This is how we walked to church last week. The girls took turns pulling each other and Sterling. I think I smiled the whole way just watching them.
We went sledding in the Impivaara neighborhood last week. There is a municipal (?) sledding hill - it's maintained by someone, anyway, and there is a sausage-cooking hut stocked with firewood. It was sunny and -15C. Sledding and sausages were enjoyed by all.
Yesterday it was -5C and sunny. The relatively warm temperature made it feel positively balmy. We went to an area by the river where we used to go on bike rides last fall. Oh, how the girls complained about riding their bikes up this hill back then. Oh, how they loved sledding down it yesterday!
There were so many people out enjoying the weather, including lots of cross-country skiers on the frozen river. Also on the frozen river, some people were clearing off the snow to make a hockey rink.
Temperatures are supposed to rise to plus one in a few days, so it was great to enjoy our crisp, cold snow for a few hours. It's been amazing to me what a difference snow on the ground makes - winter is brighter, the streets are dry (if snowy), and the kids love playing outside. It makes me realize how difficult December was in comparison - just cold and dark and not so fun to be outside. But yesterday was how I imagined some winter days in Finland would be - spending time outdoors having fun in the snow! It was so beautiful that on the walk home, I started listening to a podcast and then thought better of it. I preferred walking in silence through such natural beauty.
