Oh how wonderful to wake up to a world of white! I just can’t resist the outdoors after a heavy snowfall, would you like to go on a little walk with Ethan and me? Get bundled up in your warmest winter clothes and boots, put someone in charge of the kids, and come along!
The first thing we do is stop to look at the pond, all covered in a sheet of ice and snow. The tall pine trees are so lovely, aren’t they? I have snow down my boots already and stop to tuck my jeans in the tops to try to keep out the cold stuff.
Here we are, looking down at the stream. There is a pretty picture everywhere we turn.
You and I will stay here while Ethan goes down to get a chunk of ice from the stream. I would rather keep my feet dry, wouldn’t you?
Now we have made our way very very carefully *don’t slip!* down the bank to the stream below. The water is running cold and smooth in it’s bed, and looks so refreshing that Ethan stops to take a drink from it.
When we lift our faces to look up at the treetops, soft and silent flakes of snow land on our cheeks.
Our walk takes us in a wide circle and we enjoy so many sights….including tracks of little animals across the top of the snow. There is a silence in the snowy woods that you can’t find anywhere else. After a while we get cold and tired so we make our way happily into the house to help the little ones bundle up warm for some sledding.
Caleb loves to sled with his Papa.
They are all outside together, making winter memories.
This is the view off our front porch, later, as Rich is snow-blowing the lower driveway.
While they finish up their fun outside, we make some cornmeal muffins.
Soon the little ones come in hungry for a snack and asking for hot chocolate, too.
Caleb stuffed himself with about five muffins. That sure hit the spot!
Since we ran out of mix, we’ll have to make the Hot Chocolate from scratch. Thankfully there is a recipe printed on the Hershey’s cocoa container.
Favorite Hot Cocoa (serves 6, I had to tweak a little to make an extra 2 cups)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa
Dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp vanilla
Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in saucepan; stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes. Stir in milk and heat. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. (* For an extra treat, I got out my immersion blender and blended it up to make it foamy on top*) Scoop into mugs, pass around the bag of marshmallows and enjoy the love!
Thanks for spending time with me this morn
ing. I think I’ll stay in the house now, and cozy up. Guess what I was doing at 3:00 am this morning? I was in the livingroom, sitting by the fire, munching toast and yogurt. Yes, I had a powerful hunger in the night and couldn’t ignore it. Needless to say, I’m sleepy today and after all the fresh air, I’m ready to find some blankets and a good book. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to snooze.
Happy Saturday!
Love ~Shanda~
Good to be Home 
You have snow! How delightful! Maybe you’ll have a white Christmas after all. Love all the pics! The thought of you up in the night snacking (think of it as feeding the baby) made me smile. Hope you get that nap! Love ya!
I just loved the snowy forest walk! So beautiful! Since we came home in the night I ran to the window this morning to see if I could see the snowy mountains…they were there…but not as fun as being in it! So thank you for the walk And the cosy snuggle inside! David and I are off to some of our favorite antique and thrift stores to do some shopping.
What a delightful walk, and lovely photos too! I particularly like the shots that look almost blak and white, with specs of color where there are people. And the corn muffins and hot chocolate sound like a good snack after the chill of the walk.
thank you for the walk.We don’t have any snow right now in Germany, so It was wonderful to see it…Hopefully by Christmas we will get some snow…and maybe my work will close early on Christmas Eve…so I can go to the Christmas Eve Service at my church…
Looks beautiful!
The snow is gorgeous!!!! We had that snow last week. We are still digging out. Thank you for the “walk” this morning.
so many beautiful shots of the winter wonderland! Wish I could come to your side of the woods, just to enjoy the snow and the wonderful quiet!
Looks like you got dumped on!!! I am sure your kids are loving it!
Thank you for the lovely walk,Shanda! We had a very(!) light dusting but my littles were SO excited. It is pretty cold here today and I think we are supposed to get some snow tomorrow. Enjoy your hot chocolate, that’s our favorite recipe to use.
I saw the weather reports and wondered if your area of the state got snow. Obviously, you did! How lovely! I enjoyed the walk. If you go to my blog today and look at my pictures of my house, you’ll understand why our walk was so refreshing to me! Enjoy cozying up in a blanket, I’m going to tackle more of our household mess!!!!Hugs!CHERYLYN
Wow! That is a LOT of snow! Enjoy! Looks to be a White Christmas for you!
Happy Saturday!! What wonderful pictures, enjoy the snow for us!!!
I enjoyed our walk, too! I love that picture of Caleb with his little feet propped up on the table!
Hmmm…those corn muffins probably hit the spot after time in the snow. The pictures from your walk were beautiful. Isn’t it funny how we need a recipe for hot chocolate? We’re so spoiled by mixes and concoctions. Have a good Sunday friend!
So beautiful ~ soft and serene ~ I would have loved to have been walking and talking and photographing with you ~ maybe someday?
We have snow too and are expecting a blizzard tomorrow!!! I love your property and all the memories you make there with your family. Life just seems way too fast paced for me here and I want it to slow down. what do you do Shanda to make life more pleasurable/slow so you can enjoy your family?? Would you share?
Hey, got your card in the mail today!!! It was such a treat, I loved seeing your handwriting!!! I love the beauty of snow, only after about 3 months of the slush I’m over it!! lol
I enjoyed this little walk with you and Ethan! I am craving for the real deal!
Hope you are feeling better and got the rest you need. How is J feeling? Miss you and see you @ church in the morning! ~love ya SISSY
Beautiful! We had snow here too but it didn’t stick to everything like yours did.
Beautiful snow! We have tons of ice here, and it’s really pretty. I’m thankful we have power still because many around here do not. The ice covered trees are so pretty to see though.
I love the snow, I’m going to try to take more pictures tomorrow when I get out and about, I only took videos this time. 🙂 I’m glad you guys had such a nice cozy day. I remember those middle of the night massive hunger attacks, too. Hope to see you tomorrow my friend. Love, Trish
Thanks for the lovely walk! Since moving from the north, I do miss the beauty of new-fallen snow and watching children sled on the hill in our back yard. But I’d sure rather drive in the south!
My mother used to always make chocolate syrup with the 1/2 c., 1 c. and 1 1/2 c. proportions – the least cocoa powder, the most sugar and the middle amount water. Then after it boils, add some vanilla. It’s what we used for cold chocolate milk. For hot chocolate, she mixed sugar and cocoa (amounts “until it looked right”!), mix a little hot milk with it, then pour it into the pan of hot milk! No water. That’s how I still do it. mmm, good!
Oh, what a lovely, lovel walk… thank you so much for bringing me along
Oh I enjoyed the walk, and I’m still warm:) Thank you for the beautiful pictures, we have yet to get a good snow like that:) And if we did I don’t have anywhere to walk like that. I love the picture of Caleb with his feet on the table & his muffin. To cute! Thanks for taking me along on the walk with you guys!
Lovely pictures! I wish it would snow like that here. =P
Beautiful walk. On our drive home from wal mart yesterday I told dh that I don’t remember everything being so pretty from the snow. I guess it’s b/c we always lived in town, so we never really got to see much. Living in the country now, we get to see it. I am wishing I could get out like that for a bit.
It really is a Winter Wonderland. ~Such gorgeous photos!
What a wonderful Christmas-y dream land – it is beautiful! Thanks for taking me along 🙂
it looks like you had a lovely day! you are so lucky to live somewhere so beautiful
I love the picture of Ethan in the woods – all the winter white snow and then him in his yellow jacket. Love it!
Wonderful, beautiful pictures. You do live in a winter wonder land. We just have cold and wind today.
PS: I also enjoyed Sunday’s post. You make me smile.
Thank you for the wonderful walk. And I am not even tired. Those muffins looked like they hit the spot. (I adored the socks on table picture!) IT is 28 here today, but the skies are clear and blue. Mores the pity. I love love love seeing your winter pictures. STAY warm dear heart and Merry Merry Christmas (I got your wonderful card….I loved it. Your sweet faces are smiling at me in my kitchen). Love, M
Calebs feet on the table is hilarious! Way to go with the make you own hot chocolate Martha stewart! You are so right about the beautiful picture everywhere you looked, you live inside of thomas kincaid (sp) painting!