Winterfest

What do you do when your car is buried in snow?  You go to Winterfest!  Our little city had a really fun ode-to-winter last weekend, and it snowed (heavily!) the entire day as Mother Nature's thanks for the party.  As we live less than half a block away from the festivities, we bundled up and headed on over.  We decorated "snowballs" (sugar cookies), roasted marshmallows, got our faces painted (okay, only I was brave enough), and watched ice-sculptors hard at work.  In fact, there are really neat ice sculptures all up and down the street.  The kids were really excited about the Moonwalks, until they got inside and couldn't stand up due to the slippery snow.  After a free concert from their favorite entertainer, the Merry Music Maker, and some free doughnuts and cider, we headed home to the shrill screaming of our little princess.  She just can't stand to have mittens on, and she can't stand to have them off, either.  With the thawed-out babe asleep in her cozy bed at home and Clay at his studies, Luke and I ventured out again to our neighborhood park's new refrigerated ice rink.  We both stunk it up.  I was kind of embarrassed that so many people were smiling and laughing at us, until I remembered I still had a bright yellow sun painted on my cheek!  Anyway, we had a good time and especially enjoyed the warming house complete with flat screen, fireplace, and complimentary hot chocolate waiting for us.  What do you do after a cold and wintery day?  You cozy up your tootsies in some nice, warm slippers (which recently arrived in the mail from your great-grandparents!), and then you say a prayer of thanks for a roof, a working furnace, and more hot-chocolate waiting on the stove.