Bob walks into town for supplies, much like Pa Ingalls did out on the prairie.

That’s the message that we feel we’re getting loud and clear from Mother Nature these past couple of weeks.  The weather is certainly doing its best to lessen any regret we might have about leaving.

We actually like winter and snow.  But jeez, enough is enough.  Of the past eight school days, three have been snow days and two others have had 2-hour delays.  We should have left for this trip earlier, since the kids pretty much aren’t going to school anymore anyway.  Given the amount of snow currently in our yard, I predict that we’ll still be able to enjoy it when we return at the end of April.  (Based on past observations, our yard retains spring snow longer than any other place in the continental US.)

Semi-buried chicken coop.  Chickens are not fans of this weather either.

Thawing toes after a day on the slopes

Worse than the snow, though, are the sub-zero temperatures.  We’ve managed to get in four ski days this year, and it has been absolutely frigid Every. Single. Time.  Last Saturday we daydreamed of beaches and palm trees as we shivered on the lift, outerwear arranged so that no bit of skin was exposed to the icy wind.  It’s hard to believe that a week from today we’ll most likely be complaining about the heat.  (That’s if we don’t turn into popsicles en route to the airport, wearing our light fleece jackets and Keen sandals.)

It’s been so cold that the kids are wearing their ski goggles to play outside in the yard.