We had our first Minnesota snowfall this past weekend. It was a little suprising since we had been in the 60's earlier that week. The kids were thrilled! Parents: not as much. We had so many errands planned for our Saturday. So many. Instead, we spent the day shoveling (Jason), suiting, unsuiting, resuiting, reunsuiting...and on and on, the kids in snow gear (me), snowball fights, building snowmen, unsuccessfully sledding (it was too soft), and making hot chocolate! I'm not sure how much we got, but the forecast was for 6-10 inches and I think we probably got in on the higher end of that. It snowed all day. I was pretty disappointed with how long it took for them to plow our road. They were finally there late that night. I thought Minnesota would be faster than New Jersey, like they would be there at the first flake falling! Oh, well. Hopefully it was because it was the weekend. The kids out first thing in the morning! 
This one is funny because Cailin is just starting to fall down. It's still hard for her to move through snow, but she's getting better.
Snow Angels (while catching flakes on her tongue)!
Trying to sled down our hill.
The back of our house coated in snow!
The ever-present snow day snot trail!
I can't believe I didn't get any pictures of Sam eating snow, he was chomping away! Here's Cailin trying it out. It was pretty good, actually.
Inside for some hot chocolate.
The boys really need a haircut (one of the missed errands of the day), Sam's is getting so hilarious after hat-wearing!
Then the boys were back at it! The 3 neighbor boys joined in and soon there was a major snowball battle raging. Sorry, this pic isn't so good, I was done being out in the cold, so this is shot through the wet window! 
The back patio.
The snowball fight lasted seriously for hours! I was starting to worry that I should make the boys come in or else they'd get frostbite. Jason insisted it wasn't that cold, and that I had in fact overdressed the kids. Thermals, jeans, sweaters, snowpants, boots, scarfs, mittens, hats and big double coats seem appropriate to me! After a while, Jason went out to help build a snowman. Sam had been begging me to go back out to help him, but I was still warming up inside. And unlike the kids, I have no desire to put on all my wet things and go back into snow!
Cailin planning an ambush on Ben.
The completed snowman!
Ben just had to pose like this.
Snowball heading for Ben's noggin!
And, some random pics of Cailin ready for church the next day.
So far, there has been a little melting, but we've assured the kids there will be plenty of snow all winter long. They're so afraid they're going to miss precious time with the snow, and that as long as it's out there, they should be, too. Also, I learned that you are supposed to send your kids to school with snowpants (in a bag to put on before recess) here. Monday Ben came home complaining that he wasn't allowed to play on the playground and had to stand around on the blacktop with the other kids who didn't bring snowpants. Meanwhile, the rest of the kids got to climb the giant snow mountains and build snow forts! He'll be sure we don't make that mistake again. It's weird to have snow already (I thought we'd be the first, but I hear Utah beat us!), but in a way it's a relief. I've been dreading winter for so long, it's weirdly nice to finally get it underway. And yes, I've started listening to Christmas music. I hope to finally have the last remnants of Halloween put away soon (pathetic, I know). Also, I have to admit there is something magical about waking up to a world completely covered with white fluff. I remember in Buffalo thinking it was actually a little nice to have all the dead brown plantlife covered with nice white snow all winter. We'll see how I feel in February or March, but for now, I'm actually okay with it.
This one is funny because Cailin is just starting to fall down. It's still hard for her to move through snow, but she's getting better.Snow Angels (while catching flakes on her tongue)!Trying to sled down our hill.The back of our house coated in snow!The ever-present snow day snot trail!I can't believe I didn't get any pictures of Sam eating snow, he was chomping away! Here's Cailin trying it out. It was pretty good, actually.Inside for some hot chocolate.The boys really need a haircut (one of the missed errands of the day), Sam's is getting so hilarious after hat-wearing!Then the boys were back at it! The 3 neighbor boys joined in and soon there was a major snowball battle raging. Sorry, this pic isn't so good, I was done being out in the cold, so this is shot through the wet window! The back patio.The snowball fight lasted seriously for hours! I was starting to worry that I should make the boys come in or else they'd get frostbite. Jason insisted it wasn't that cold, and that I had in fact overdressed the kids. Thermals, jeans, sweaters, snowpants, boots, scarfs, mittens, hats and big double coats seem appropriate to me! After a while, Jason went out to help build a snowman. Sam had been begging me to go back out to help him, but I was still warming up inside. And unlike the kids, I have no desire to put on all my wet things and go back into snow!Cailin planning an ambush on Ben.The completed snowman!Ben just had to pose like this.Snowball heading for Ben's noggin!And, some random pics of Cailin ready for church the next day. So far, there has been a little melting, but we've assured the kids there will be plenty of snow all winter long. They're so afraid they're going to miss precious time with the snow, and that as long as it's out there, they should be, too. Also, I learned that you are supposed to send your kids to school with snowpants (in a bag to put on before recess) here. Monday Ben came home complaining that he wasn't allowed to play on the playground and had to stand around on the blacktop with the other kids who didn't bring snowpants. Meanwhile, the rest of the kids got to climb the giant snow mountains and build snow forts! He'll be sure we don't make that mistake again. It's weird to have snow already (I thought we'd be the first, but I hear Utah beat us!), but in a way it's a relief. I've been dreading winter for so long, it's weirdly nice to finally get it underway. And yes, I've started listening to Christmas music. I hope to finally have the last remnants of Halloween put away soon (pathetic, I know). Also, I have to admit there is something magical about waking up to a world completely covered with white fluff. I remember in Buffalo thinking it was actually a little nice to have all the dead brown plantlife covered with nice white snow all winter. We'll see how I feel in February or March, but for now, I'm actually okay with it. 
Cailin was so good at scooping her goop. Hers was the cleanest pumpkin!
Then the face drawing.
Cailin's face that I was somehow supposed to carve!
After much carving by Mom of the kids' drawn faces: 
(Sam was trying to mimic his pumpins' face) Cailin's princess pumpkin.
I thought long and hard and looked online for a good pattern for mine, but in the end, it was late, I was tired, and my hands were sore from carving, so I just did the boring face on the right.
And Jason's masterpiece on the huge pumpkin!
All together.
Saturday was the Trunk-or-Treat at the church. Sam was so funny, laughing and telling us that they called it trunk-or-treat instead of trick-or-treat at church! The kids got all dressed up: Cailin as Aurora Rose (Sleeping Beauty)
Sam as a ghost (people kept asking him if he was Jacob Marley and he kept saying "No! I'm a ghost!").
Ben as Harry Potter. 
I think their costumes suited them all pretty well. 
I didn't get any pictures of the actual trunk-or-treating, but here they are back at our homebase trunk with bags full.
That night I made some chocolate frogs and we watched Ghostbusters.
Sunday we went to church and took naps and didn't take the kids out. They had enough candy anyway, and they were happy to pass out the candy that night. It was great to not have to answer the door every 3 minutes because they were all fighting to do it! We had to set up a system of taking turns. I made dinner in a pumpkin and later on, donuts which we enjoyed with cider. 
We also watched Beetlejuice between doorbell rings. It was a fun time, but as usual it was a relief to finally have Halloween over with!