella.  one lady always gives elenora a sticker on her way out.

here are some books we've enjoyed checking out for ella:

Joha Makes a Wish
Sleepover at Gramma's House
Read to Tiger
The Enchanted Sled
Spirit of the Snowpeople
Merry Christmas, Ernest and Celestine

i have randomly come back in contact with my cousin, m., and am so very glad to have done so.  it's so funny to think that this woman who i haven't seen for 20 years has had so much shared history with me.  nobody else besides her and me are our grandmother's grandaughters.  when i lost 2 uncles, she lost 2 uncles.  when my grandfather mort died, her grandfather mort died. 

i feel like there's so much to catch up on.  so much to find out about what each other knows about our family history. 

she has a daughter, who is elenora's cousin.  i would love to get the girls together sometime.

on a very personal note, a year ago i was very sure that i did not want to have another baby--perhaps ever.  i had told j. at the time that god would have to put the desire in my heart for another one, just as he had put the desire in our hearts for elenora.  well, god must be telling me it's time to get ready, because i'm starting to get the "itch."

we're still not trying for awhile, but it's just so interesting how god can move your heart.