Winter is a
wonderful season! We often spend time
complaining about the cold, when in fact it is the perfect opportunity to spend
lots of quality time with the kids & family. What better way to spend time with those you
love than being snowed in with them? As
a child growing up in Canada, wintertime was a time to partake in countless
activities, indoor and outdoor. I have
many fond memories of ice skating with my Grandpapa, Papa and brother. Others of baking with my Grandmaman while
listening to a record of ‘Peter and the Wolf’, one of my very favorite
stories! And of course, I can never
forget roasting chestnuts at the fireplace with my parents during power
outages. As a parent, I strive hard to
capture just a fraction of the warm, fuzzy feelings that I used to experience
with my family during bonding time. I
appreciate it all so much more now that I have kids of my own.
For me, trying to
capture those wonderful feelings of emotional warmth and love means just
embracing each moment. Snowed in? No problem!
Playing outside after dark is one of my favorite things to do with the
kids. Last night we were out there,
blizzard and all! Running, jumping,
making snow angels, throwing snowballs, making a snowman, making a snow fort,
making ‘snow ice cream’ and ‘pies’, sliding down the front steps. The kids even squealed in delight and cheered
through my failed attempt at making maple syrup snow candy (another thing my
Grandmaman used to do!)…I tell you, we had a blast! I felt like a kid again, and it was so much
more fun than it would be to complain about the weather.
Once we were back
indoors, we got cozy with some hot chocolate and a warm bath. The kids and I were worn out, and bedtime was
peaceful…
Last night was cold, windy and snowy, but in my heart, I felt warmth! Slow down, take
time out, and enjoying the moment feels absolutely magnificent!
