Let me start out by saying there is not a shortage of topics I could choose to write and post a picture about right now. Not only are the opportunities for something fun and interesting increased by the presence of family (most significantly, a 4 year-old), we have the holiday season helping to create great memories. For instance, today Chloe created an opportunity for Perrin, Ella and herself to make “gingerbread” houses, a significant holiday tradition for us in Seattle. Greg and I took several photos of the decorating and, indeed, many of these are “blog-worthy.” But I was won over by the incredible snowstorm we had last night and decided to use this photo of the three girls making a snowman on our back patio in the midst of it.

Within a couple of hours we had 3 or 4 inches of snow on the ground. And it was those classic huge flakes that pile up fast and are perfect for snowballs and snowmen (and sledding and everything else). Greg and I came out and joined the girls in a little snowball “fight,” before the five of us ventured out for a walk in the snow and otherwise enjoy the quiet that comes during an evening snowfall. We walked over to the racetrack and wandered around there before heading home, a tad bit cold and wet.

Alas, the snow is all gone today, save the two snowmen made in our backyard. They are pretty funny (and a little bit sad) to look at, listing as they are in the wind and rain. Melinda glanced out at just the right time to see the carrot nose fall off one of them…