Just Often Enough

As y'all have either figured out or you know, our little family of four lives in the Northwest corner of the Pacific Northwest.  In this area, we get a lot of precipitation.  Mostly the rain kind.  We get lots of different kinds of rain: the heavy mist, the drizzle, the occasional large drop timed perfectly to hit the back of your neck, the rain just steady enough to be depressing and last for weeks (no kidding), the downpour/sunburst/downpour, the buckets of rains, and then the sheets of rain.  There are more, I just feel like I may be boring you. 

Well, for the last couple of days, the precipitation has been coming in a different form:

Snow!  Yay!

The kids could not wait for more snow to hit the ground.

As soon as there was enough on the ground to pack into some form of a ball, they were out rolling balls for a snowman.  They each did two balls, one got discarded for having too much dirt, leaving the perfect three for the snow-man (kid, thingy).

Mr O did the honors of placing the face and arms.

After the snow-creature got a bath.

Faces of Mr O

Surveying the area.

Executing the plan.

Noticing Mom has the camera.

A few giggles for the Momma.

Stop it Mom!  Giggle giggle.  I mean it!  Giggle giggle.

I'm cool.  Very cool.  I don't mind photos at all.

From Black to White

When nothing at all is going right, I have some advice.  If it is possible (I know there are some situations that it can't be done), walk away.  Get out of your house.  Take a car ride.  Remove yourself from the situation.  I had one of those days just recently.  Nothing was going well, breakfast was awful, the kids had one of "those" mornings, and then the dog decided to get out and go for a run.  Well, that was enough.  I got the dog back inside, cleaned up from breakfast, and left.  Got into my car and took a short drive.  Roughly 8 miles from my door was another door.  On this I knocked.  Behind the door was a wonderful friend, who saw that I was having a rough day and suggested a walk down to the river. 

So we did.  Both bundled up in hats, gloves, and jackets for the chilly weather, we set off.  Right about a mile from her door there is so much beauty!

Breath-taking blue sky (between the clouds), crystal clear river, and trees.  Lots and lots of trees.

Then we saw them: a pair of eagles.

They were obviously mates from the way that they spoke to each other.  It was so beautiful to hear them sing!

A wonderful way to change the day.

Dragon Breath

So around here we never expect a white Christmas.  They don't usually happen, and when they do it is a treat to be thoroughly enjoyed.  This year we got our typical beautiful snow-less Christmas.  I like snow, and wouldn't mind having snow, but we just don't get much (if any) around here.  But, on the flip side of that, if we got snow, I wouldn't be able to take photos like this.

Or this.

Crisp. 

Clean. 

Cold.

Beautiful.