Snowmaggedon (Winter 2014)

The path to the ice rink.  We were clearing off all the snow after nearly a foot of new snow.

Just some perspective on how high it really is.  The boards on the ice rink are 4 feet tall.

Luke (left) and Liam (right)

Liam

Luke (you can see the snow blowing, it was really windy and cold)

Aiden is really doing well.  He can easily skate without the net, but he still uses it

The backyard hockey team (Luke and Liam on the ends).  This was taken a day or two before our recent storm.  We had some temps in the low to mid 30's and it felt like summer outside!  This week, unfortunately, we are to return to sub zero temps yet again this winter.  

You reach a certain point of desperation when you spend so much time indoors....Aiden was giving Finn  a ride in the clothes basket and Finn thought it was hilarious.

Here we go!

Trying on sunglasses

We have had snow, snow, and then more snow.  In between the polar vortex temps below zero, we have had buckets of snow.  Our biggest storm this season (thus far) occurred last week and we got nearly a foot of new snow which brings us to 17 inches above our average snowfall at this time of year.  Considering the mounds of snow were already piled up taller than I am, we really didn't need any additional snow.  The schools even closed due to the timing and amount of the snow which made any type of travel pretty treacherous.  I think we are all ready for spring to arrive, but it sure doesn't look like it will be here anytime soon.  Here are a few interesting stats from our Minnesota winter 2013-14:

1.  As of Feb. 18th, there have been 45 minimum temperatures at or below zero.  The last time there was more than 50 minimum temps at or below zero was the winter of 1977-78 with 53.  We are, perhaps, on track to break this record.

2.  The winter of 2013-14 has been the coldest in years. So far the average temperature of Meteorological Winter (December-February 19) is 10.0 degrees. If cold weather returns for the rest of February (and so far it has), the winter of 2013-14 would  finish in the top ten coldest winters on record.

Finn is changing a lot right now.  He is really beginning to scoot around on the floor, sit up on his own for short period of time, and try to reach or grab just about anything.  I told the boys that it won't be long before he is trying to get all their toys!  He is babbling, eating some solid foods, and would really like to eat everything that we are eating.  He doesn't have any teeth yet, but they have to be here pretty soon because he has definitely been drooling a lot and has been a little fussy.  He continues to be a relatively easy baby who is very adaptable and not easily bothered by all the noise and craziness at our house.  He even attended his second movie last week when we took the big boys to see the Lego movie.