Winter Warmth

I am officially done with winter. I have tried to keep a positive mindset but today I am simply sick of the cold. I feel like all I do is search endlessly for a heat source. I notice I am beginning to feel a particular animosity towards my daughter's bearded dragon, Broski, who gets to spend his days basking under a 100-degree heat lamp.

Enough complaining.

On a more positive note, we have moved into our new home which has been appropriately nicknamed, "The Hedges". It might sound weird to give your home a name but everyone who has visited quickly understands. Two enormous hedges line the length of our property. I think the only way to trim them is with a helicopter. Luckily for us, the landlord is going to handle that task.

In the meantime, we are focused upon settling in, unpacking, and finding our groove in our new home. The thing that has been consuming a great deal of our time has been learning how to keep a fire going in our wood stove. This is a bit challenging since all the wood that was left behind is rather wet and frozen. It's putting my fire building skills to the test. The kids have been helping out with encouragement and with their own attempts.

It's been fun teaching Hyrum how to chop wood. We have a set up for chopping wood that I've never seen before but which I am totally sold on now.

Last night, while I shoveled snow off the deck, Hyrum chopped wood by himself and filled the entire wood box for me. No small feat and much appreciated!

Our deck, which wraps almost entirely around the house, is bearing the weight of a literal ton of snow. I don't think it has been cleared all winter but I am trying to get ahead of the game so, when the first buds of spring finally appear, we will be able to march out onto the deck to enjoy them.

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