Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

It's been snowing for days now. We got about 12" in the past two days. 2-4 more inches scheduled for today, and 1-3" overnight. This part of living in the UP is hard to get used to. It starts snowing in October, and stops in late April. 7 months of continual winter can drive you a little bonkers! There is no planting in the ground in the spring until June 1st. It's not hot until mid July. And it snows again in October. We get an average of about 240", sometimes more.

When we lived in Metro Detroit, we got about 36", for comparison.

There are three places to go with kids in the winter when cabin fever hits and visions of "The Shining" are setting in: the library, the Kids Museum, and the YMCA. We have annual, sanity saving memberships to the Kids Museum and the YMCA. We are known on a first name basis at the children's section of the library. We have a mall, if you can call it that. There are about 30 stores, most of the tiny mom and pop variety. There are three main anchors - JCPenney's (where I work), Younkers, and Kohls. No food court, no play area, so not much of a distraction for the kids.

None of us are particularly winter, outdoors type of people. Except for A. She loves any kind of weather, hot or cold. She could play in the snow all day. People told us it was cruel to bring a child from Africa to the UP because of the climate. Obviously, they have never met a child like my daughter!

Some photos of our winter wonderland.