It's been snowing all year

As of 9:30 this morning, the National Weather Service reported that Oak Park received 9 inches of snow. I took these pictures this morning, probably before 9:30.

The storm, they say, has passed, but now we're being hit with lake-effect snow. It's been snowing all day.

L bundled up and went to play in the snow with her neighborhood friends, E and B, and their cousin, S. E went out with her BFF, A, to walk around the neighborhood. E called about 2:30 p.m. for me to pick them up from Wal-Mart. Apparently, they walked there to look for a sled - no luck either. I wouldn't have went to pick them up but when E told me that A carried her part of the way to the store (really?) what choice did I have? B is obviously the smartest child, who stayed in all day, cozy in his pajamas. After I brought the girls home from the store, I had A lie down in the snow until I could run into the house to get my camera and take a picture of her. She said she likes the snow and the idea was to be able to tell how deep the snow is. I think she was wondering whether I was really going to come back out and take her photo! I really didn't leave her lying in the snow too long.

These pictures were taken mid-afternoon ... and it's still snowing. I wonder how much we'll get before it's all over.

Hey, B, it might be time to move your bike into the garage!

You can tell the neighborhood kids are visiting. All the boots, gloves and snowy clothes - and, of course, some snow - end up on the back porch. It's a sure sign of winter.