Today was our first measurable snow of the winter, which means grudgingly heading outside to shovel (for me) or looking outside in giddy anticipation (for Edward). He was excited at the prospect of going out to make a snowman, but was able to temper that urge long enough to go to church.

Once he was home, he quickly got suited up: snow pants, boots, coat, mittens and hat. Properly attired, we headed out to run around. I suggested we just run around like crazy people and flop in the snow, but Edward was having none of it: "No," he said, politely but firmly as he shook his head.

My suggestion to build a snowman was met more favorably. Of course, part of this stems from the fact that Edward doesn't actually have to do much with the building. It's my back aching as I stoop to roll the three big snowballs that make it up, but the end result was worth it. Edward did help with the vital task of packing snow between the pieces to keep it in place. Unfortunately, I built the first snowman at a bad tilt, so no amount of packing kept him from crashing to the ground as we headed out in search of an arm-worthy stick. Snowman 2.0 was much more sound, and was deemed a success. Edward decided after Mary snapped this photo that the snowman needed a mouth. We made one out of a stick. He then said it needed teeth. I wondered how we'd pull that off, but it was easier than I feared: Edward picked up some snow and smacked the snowman in the mouth. "There are his teeth!" he exclaimed.

Next it was on to sledding. Our yard has a bit of a slope to it, so I could get him going pretty fast headed that way. But that meant lugging him up that slight slope to do it all over again. Strangely, he didn't tire of this as quickly as I did.

Our other pursuits included trying to smack a tree with a stick so snow on the limbs would fall on Edward (much like in one of his current favorite books, Snowy Day) though this proved difficult, and to smack the snowman with his plastic hoe in an attempt to knock it down because "it was a bad one."

Meanwhile, Daniel has been a bit under the weather, battling pink eye yet again. That hasn't kept him from his normal rambunctiousness, however, as you can see from this shot. Before the onset of that, he was happily playing with his brother at Grandma and Grandpa's. Ed has a four-wheel bike there that he likes to ride on, and Daniel decided he either wanted to push Ed along or hitch a ride... or maybe a bit of both. Ed starts by "fixing" his bike and changing the tires. Then Daniel joins in the fun: