“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
~Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
You probably noticed from my previous post that we have a backyard ice rink. Parker and I have turned into those people who frequently check on the rink throughout the day and text each other “ice updates.” We clear the snow and meticulously smooth out the surface, making sure it’s as perfect as possible for the kids to skate.
It’s like a fifth child.

While Soren has been skating, the girls have been sliding along the ice on their boots.
I finally let Ellinor out on the ice the other day and I was worried. There aren’t any boards to grab onto! What if she falls!????
In the midst of my worry, I looked over and saw Ellinor, sliding along, not a care in the world. She was fine and when she fell she would laugh and get right back up to slide some more.
As I tried to make sure my baby wouldn’t slip and fall off the rink, I had flashbacks to my childhood.
In Minnesota, we walked out onto frozen lakes and scooted around while our dads augered holes into the ice and drank beer. No one was watching us and we had the best time ever.
I want these vibes for my kids.
As much as the rink has consumed our lives (the ever changing weather and temperatures of Halifax can wreak havoc on a pristine sheet of ice), the kids have embraced winter.
When the rink is a bit soft and sloppy, they build snow forts.

Sometimes I will catch Soren just sitting in the snow and looking up at the sky. He said it feels relaxing and warm because the sun is shining.
It’s all relative. Thirty two degrees (sorry 0 degrees Celsius…that’s for Parker) feels amazing after a cold snap, just like 45 degrees will feel like a heat wave come April.

