indoor fun

We played inside a good bit today. We built tents and tunnels with blankets and Dennis had a fabulous time crawling through. He laughed and laughed. He also enjoyed wrestling and then standing up and dancing on my back. It's still snowy and very cold, and we are still stuck up on the mountain. We watched the inauguration and very much enjoyed it. I wanted Dennis to see it but discovered him asleep when I went to get him to watch it. We left the coverage going for a while and then heard him say "Barack" a few times later in the day. He never did say Obama.

Just at sunset we went for another walk in the snow. Dennis learned to throw his first snowball today (at Gran). I was so proud. He also enjoyed tromping through the deeper snow and kept launching himself into it. I picked him up and dusted him off only to see him lie down in the snow again, giggling. He ate some snow after I talked him into it but wasn't all that impressed with the taste. The cutest moment came when Gran told him to do a snow dance, and he stomped and twirled around and around (and then staggered around a bit). I have to admit, his Gran and I stomped and twirled around as well. All three of us enjoyed a silly snow dance! I didn't take my camera outside tonight, and though I wish I could have video of his big smiles and exuberant yelling of the word "SNOW!", I am glad I played with him instead of standing to the side and photographing him. We made some pretty special snowy memories this winter. He's a snow lover like his Mommy, who spent a long time today just watching the flakes fall and soaking up the silence and stillness that accompanies snowfall (broken by the occasional sound of a car losing traction on the mountain roads below us). I didn't get to sightsee like we'd hoped, but we've spent no money in three days and only a tiny amount before that for food. It's been a very cheap vacation. We're subsisting on leftover lasagna, leftover wedding cake, cereal and milk, granola bars, and powdered doughnuts. We've already eaten all the moon pies and chips and salsa, and to be totally truthful, the last of the wedding cake disappeared today as well. I hope we can get out tomorrow so that we can get some FOOD, although Dennis has certainly enjoyed the menu! He had bananas and apples and goldfish crackers to eat along with all the junk, so he at least is getting some nutrition. I'll be glad to get out of the cabin but sorry to leave Gatlinburg. I don't know when we'll be back, and I love the Smokies so much.