Our Winter Wonderland

Well, it's in the 40's here in Olathe today, but it feels like it is about 60. Usually I'm freezing in 40 degree temps, but now I feel like I can go out without a coat (which I did earlier today). It's been extremely cold here recently, as in the high was around 0 for several days. That was the high meaning that the low was well below 0. I know you are thinking that I've lived in Detroit and St. Louis before, but we never had temperatures and windchills this low during my 3 winters in Michigan. And I'm a southern girl at my core. I grew up with subtropical weather, and that is what my body expects.

Luckily I didn't have too many reasons to go outside on those frigid days, which was nice in some ways, but sad in others because we never really got to get out and play in the snow! Somehow building a snowman when it is negative 5 isn't really satisfying. I'll just drink some hot tea and gaze out the window, thank you very much. Kansas City has gotten about 2 feet of snow since Christmas Eve, and it hasn't started melting until this week. That means at least half of the good parking spaces at the grocery store are out of commission due to being filled with snow banks. At least they will probably melt most of the way before the next snow comes. In Michigan, there would be snow piles in parking lots as tall as 2 story buildings.

Here are some pictures around our house in the snow:

See that shovel? Krzysztof had some really good bonding time with that little tool in the past couple of weeks.

Here is our deck. I was lucky that the snow didn't just collapse into the house when I opened the door. As you can see, the snow went right up to the seats of our chairs.

Here's another deck picture. Yes, yes I know we shouldn't still have our herb pots outside. I know they will probably not come back to life and the pots might crack. Hey, at least we didn't leave our baby outside.

Grilling is something we like to do year round, but I'm not about to shovel a path to my grill. I'll just bake my chicken.

Here's our little snow baby! This snow suit is huge on him, but I bet he wasn't cold. Actually, this was taken today when it was 40 out, so I'm pretty sure he was hot. I just had to get some pictures of him outside before the snow melts.


A great smile, but eyes closed...oh well!