Sam's Snowman Snowhouse

We had record snowfall in February. On February 2-4, we had a huge snowstorm that made for a fun Saturday with daddy. 

Here is a picture of Don on Friday night measuring the depth of the snow...

And here is what things looked like on Saturday morning. There was about 17 inches of light fluffy snow - not so good for snowman (I made three before I finally got one to stay together enough to resemble a snowman) but lots of fun despite.

Sam was thrilled to be heading out into our winter wonderland.

Snow falling off the heavily laden pine trees.

We built a snow cave. Well, Don built a snowcave. Sam and I kind of helped. I helped by sledding down the snow that Don would shovel on the top with a small plastic sled. I had a couple violent endings to my one second long sled trips and ended up rolling out of the sled several times. Sam liked the stair steps we carved into the side of the cave so we could climb up to the top. Lots of fun!

Sam spent a good 20 minutes packing snow onto this tree trunk. The snow he packed on the tree stayed there for about a week. It was cold for a long time and the snow just didn't melt. I haven't seen snow stay around that long in all the time we've lived here.

The piling of snow stage was complete so Don began digging...

Sam helped Daddy dig...

and checked his work. 

I love these pictures of me and Sammy. He is just so happy! 

The snow was up to Sammy's waist here. So fun!

Sam and I worked and worked on trying to get a snowman to stay together with the light, dry, fluffy snow. We finally got this snowman's head to stay on (it fell off several times before I got this final head precariously balanced on top of the torso) and gave him a carrot nose.

I never got a picture of the inside of the tunnel when it was completed but it was about 3 feet tall and 6 feet long and 6 feet wide. Don and I could both lay inside of it. It took about 2 hours to complete and by the time Don was done, Sam was overtired and didn't want anything to do with the snowcave. He did, however, want to ride his trike. 

Soon, the cave shrunk and neighbor kids poked holes in it. It took about a week to collapse and was the last pile of snow to melt... 

Here is a picture of me with the car before I pushed off all the snow. 

Don's mom came to visit during the week following the storm and it snowed while she was here, too. We had a pajama day and Sammy, Grammy, and I made a hut in the living room and read books and played in the "nest" Sam made on the couch. 

He decided that he was a purple bird and would take care of his two imaginary baby birds. He told me he had to go to the store to get them food. When I asked him what the birds ate, he said, "Cow's milk." Because Don and I drink mostly soy and almond milk, he is very specific about what kind of milk he is talking about.

After playing in the nest one night, I asked him what he wanted for dinner and he said he wanted an egg (very unusual- he usually won't eat eggs). When I asked him whether he wanted it scrambled or fried, he said "I want a good old egg. I'm a purple bird." So, I cooked him a good old egg. Should I be concerned that my purple bird is a cannibal? Eating his own kind?

He was really in to making nest for several weeks and still occasionally likes to pull all the pillows and couch cushions on the floor and wrap himself up in blankets. He's also decided he likes to snuggle and asks me to snuggle with him (usually after we've put him to bed, unfortunately. He'll yell down the stairs "I want to snuggle with you!") I do love that he is more snuggly lately, despite the bedtime disruptions. 

Bedtime stories with Grammy. 

Me and Sammy hiding from Grammy in our "nest". He insisted on covering our heads with pillows, which makes me crazy claustrophobic. Fun winter days!