The girls haven’t been coming out to do chores with us much this winter. It seems it’s either cold and windy or slippery and sloppy so usually Dan and I tag team caring for the animals (Though truthfully, Dan does the lion’s share.)

However, this morning Dan left for work shortly after 6:30 which meant that the girls and I bundled up and headed out with the pooches to care for the animals.

Potty breaks, mittens, hats, coats, boats and sundry other incidents later, They were headed out with their little buckets.

Kathleen Kathleen’s little Stonz boots have seen many winters of use between the three girls wearing them for two winters each so they’ve becoming a little low on traction:). Stopping for a snow angel is crucial to Aneliese; she has a tendency to flop in random spots to make them. Stopping for a snow angel is crucial to Aneliese; she has a tendency to flop in random spots to make them.

Kathleen loves the chickens and even has a couple that she is able to pick up and carry around. They were a little unsettled today because they are still getting used to the presence of little Penny. She shows no interest in chasing them at this point which is great! Kathleen loves the chickens and even has a couple that she is able to pick up and carry around. They were a little unsettled today because they are still getting used to the presence of little Penny. She shows no interest in chasing them at this point which is great! Sweet, grumpy Max. Aneliese just loves him and I Sweet, grumpy Max. Aneliese just loves him and I’m quite certain that he spends most of his days thinking about eating. Food obsession aside, he’s a great little pony.

As we all troop into the house with rosy cheeks, eggs in pockets, fingers and toes tingling, life feels so good. Far too often, I slip into the mentality of just getting by, the chores and animals being just another addition to the list of all that I can’t get done well in a day. Tomorrow might be cold and I’ll be back to worrying about chickens getting frost bite and water freezing. Or maybe it will be a sudden thaw again and we’ll be trudging through deep muck again. Regardless, we’re as so very blessed. I want to remember that.