Reviving The Meme

The very sweet Nell is attempting to bring back the memes, and she tagged me for this fun one.  I pretty much love memes.  I'm not always able to get around to them in a timely manner, but really I do enjoy them.  I love reading random stuff about other bloggers, and it's fun to answer those same random questions about myself.  So, here we go...

Inquiring Minds Meme

What Are You Listening To Right Now?
"Silence"...a.k.a. the heater, a baby little boy breathing, silent laundry machines (meaning those piles are not getting any smaller) and my fingers hitting the keyboard.

What Are You Watching Right Now?
Nothing.  We are t.v.-less.  But, we do occasionally pop over to Nanno and Baw-Baw's house to indulge in movies such as Snow White, Babe, and Milo & Otis...Levi's three current favorites.  I did actually get to watch Australia the other night.  I'm pretty sure that's the first grown up movie I've seen in countless months.  I enjoyed it even if it did make me cry.

What Room Is Your Computer In?
My bedroom/studio/office...it's a multifunctional kind of space...which is a nice way to say that it's crowded in here.

Do You Have Christmas Lights Up Outside?
Yep.  Just a simple double strand of big, retro red lights draped around the door.  Someday, when Levi is older I'm hoping to expand (nothing crazy that would draw crowds mind you).  For now, Levi is thrilled with the double strand.  He's pretty easy to please.

How Long Have You Been Blogging?
Since May of 2008.

If You Could Go Back In Time, Where Would You Go, Who Would You Meet, Why?
Hmmm...I'd probably pick random people on my family tree. It would be nifty to find out who they were, what they were like, and how they lived.  Oddly enough I don't have much interest in studying genealogy, but actually meeting relatives from way back or at least being a fly on the wall for a little while sounds like a pretty cool thing.

If You Could Be Paid To Give Of Your Time To Others, What Would You Most Like To Do? (Volunteering)
Does being a mommy count?  I'd be thrilled to get paid for that.  Currently, though, it's the coolest and lowest paying job out there, but, oh, the rewards!  ; )  If I had to pick something other than mommying, I'd choose working with other people's little munchkins...possibly teaching art to disabled children. 

If Santa Could Bring YOU Something This Year, What Would That Special Something Be?
A Serger.  I've never cared about having one until recently, but now I'm seeing quite some potential.  Me thinks I just might need one on my sewing table.  Oh, and a new, more comfy sewing table and chair would make my back oh so happy.

If You Could Have Your Blog Readers Know One Thing About You. What Would That Be?
That I really get a kick out of all their wonderful comments.  No lie.  Your comments make me smile and laugh.  They inspire me and cheer me up.  They really do mean so very much.  I'm pretty convinced that I have some of the sweetest, coolest readers around. 

Tag You're It

Hannah from Mulberry Spot
Dera from Casablanca
Yana from Heart Go Boom-Boom
Holly from Tropic of Mom
Andrea from Spoken For
Toni from Fangman's Fun Follies

I promise, if I had all the time in the universe I would have tagged you too.  But, my fingers are getting tired.  So, if you haven't been tagged feel free to play along anyway.  Leave me a comment saying you did, so I can be sure to check it out!

Wedding Loveliness

I found the dress (a lovely goldish champagne knee length number)...and the shoes...she grins ear to ear as she types.  And, unbelievably I found them in one hour.  Seriously.  I sort of couldn't believe it.  It takes me longer to find a pair of jeans.

But, now I'm looking for something to wear in my hair, and my eyes have begun to glaze over.  There are so many options!  I can't decide!!

by Be Something New

by PenelliBelle

by Crystal Bloom

by It's The Little Things

After all this indecisiveness I am actually considering just making my own. I'm pretty handy with doodads and wire, so maybe it wouldn't look too terribly rotten.  Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions, favorites??

Sweet Dreams: Christmas Loot

The wooden tool set was quite a hit...literally...thank goodness that hammer is lightweight.  He goes around "fixing" everything with it....including a few attempts at making "repairs" on mommy!

In Other New And Happy News

I've been featured on One Pretty Thing!!!

Check it out here...

See the original post here. 

If you've never visited One Pretty Thing you definitely should click on over.  You are certain to be inspired.

The Shiny Side

I have a little surprise up my sleeve.
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You wanna know what it is?
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Drum roll please...
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Are you ready for it?  ; )
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You sure?
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Alrighty then
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This Barefoot Mama's gettin' hitched!!!

I told you it was a surprise.  He's kinda cute...huh?  To top it off he's my best friend, and he happens to be the sweetest guy on the face of this planet....in my not so humble opinion.

To answer possible questions...no, we didn't just meet yesterday...and no, he's not the reason for this.  I promise.  I'm not that kind of girl.  We met over the course of my ridiculously lengthy divorce...which at the time was inconvenient and annoying.  But, in retrospect it's got God's fingerprints all over it.  Meeting that way and only being able to be friends actually allowed us to become best friends.  Funny how things work out.

You wanna know the coolest part?  Levi thinks he hung the stinkin' moon.  Those two fellas could start their own mutual admiration society.  Which is a good thing, because no matter how swank I think he is, he wasn't going to make the cut without Levi's wholehearted approval.

Oh...what's that?...you wanna know his name?  :)  It's Stephan.  Although, most people (except me for some odd reason) call him Steve.  Someday, I might be converted...we'll see.

We're tying the knot February 13 in my parents' back yard.  Sorry to disappoint though...it won't be a full on barefoot wedding because...um...Mississippi is cold in February.  People are probably going to be ready to slap me for having the shindig in the backyard in the first place.  But, I'm aiming for small, relaxed, and personal...the backyard fits.

P.S. Sorry about the not so fabulous photos.  I tried to get some over Christmas, but we just weren't managing photogenic...or even close.

P.P.S. One day in the near future, I'll actually sit down and write a post about how we met.  So, inquiring minds can know.

The New And The Old

This Christmas we started a new tradition...A Christmas Eve Tea Party...

When we were little my dad would randomly have tea parties with us.  They were patterned after something a spinster neighbor used to do for him.  I thought they were spectacular with a real tea set and real tea and vanilla wafers with butter.  He would always say, "Would you like some tea with your milk and sugar?"    This year we decided to turn the tea party into a Christmas Eve tradition.  I think it's going to be a hit

What can I say?  The munchkin takes after his mama...he loves his tea!  He even likes it the way I take it...no milk, just a little honey.

As far as old traditions go, we like to celebrate the whole 12 days of Christmas around here...because, you know, 25 days of Advent aren't enough.  ; )  No, there won't be an activity a day.  This mama might be a little touched in the head, but she's not that crazy...yet.  However, our decorations will stay up.  The Christmas music will still be playing, and Christmas books will continue to be read.  And, since Levi gets a tad overwhelmed by too many gifts at once, we saved a few small presents (books, puzzles, and such) for him to open here and there.  For Epiphany I have a special present that I've been working on...nothing remotely related to the season.  Just something that I've had in my head to do for him.

So what are your Christmas traditions?  Did you keep the ones from your own childhood, make new ones, or a little of both?

A Very Merry Christmas

  

 

 

 

Hope y'all had a merry and blessed Christmas!  We're still enjoying.  Just wanted to pop in and share some photos. 

Baby Jesus Is Coming!!

"And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth"

Luke 1:14

 

"Baby Jesus is coming!  Baby Jesus is coming!"  This is what Levi has been saying all day...including in the middle of the Christmas Eve service.  I thought I might die trying to stifle the belly laughs.  I hope he's not terribly disappointed when he wakes up tomorrow and there's no baby in sight.

May you all have a very blessed and merry Christmas!

Anticipation

The presents are all (okay, mostly) wrapped and waiting...

 

Levi thoroughly enjoyed making the paper pretty.  We painted brown packing paper salvaged from a few recent packages.... 

Of course, there was more goofing off involved than actual painting...

 

 

I hope y'all are having a wonderful time preparing, anticipating, and enjoying. 

Holiday Yumminess

Nanno's Sweet Potato Casserole with Apricots

Ingredients:
1/2 a stick of butter
6 sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and sliced (you can cook these in advance and refrigerate)
1/2-3/4 c. chopped apricots
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1/4 c. sugar (you can substitute fructose, and really you could use less sugar)
1/4 c. cream
1/4 c. chopped pecans
Brown sugar (we generally eyeball the amount on this one...I guess maybe and 1/8 to a 1/4 cup??)

Directions:
Add butter to potatoes. (If they're hot, they'll melt the butter. If the potatoes are cold, melt the butter first.) Combine the next 7 ingredients with a mixer.  Put in a 2 qt. casserole. Combine chopped pecans and brown sugar.  Sprinkle over the top.  Bake at 350 F for 30 min. Serves 10-12.

What's your favorite holiday recipe?

Sweet Dreams

Totally un-Christmasy, but terribly cute anyway...

Joy Reclaimed

This weekend was rough...big time.  But, we are making a full recovery...

Thankfully, joy and adventure have been reclaimed...

And, thanks so very much to all of you who've expressed concern, sent us kind words, and prayed for us.  Y'all made this burden a little easier to bear.

An Update

Levi is home and tucked in bed. 
What a rough time we've both had. 
For me the tears did eventually flow.   
As for Levi.  When he got home he cried.  Then he became very quiet.  He rested on my shoulder for quite some time before falling asleep.  Oh, if only that was where the story ended.  I tried to shift him onto the bed, but he woke up crying.  A book briefly distracted him, and when he was done with that, he wanted to go to Nanno and Baw-Baw's house.  Off we went.  It wasn't long before the true and horrible meltdown started.  He cried and screamed and cried some more.  Since going to sleep, he's already woken up once, screaming.  He sat in my arms and screamed himself back to sleep.  Nothing comforted him.  He's never been so upset.  There is such an awful mixture of sadness, anger, and fear. 
I wish I knew something more to do for him.  It's all I can do to stay calm and not to cry with him.
I so hope that tomorrow brings with it some normalcy and maybe even a little joy.  And, I'm praying that this gets easier.   

Thank you for all of your prayers, kind words, and well wishes.

Nobody Ever Said This Was Going To Be Easy

Levi just left to spend his first night away...at his father's house.  I thought I would be in the midst of horrible sobbing right now, but I don't think it's set in yet.  That, and, there's a little piece of me still thinking Levi will cry so hard for his mommy that he'll be back in my arms before I can hit "publish". 
Really, I hope that he'll be happy and content because what kind of mama would I be if I wished for this to be a traumatic experience for him.  I've been mentally preparing myself all week....A constant internal mommy dialogue, "Do NOT...I repeat...Do NOT cry in front of the little guy.  Smile.  Act like it's going to be alright no matter what kind of awful, knotted up tummy kind of dread you feel inside.  Do NOT let it show.  Be reassuring.  Do NOT cry.  Do NOT cry.  Do NOT cry."  Okay, so I think the reason I'm not crying is because I repeated that about 500 times too many.  The self brainwashing hasn't quite worn off yet. 
It will....
I promise.
Give me another hour, and the tears will come flooding.  I can feel them in there brimming and waiting.  In the whole of his 2 years,1 month and 3 days on this planet, he's never spent the night away or even in a separate room.
I'm scared he'll be upset.
I'm scared he'll be mad at me. 
I'm scared he'll think I'm never coming back. 
I'm scared something will happen that is totally out of my control (as if that doesn't happen regularly anyway).
I'm scared.
I know that this is not the only time I won't have any semblance of control.  That this isn't the biggest hurdle he and I will have to face together or separately.  That this is only 24 hours, which in the grand scheme of things is just a blip in time. 
Most importantly, though, I know that Levi is cared for by someone much greater than me who does have the reigns...who has numbered the hairs on his head...and who loves him much more than I could.  I know that when I can't at least pretend to have control that God truly does have it.  My hands aren't anywhere near big enough or strong enough to carry the weight of this world or even just of this one child, but God's are.  Although, the tears are due any second now, I know that this too shall pass and even it will have purpose.

I Love This

I found this video via Metropolitan Mama, and I just had to share it. 

Sweet Dreams

Levi is smitten with Christmas Trees and ornaments....oh, yes, and snowmen.  So, is it really very surprising that this is what he's sleeping with?

 

Hmmm...there might just be some stuffed snowman crafting in our future.  Me thinks the little munchkin would like that.

Christmas Q & A

I found this cute Christmas meme over at Stuff Parents Need, and decided to play along...

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate...I'm partial to the homemade variety, and I like to spice mine up with dried ancho chiles.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? I don't know yet.  I'm undecided on Santa.  But, if we do Santa, he'll bring tangerines, and small gifts for stockings, so if you count a stocking as wrapped then wrapped they may be.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Currently I have big red retro looking lights on the front porch, and no lights on the tree...it's tinsel.  It shines all by itself.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.  Although, when my kiddo is old enough not to eat it, I think it would be fun to go hunt for some and hang it up.
5. When do you put your decorations up? The day after Thanksgiving, and they stay up until the full 12 days of Christmas have come and gone.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Can I pick more than one.  My mama makes a mean oyster stuffing.  And, homemade cranberry relish is so yum.  And, I love sweet potato casserole (no marshmallows, please) with dried apricots and chopped pecans.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? I loved that "Santa" always left tangerines and nuts (with the shells) in our stockings.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Um...I never actually believed in Santa.  My parents tried their darndest, but I just wouldn't buy it.  I think I was 5 when they FINALLY told me.  My mom says that my first question was pretty much, "Are you sure there's a Santa?" 

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? With the ornaments that I care the least about.  Levi likes to undecorate it and redecorate it too much for me to be worrying over anything sentimental right now.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love that Levi loves it.  Don't love how cold it is.  And, really love that it doesn't happen too often around here.
12. Do you remember your favorite gift? A bag of rusted metal objects.  My brother gave it to me when I was a teenager.  I collected that sort of thing.  I probably still would, if I wasn't afraid of Levi getting hurt on it.

13. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?  Spending time with the people I love.
14. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I'm loving making new traditions with Levi.
15. What tops your tree? I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a star or a snowflake.

16. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?  Both.  I love to give to others, but I think it's really fun to receive as well...and I don't just mean stuff...time, and love are really the best.
17. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Not so yum....unless crunched up and mixed into chocolate.  Then they're dangerous.  I don't like mint on it's own, but mint chocolate...now that's addictive.
18. Favorite Christmas Show? Nothing comes to mind right now.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Lots of them, but I really love Silent Night.

So, I think every last one of you should do this.  Seriously.  I would love to read your answers.  If you play, please leave a link in the comments, and I'll definitely swing by.

Munchkin Entertainment

Scrap paper and a pair of scissors have become this mama's best friend.

What's your favorite way to keep your kiddo busy while you attend to the piles-o-laundry, dishes,

and what nots?

Up For A Free Udder Cover?

Ran across a fabulous deal today and wanted to share...
Udder Covers has a promotion going on for $32 off of any purchase....which happens to be the price of their cute nursing covers.  So, all you have to do is pay $8.95 for shipping.  The code is also good for their gift sets and nursing pads.  So, all you nursing mamas, mamas to be, and friends of mamas should head on over and get yourselves a good deal.  The code is:

Christmas

The code is good once per transaction, so you can use it more than once.  However, it's only good until they sell out.

A Christmas Festival

When planning Advent activities, I highly recommend checking out some of the local festivities.  You are likely to find ample opportunity for family friendly fun.  One of our favorite museums is the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum.  This weekend they are hosting a fun and free Christmas Festival (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 5-8 pm).  You can even get a complimentary breakfast for dinner at their Christmas Diner...real grits included (the "real" part of that is very important for this southern gal).  Levi's favorites? Well, of course, he loved the grits.  But, he was really crazy about the train ride through the museum's lit up town and the carousel...

Okay, I know he doesn't look thrilled, but I promise this is his thrilled look.  He gets the most intense expressions on his face when he's enjoying something...especially something new.  See...here he is hugging one of the horsies...

While we're on the topic of local festivities, I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite ways to find out about them.

~ Subscribe to a local parenting magazine's online newsletter.  I subscribe to this one.
~ Local newspapers are an excellent source as well.  Don't turn your nose up at the smaller ones.  Sometimes you can find some jewels in those.
~ Get on all your local museum's email lists.  Museums often do something special for holidays, and by subscribing to their newsletters you'll never miss out.
~ Pretend you're a visitor.  Check out your Chamber of Commerce's website or call them to see what's going on in your area.
~And, if you live in Mississippi you should check out these sites...Visit Jackson and Visit Mississippi.

So, I'm curious, how do you find out about local, family friendly events?

Chop Down Tree

Levi has become particularly attached to a wooden spoon.  He even took it Christmas tree shopping...

Turns out that tree shopping is on par with pumpkin picking in this munchkin's book.  He wandered around saying, "Chop down tree.  Chop down tree."  It was a grand adventure....

Oh, yes, we can't forget the tractor...In this little one's mind the tractor is possibly more important than the trees...

Thank You

I wanted to take a moment to say "Thank you." to everyone who took the time to comment, email, text, and call me over the news.  I am incredibly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends (blogger friends are more than included in this category).  I'm sorry if I haven't yet responded personally to everyone.  Your words, thoughts, and prayers on mine and Levi's behalf have warmed my heart and are very much appreciated.  So, "Thank you.  Thank you.  And, double thank you."  Hope you have a beautiful weekend!!

Love,
Madeline 

Wreaths For The Birds...A Tutorial

*This post was featured on One Pretty Thing!*

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

Matthew 6:26

Yesterday we made bird feeder wreaths.  Levi really enjoyed this one, and as we were crafting he was shouting "Feed birdies, feed birdies!".

So, here goes a step by step "tutorial"...

Step 1:  Collect supplies.  We used muscadine vines.  Any type of (non-poisonous) thin, bendable vine should do.

We also collected some greenery (rosemary and moss), magnolia leaves (these weren't actually for the wreaths, but they come in handy), peanut butter, twine, and bird seed.

Step 2:  While collecting supplies, you should definitely take a moment to admire the view.  Because, the world is beautiful...

Step 3:  Give your munchkin a pair of scissors and a magnolia leaf.  This will buy you time while you make the wreaths...

Step 4: While your munchkin is busy, take one length of vine and wrap it to create a circle...

Step 5: Continue wrapping vines around your circle until you like your wreath.  The twisted vines hold themselves together, so there's no need for glue...

At this point you can add greenery or just leave it plain.  We opted for one of each.  Rosemary tucks nicely into the wreath and can be wrapped around, and moss can be stuck on with peanut butter in a later step.

Step 6:  Tie a piece of twine around the top of your wreath and place on a plate.  You'll probably have peanut butter and bird seed everywhere despite the plate, but I still suggest the plate...

Step 7:  Smear on the peanut butter, and add seeds.  At this point the munchkin is highly likely to temporarily loose interest in chopping up magnolia leaves....

Step 8:  Take your wreaths outside and hang on some branches for the feathered varieties to enjoy...

Step 9:  When your munchkin plops down on a pile of posts, and says, "Take picture, take picture."  Well, you should definitely take a picture...

Enjoy!

The Not So Shiny

I generally stick to the shiny side of life in this little ole' blog of mine...not for the sake of creating an illusion but because I am genuinely happy.  I want to focus on that and express my heartfelt gratitude for this beautiful life.  My life is truly overflowing with love and blessings, but it still has its fair share of rotten stinkin' awful moments (sometimes even days, weeks, months, and years).  One of those (rather prolonged) "moments" has been going on since before this blog began. I almost never talk about it here, so many of you may be a bit surprised.  To be honest, I've been debating whether or not to write this post, and as I write I am still unsure if I'll hit ‘publish’....we'll see.  I know...I know...you're saying "Out with it, already!".  So, out with it I go.

Monday marked the end of a two and a half year long divorce battle...unless of course you count the exceptionally rocky and horrible two years that we (sometimes) lived together in wedded unbliss....that would make it four and a half years.  Oh. my.  (You can say "Congratulations." However weird it sounds, in this case congratulations are most appropriate.)  I do not feel comfortable publishing loads of detail, and really you'd just get tired and confused reading all of it....I get tired and confused just thinking about it.  That aspect of life has been capital C kind of crazy.  I am relieved that it is over.  I didn't know how much I was holding my breath until I was finally able to release it.  Boy, does it feel good to breathe again....really, really good.

I am grateful that this nightmare has ended.  I am grateful that God gave me the strength to see it through and to stand up for myself.  I am grateful for my family and friends...y'all are a true blessing.  I am grateful for the prayers of the people who love and care about me.  I don't regret a single bit of it because in the end happiness came out of sadness...beauty came out of ugliness.  Levi is in my life.  And, that is worth all of it...every last bit.

I know there are other people out there who are going through something similar...maybe not even a divorce but just a really rotten time.  When you're in the midst of a bad situation it can be difficult to see the end, but it is there.  I promise.  It may not be tomorrow or the next day.  It may be two years from now or ten, but it is there.  And, it will come.  Know that you are strong enough to get through the hard times even when you don't feel like it.  We are all "fearfully and wonderfully made" by God.  I am prone to see this more easily in my child than in myself.  But, sometimes, you just have to believe even when you don't see.  You might be surprised by what you find...about yourself, others, and the whole of this beautiful creation.  If you are currently going through troubles, please know that I am praying for you.  And, I don't say that lightly or flippantly.  I really am praying for you.

Sweet Dreams

This week's favorite bedfellows were a combo of these little stacking blocks (in his hand) and books. It was a different book every night, but he couldn't go to sleep without them.
The funny thing is that the kid loves to be read to, but not at bedtime. Every night a little before 8 he informs me that it's time for "nap-nap". I get him dressed, and we crawl into bed. If I actually make the mistake of trying to read the book he's holding, he almost always screams and says, "Tun light on! Tun light on!" Which actually means "Turn light off."....So I do.

A Bookish Kind Of Advent

When I went on a search for Christmas books for Levi, I expected the selection to be...how shall I put this?  Cute but limited in scope.  And, it was.  There were piles upon piles of adorable books, but to read them you would think that Santa and loads of presents were the only reasons for this beautiful season.  Now, I'm not knocking the big, jolly guy in red, but I'd like for Levi to know how much more there is to the story. Heck, after flipping through Santa book after Santa book, I was pretty much ready for anything but.  Towards the end of my search, I was thrilled to run across a wonderful little gem...The Advent Storybook  is perfect for this season.  It has 24 stories...each one a page long...and each one a piece of a larger story about a little bear (which I think is kind of perfect because I call Levi "Bear").  Benjamin the bear can't wait for Christmas to come.  So each night his mother tells him a story about a little bear who is on a journey to Bethlehem.  According to the dust jacket description, "The little bear, led by a shining star, meets many others on his travels across hot deserts, snowy mountains, through dark, lonely nights. His adventures, filled with acts of heroism and kindness and many small miracles, show him the path to the Christ Child."
Of course I bought it.  We began reading it on Tuesday, and Levi wants to hear each day's story over and over and over.  By the end I'm fairly confident that I will be able to recite this entire book verbatim.  It is destined to become one of our annual Advent traditions...it really is that good.  And, just because I'm reading it to a two year old...don't go thinking you couldn't read it to your older children...you so could!

Lately, I've been browsing the web for more Christmas book ideas...some for now and some for when the munchikin is a tad older.  A few of them struck my fancy.  Have you read any of these?
~ Christ is Born
~ Christmas Farm
~ A Treasury of Christmas Stories
~ Christmas Day in the Morning
~ Gifts of the Wise Men: A Treasury of Christmas Stories
~ A Wish to be a Christmas Tree
~ A Christmas Treasury of Yuletide Stories and Poems
~ The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story

What are your favorite Christmas stories?  I'd love to know.  In case you can't tell, I'm trying to grow a collection.  : )

It Stuck!

We woke up to quite a surprise.  The snow from last night actually stuck!  Of course, Levi was a little stunned to walk outside to such a new landscape.  But, the minute I said, "Bear, it's just snow."  he grinned really, really big, shouted, "Snowman!"  And, off he went...

Of course, about a nanosecond after handing him this teeny weeny snow ball, the munchkin proceeded to eat it.  Yum...

However he was slightly uncertain about the state of his shoes..."Keen off" is what he told me...

 

Eventually, he got over the shoe thing, and did a bit of exploring...

And, he even got to help Nanno build a snow man...

Quit your laughin'.  I know he's a pint size snow man, but really y'all this is about as good as it gets in Mississippi.

P.S. Levi still has a bit of a cold, but I couldn't very well deprive the child of what might be his only snow this winter.