I actually went outside

With my eyes blinking in the sun, and a deep breath of fresh air filling my lungs I emerged from my cave like a bear after a long winter's hibernation. 

 I have not been outside to walk, play, frolic in the snow, or whatever people do here in winter since I've been home...heck I haven't been outside here all winter.  The problem being, other than I loathe being cold, is I had no logistical way to take Elijah out.  Oh we go "out" far enough to get into our van to drive to town but I don't ever just stay out.  

Even if I had somewhere to put him once we were outside,  it's a lot of work just getting there!  Exhausting  Shoving feet into boots, digging through bins for missing mittens, making sure everyone has socks and has gone potty, cramming Elijah's rather stiff angular body into snow pants while we both fall onto the floor, is a work out in itself.  Then, once outside he is pretty much unable to do anything (while all bundled up) but lay in the snow, which isn't all that much fun (although that's all I feel like doing by the time we all get out!)  So It's kind of sad that Elijah hasn't been out more than a couple times.

Yesterday my husband bought a sled, and adapted it with a seat back.  Turns out March is a great time of year to get toboggans on sale.  It's super slick...even Silas had no trouble pulling two kids.  

It was gorgeous outside.  The sun was shining, the snow was sticky, and water was dripping from the roof of the house.  The days are longer, and I'm almost giddy that Spring is just around the corner!..or maybe down the street, past the old mill, and then around the corner.  This is Saskatchewan.  Winter holds on long past it's welcome...but it's just a matter of another month or so.  Then we're into mud season...sigh..but after that come out the flipflops! 

Soli Deo Gloria,

New arm brace...and lots of snow

Look who got a snazzy new arm brace!

We ordered this one, after seeing another blogger friend who's little guy (who also has spastic hemiplegia/ cerebral palsy) was using it.  

We may end up with something different after he sees an OT or PT but for now this makes a big difference.

It helps to keep his left hand from curling under sideways.

....which helps to keep those muscles lengthened, and his hand at a more usable angle. 

...and it just happens to look really cool.    He's pretty proud of his colorful new superhero accessory. 

As it turns out two hands are better than one when you want to feed you're baby.

Check it out!  Lefty is holding a waffle! 

and even a cup.  

Someone is pretty happy with himself. 

This little guy also went to get a bunch of lab and blood work done this morning. My brave little boy had 8 viles of blood taken from his arm and didn't make a peep.  He just sat on mama's lap and nuzzled in while they went to work.  He said "uh-oh" when they first brought out the tray (apparently he's done this before) but didn't put up any sort of a fuss or even cry at all.  When they said "all done", he just smiled said "bye-bye...thank you".  It didn't even phase him at all...this kid is one tough cookie.  He had lots of stories to tell his brothers and sisters when we got home.

It may almost be March but I have a Christmas song stuck in my head.

"The weather outside is frightful,

but the fire is so delightful

and since there's no place to go

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow"

...or in my case, let the house look like it was hit by a hurricane while being overrun with howler monkeys... while I curl up with my laptop and a cup of coffee.

Jingle bells, jingle bells..

Dashing through the snow

  In a one-horse open sleigh

  O'er the fields we go

  Laughing all the way

Bells on bobtail ring

  Making spirits bright

  What fun it is to ride and sing

  A sleighing song tonight!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

  Jingle all the way.

  Oh! what fun it is to ride

  In a one-horse open sleigh.

Now the ground is white

  Go it while you're young,

  Take the girls tonight

  and sing this sleighing song;

Just get a bob-tailed bay

two forty as his speed

Hitch him to an open sleigh

and crack! You'll take the lead.

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

  Jingle all the way.

  Oh! what fun it is to ride

  In a one-horse open sleigh.

Letting out the animals

When you run out of space in your house for your kids, just try suspending them from the ceiling.

It's a very efficient use of space.

We have this harness system that carabeeners into a beam in the ceiling (ex-mountain climber dad has a lot of old gear).  As much as I love dodging  high velocity  feet while I cook I am glad that very soon he will be expending his need for speed out on his bike.  

When I say "need" I am not exaggerating. This boy of mine needs motion, preferably energy exerting, constant, muscle straining, and fast.  Hauling fire wood and shoveling snow helps to keep that need at bay but it does little to appease the craving (or keep him and us sane).  I wish we had a big open basement that I could fill with swings, rock climbing walls, and monkey bars. He would maybe survive the winter in Canada a whole lot better...as would my sanity and furniture.

We have finally had a couple days of sunshine and above freezing temperatures. 

They are now running/ flying free in the great outdoors.

Soaking up the sunshine.

.

We have spotted dirt mud.

Summer is on it's way..summer is on it's way...summer is on it's way...

The "last" of the snow is sticky and wet, perfect for making snowmen.  I put the word "last" in quotation marks because it would be an unexpected surprise if we didn't get another snow storm or two in April, but I console myself  that the end is near.  After April comes May...and it rarely snows in May. 

I am loving the warmer temperatures.  I really enjoy air that isn't painful.  

The kids did trade in their big winter coats with lighter "spring coats". 

 One step closer to flip-flops!

I bought Silas' little red jacket at a second hand store for $2.  It's a good quality brand, spotless, fleece lined, and it has a really cool picture of a snow boarder on it so it's Silas approved.  Perfect for this weather.

I love thrift store treasures.  

Yep, won't be long now until the bikes are out.  

The advantage of growing up on the Canadian prairie is the ability to hope...for rain, for summer, for a better crop next year...for little boys riding bikes.

{with sticky snow also comes snowball fights.  Some cope better than others}

Visions of Spring

Today is March 24th.

My calender tells me it is officially Spring.  

My camera and I wanted to share with you the stunning beauty of springtime here on the Canadian prairie.

The lambs are frolicking in the meadows of fresh green.

The wild flowers are blooming on the hills.

Children and animals enjoy the sun on their backs as they once again find freedom in the great outdoors.

Winter coats are exchanged for light sweaters.   Mittens are stored away in the basement.

There are  no lakes of mushy snow and rivers of mud.  There are no snow drifts that block our driveway. 

The cold howling snow storms  have been replaced with gentle spring showers. 

...because I said so.

Being grounded in reality is highly over rated.

 I see  tulips and the daffodils blooming.   Fruit trees blossoming.

The colorless landscape has been  filled with a vibrant new green.

It's springtime in Canada.   Can't you tell?

Happy Spring!