Snowed In for Mardi Gras

Hello!

I was awakened this morning by a sweaty husband who had already been out shoveling the driveway. The piles of snow on the sides of our driveway are taller than the mailbox now! We've gotten so much snow that the boys are even tired of playing in it, although Adam took out a basket full of play dishes and had a "snow picnic" today. I'm tired of shoveling and putting on and taking off snow suits, boots, coats, hats, and gloves. I am thankful, though, to be home with the boys and have lots of time for reading and art and board games, etc. We even stayed in our pajamas all day!

Today we made Mardi Gras masks and had a lively parade, marching to "When the Saints Go Marching In." We enjoyed King Cake and Polish Paczke (punch-key). More significantly, we sang lots of "Alleluias" and then folded up our Alleluia banner and put it away until Easter. We changed the cloth on our prayer table to purple.

It's wonderful that the boys are old enough to begin to understand Lent. We (I) made a Lenten "Jouney to the Cross" poster that we will use to help us learn about and practice the spiritual disciplines of Lent. (I'll post on that tomorrow.) Ray decided to give up candy for Lent. Adam very solemnly told me he is giving up *Teletubbies* (which he rarely if ever watches, but often talks about). It's out with cookies for me and potato chips for Jon. We'll be talking a lot about what it means to make sacrifices and also about how we can do extra loving things to show our love for Jesus, especially during this holy season of Lent.

Best wishes to you for a holy Lenten season.

Katie