Winter in Des Moines

This Winter has been fun. We got our first major snow in early December and there has been snow on the ground ever since. Our kids are doing really well playing in the snow and have come a long way in learning to deal with snow in the face and in between the mitten and the coat.

For a while it was so cold that it was hard to enjoy the snow, but it has warmed up in the past week and we have made our way outside for some hiking and sledding. In Cincinnati there were hills everywhere, but in Des Moines good sledding hills are harder to come by. The past weekend we tried out Waveland Golf course and had a great time. The hills are probably about as big as the kids can handle at this point. We have also spent some time at the hill behind Susan's parents' house.

Thoughts from Myself

Susan was cleaning up the attic and she found a note that said 'Open May 10, 2008.' After some thinking, I came to the conclusion that I had written myself this letter on Senior Retreat, when I was in college. Here is what I wrote:

• Staying up late is always worth it
• Sometimes is is good to be late
• We are all different
• The phone is never as good as the face
• Sometimes it is good to be uncomfortable
• Sometimes computers do more harm than good
• Lines aren't always necessary
• Some sleep is
• Outside is always better than inside
• We are always in a bubble
• The weather always changes
• Don't get too comfortable
• Music is good
• Pretty House is about more than just a good view
• Communication always makes things better
• Sometimes old is better than new
• Look at it again
• Don't settle
• Don't get greedy
• It is all relative
• My time for myself
• Be who you are
• Be who you want to be
• Keep trying
• Keep looking
• Enjoy it
• Take time to walk
• Take your time
• Bring your own bags to the store
• Be not afraid
• Desafios son oportunidades
• There are people everywhere
• The cheese doesn't stand alone
• Sometimes people talk out of turn.

2009 Pictures

I updated our online photo galleries to include our photos from the second half of 2009.

The end of the year finished in a hurry for us, with Christmas and New Year's. We had a great 2009 and have some fun things planned for 2010.

The Return to School

After two snow days Andrew and Mari were back in school today. There is a lot of snow around town and in our yard. Some reports say we got 16", but it is hard to tell because there were also high winds so there are a lot of large drifts. Temps this weekend are supposed to be in the upper 20's, so hopefully we will be able to get out and do some sledding.

Snow

Our third snowfall of the year has started. We actually got our first snow two months ago, on Andrew's birthday. He was supposed to have a soccer game that day, but it was cancelled. We had some more snow a few days ago, but it was mostly flurries and didn't amount to much. It looks like we will get an inch or two tonight, with more coming Tuesday.

The Cincinnatian in me still loves the snow. I suppose at some point I will get used to the fact that it is a more regular occurrence in IA. Hopefully the kids will be able to get out to play in it over the next few days.

Welcome, Winter

We had a bit of a Winter welcoming this weekend, and just in time.

• Last week we put up our outdoor decorations.
• Saturday morning we got our tree, and put the lights on.
• Saturday night we celebrated Wintergarten with the Des Moines Waldorf Association.
• Sunday morning we prepared for the Winter term of Susan's Bean Sprout Parents & Tots class.
• Sunday afternoon we went to Winter Magic at the Des Moines Art Center.
• Sunday evening, just as some snow flakes were beginning to fall, we lit a fire in the fireplace and decorated our tree.

I will get some pictures up ASAP. Our computers are our of commission right now.

Living History Farms CC Race

Erin, Eric Martinez, and I ran in this year's Living History Farms Cross Country Race. We had a great time and plan on doing it again next year.





Susan and the kids made it out to cheer us on and the kids tried their feet at a creek crossing (there were nine in the race).