Gilbert never, EVER lets the fever lick him.

We did this last year. It was awesome. And right then I knew the tradition I'd dreamed of for me and my girls, and my son, so help him, of watching the Anne movies once a year was a reality. We've rented and loved the Avonlea episodes I so very much adored as a child, and now we all love them together. Even Jim. He loves PEI. He's tough enough to love Price Edward Island with the rest of us.

We've read the books. Last year we rented the movies from the library. This year, I purchased them secretly. My idea last year was to begin this tradition: The first morning we wake up to snow, our first real, honest-to-goodness snow-all-day, snowy day (we have one every year, usually in late October or a little later), we will drop everything we had planned, stay in our pajamas, cuddle up in the living room and watch the first Anne movie. We'll make pizza and cookies, while watching of course, and I'm really looking forward to it. Every year.

Then, during the Advent season, we have this sweet calendar that's always filled with candy, notes, surprises, etc. Inside one of the days, the kids will find a note saying we'll watch the second Anne movie that day, repeating all the other steps above. You should never watch the third movie. It's horrible.

Jim, if you want some manlier traditions for Hudson, you'll have to take care of that yourself.

This year, our first snow day came early, on Monday. As unwelcome our below-normal temperatures and freakishly early snowfall was this year, I was very excited nonetheless. In perfect form, the snow fell during the night, but only giving us a couple of inches- and still fell for a while through the morning, giving the 4 little Kochs the complete experience. It was pretty- early, annoying, but pretty.

Here's how it went down...
We woke up to this...


We had steamers for breakfast, which is pretty common in the colder months. Milk is better warm and frothy.

This picture kills me. Just hilarious. I mean seriously. I didn't realize I caught such an off-moment when I took this. It just cracks me up. Don't get too excited or anything kids.
I always do a little art project with the chocolate syrup...usually a letter, or a heart. It takes so little to impress my children. Heck, chocolate drizzle still impresses me. On just about anything.
The girls were totally excited. I got all excited too. Hudson split his time between watching and playing alone downstairs with no one to bug him.
Isn't it funny, how serious kids' faces look when they're watching TV?
Oh, how sad. Poor Anne, getting left at the orphanage like that.
Bella loves to watch TV.
See? I clicked the shot, and then she was all, "Woman, wat-choo think you doin', taking my picture when I am clearly watchin' this???!" (Yes, most of the time, my cat's imaginary voice I give her in my head sounds like Wanda Sykes.)
Oh, this just slayed my heart. I was in the kitchen switching the cookies in the oven during the scene when Matthew dies. I got teary, and wondered how the kids were doing with it, and there was Grace, sitting on the couch, tears down her face, usin' her sleeve to wipe them off every so often, sniffing and getting in a good cry. My heart just broke. So I of course secretly took her picture first, then I went in and sat with her till the movie moved on. Oh, precious little lady.

We ate cookies and fruit for lunch. They were whole grain, so it's like it's OK. Then, we were so into it, we totally just went ahead and watched the second movie too. It finished just before Daddy got home. Grace and Patie were right there with me, till the end. And I kid you not, when Anne said she didn't want marble halls or sunbursts, "I just want you", Grace- this totally happened- Grace sighed a big sigh and left a little smile on her face. Oh, child. You're my little girl.

I can't wait until they're a little older, and we're totally adding the 5 hour Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice to the yearly list. Mr. Darcy, I ardently love you.