The dazzling whites of shining snow

I staggered out into the kitchen at 5.45am to take my medicinal licorice [1] and some tea because my throat is still croaky in the morning. Wren was yelling "come play!!!" at my departing back. The moment I came into the kitchen I knew something was up. The room was bathed in the distinctive luminosity which comes from SNOW shining through the patio doors. Yes, snow shines. Anyone who has been out at night knows how it transforms the night - even a moonless one. I called Wren to come see and he stood for a long while with his face to the glass at the back and then the front window. Finally, he had had enough. He started whining.

"Turn off that snow. I want stop it. Turn off that snow MOMMY!!! I want stop it going down on the ground. I want turn it off!!! I want to! I do no like it."

Wren throws himself on the ground fake crying. A moment later he sits up.

"I can't see snow! Booky beek. Booky beek."

And he began reading one of the new library books we picked out yesterday.

School had a delayed start due to the snow so after breakfast we rugged up and went out to make a snowman. The snow was too dry to roll so we threw snowballs, shoveled it and slid down the snowy slide. It was fun!


Potty Training
We have started potty training with Wren. Over the past 2 days he has had two successful potty visits although he doesn't seem to be able to predict when anything is likely to happen. We read a few books and sometimes we are 'lucky' with results. After we flushed a poop last night Wren was very worried about it. He left the dinner table to close the lid of the toilet in case "the poop came up again!" He had noticed the toilet refilling with water after we flushed and was concerned that it might not be clean!

We have not had any luck today but have had a few accidents as we go diaper-less sometimes hoping for results.

Here is the chicken coop
We are waiting to buy pullets after we know whether we are going to Australia. Josh has submitted his passport application [yay!] and I have submitted Frost's APP appeal [yay!] so there are only a few more Highly Significant Events to overcome before we can really plan a vacation [ok, not so Yay due to the cardiology clinic on Monday].

Doesn't it look hopeful and wonderful? Should we paint it? The second picture shows where it is located in the back yard.



[1] The licorice has been prescribed by my naturopath to help me cope with the less than desirable hours of sleep Wren requires of me. Apparently, taken on waking and at noon the licorice helps regulate cortisol production or some issues with the adrenal gland. I have noticed it has improved my sleep at night - I don't seem to wake as easily.