Snow, snow, and more snow

We had quite a winter in Lexington.  Although last year we had several days and weeks that single digit temperatures, this year was all about snow accumulation.  Some very serious snow accumulation.

The first big storm hit in mid-February, and the snow was light, fluffy, and over ten inches deep.  Honestly, it was even a bit fun to shovel the driveway because it was so light.  And all the snow in the driveway had to go somewhere, which meant we were able to build a small sledding ramp in our backyard.  It was a little tough to get to the top of the ramp, but the girls had fun trying.

Because we only had one adult-sized snow shovel, John and Sarah had to take turns using the one pictured here versus the one built for a four-year-old.  We not only shoveled out our driveway, but also helped out the Chrismans and the folks next to them.  It was a very tiring and neighborly process all in one.  Callie and Reese opted to watch the neighborly process unfold from within the warm confines of Sharon and Chris's kitchen.

It just so happened that the winter storm coincided with Mardi Gras, and Sharon and Chris pulled out all the stops, including some colorful New Orleans garb for an impromptu celebration.  The girls were intrigued by the whole deal, especially the King Cake with the little baby figurine inside.  They really weren't sure what to make of it, and it creeped us out too.

Reese certainly can go into party mode at the drop of a hat, and once she was given a set of beads she was ready to go.  The combination of all the snow outside and all of the fun inside had her fired up.  This smile does not even begin to illustrate the energy contained within that tiny body.

Both EKU and UK were closed down for almost an entire week in second major snowfall of the winter.  And what made this one extra special is that John was in Fort Worth on a research trip.  This gave Sarah the opportunity to wake up, shovel, pay a babysitter to watch her kids while she went to work, and then come home to children who were in full cabin fever mode.

It certainly was beautiful to look at, and it isn't fun to just have cold weather without snow, but it makes it a little tough to be in a place where this much snow shuts everything down.  Indeed, the snow even prevented John's flight from landing in Lexington, which meant he got home a day later than scheduled.

However, John did finally make it home and was able to get back to work with the shovel.  Our driveway usually seems relatively small, but by the end of this winter it was showing its size.  We do recommend that you look at this picture closely to see the kid-sized shovel that Sarah and John had been alternating throughout the winter.  Perhaps it is time to invest in another adult-sized one.

Of course the crazy winter weather didn't stop all activity, especially for the man raised in the tough New England winters.  John still got out and ran while Sarah went to hot yoga.  The running gave John an appreciation for those who shovel the sidewalks in front of their house and the hot yoga gave Sarah an appreciation for heat.  This picture was taken after one of John's runs, and if you look closely you can see an icicle that formed on his glasses.  That is just how tough he is.

Even with all of the shoveling we managed to fit in a little sledding at the Shriner's Hospital hill nearby.  Callie and Reese were definitely into it, which was a lot of fun to watch.  They didn't want to stop, and had a great time spinning their way down the hill.  This was probably the most classic winter we have had since we have lived in Lexington.  We probably got more snow this winter than we had in the previous seven winters combined.  It was fun, but we were definitely ready for spring to show itself.