Ok, I admit, I really had planned to dress them snug, boot them up, and send them outside so that I could have a quiet cup of coffee! But once they were out there, squealing and climbing around on the buried wood pile, I couldn't resist snapping a few shots. The big kids are so careful and thoughtful of Alannah. They keep her with them, they drag her around on the sled on days like today when she is bundled up like Ralphie's little brother and the snow is up to her waist.

As Erin later said "It all would have been fine if I hadn't had to come in for the bathroom." This particular outing ended with Bryan and Alannah stranded 75 yards from the house after sledding on the big log. Erin came back to the house, Alannah couldn't walk, and Bryan struggled in two feet of snow to pull her on the sled. Thank goodness I went out to burn trash and rescue them!