Fall leaves...Winter comes...

A compilation of the warmth of an Indian summer turning into a white blizzardy haze.  From early October to early November.  The leaves on the trees were awesome this year, and we quickly found out that we have oh-so-many leaves!  And then one weekend, it decided to snow, morning through night, and then all over again.  I was dying to listen to some Christmas music!  But, somehow the rule of not listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving stuck.  So, I sang some instead. :)

If you ask Jude about this day, he'll say, "Mommy-and-Grandpa-and-Me-and-Leland-went-on-a-hike-and-there-was-leaves-and-up-to-the-stollllwer."  He says it all punctuated and out of breath, and for a long time I couldn't figure out what he was saying.  But, apparently he had a lot of fun, and likes to relive this memory of hiking in the leaves up to the tower.   He was a champ, of course!  Hiking all the way up by himself, and then throwing rocks down a little ravine.  

My dad raked this huge pile for the boys to jump and play in.  For days after, Jude would go out and just sit in it, seemingly deep in thought.  That last pic---can you guess it was just about naptime?  In. a. dazzzze.

The snow was so much that Dave decided to build a snow fort for Jude.  And I watched him out of our big picture window, snug and warm, with Leland.  I made them hot cocoa, to which Jude quickly caught on.  He'd go back out, and then 5 minutes later come on in for a refill.  Sad thing is--his boots were so caked with snow, that as soon as he stepped foot on the tile, he'd slip flat on his back.  I tried to run to the door and catch him when I heard him opening it, but never made it in time.  I'd come around the corner to find him splayed out like a snow-angel, crying, crying, crying.  But at least I had my secret weapon *hot cocoa* to cheer him up!

Holidays, here we come!!  I can't wait!