This winter has lacked snow, which of course is strange because we live in Alaska. Stereotypes aside, we're actually on an island with a maritime climate. While one day we may be 20 degrees, blue skies, sunny & covered in a pristine blanket of snow, the next day it could be 40, foggy, windy & wet. You just never know. Last winter was abnormally normal. Very cold, very long & lots of snow. The consistency was actually nice, but getting snow in May (on Mother's Day) is not one of my fondest memories. The boys' have been asking to snowboard, snowshoe, sled, etc., but it hasn't worked out too well, without the snow. So we welcomed our weekend blizzard. The blanket is beautiful & the boys have been playing in it, a lot. The other night we went outside, just before dinner. We're light after six now, which is an exciting transition (in November/December, it gets dark in the 4:00-ish range). The boys' ran, they jumped, they played, they danced. There was an eerie silence that accompanied us. As well as one mischievous three-year old who thought he owned the road.