There are a myriad of reasons why having four (sometimes five) kids is not a good idea. First the obvious: economical and environmental; then the learned: chances of illness, accidents, heartbreak, are increased exponentially with the addition of each child; and finally the minutia: exceeding family cell phone maximums, twelve (sometimes fourteen) socks to match.
But here they all are and this is my life, so I choose instead to focus on the numerous reasons why having a big family is brilliant.
Brilliant.
Number one being love and number two being fun.
And while I could easily ramble off over 2,000 reasons just like that of just how brilliant (a gratitude exercise I practice often when feeling low or writing tuition checks) today I would like to celebrate one single parenting joy that can be enjoyed regardless of how many kids you have.
The 5:30 AM snow day high-five.
Yes!
Finally.
After not one but two nordic races cancelled due to lack of even the slightest sniff of snow (see exponential kid heartbreak) son # 2 could not wait to get his skis on and get out the door. He watched carefully and calculated the perfect window of skiing that revealed the most snow and the least rain, and off we went.
Through the woods so well cleared, around Christmas Treeland, over the bridge recently built, along the field, beyond the pond, and back around to the house.
The perfect lunchtime ski. Then came hot chocolate and mix-matched socks drying by the woodstove followed (alas) by the rain.
Happy weekend all!
With the ice covered with snow and the snow covered with ice we'll have to get creative.
Ice Fishing?
