winter wimp

So this So Cal girl married a North Dakotan and we're raising our four blondes in the middle of black-topped China and we've just come through a decision process of whether to move to the tropics or the tundra and, well.... the tundra won.

It's been in the 40's here lately (and getting colder by the minute.... ahh, day, I mean, by the day) and the heat won't be on for a few more days (the government determines that schedule).   We can see our breath in our house and theres little bursts of mold flowers growing each morning between the drips of water streaming down the windows.   And I am a ridiculous wimp for this....  as in, I currently have on enough layers to be plain uncomfortable (yep, wimp).

So the girl who feels the mental lethargy of a day in pajamas any time she's got to wear 5 layers to stay warm, she hasn't been cleaning house all that much (or blogging).... she's basically been tending to the laundry these days and trying just to keep up with our constant joys (and fairly frequent struggles) in homeschool.  We bid our dryer farewell a few weeks ago (when just inside the door had shards of plastic swinging right around that little "danger, fire" sticker that we all understand in any language.)  So I've spent most of my domestic energy on rotating clothes near the one space heater we've got working in the kids room (and surrendering to the stink of most our clothes that took 4-5 days to dry) and moving every other little mess to be sorted or reorganized to our room, where it's piling up fairly thick now, but at least I can stand to have guests in our living room without too much mess there.

We've got 5 days from the second promised start date for the heat to get cranking before Matt's parents arrive and I really want to have our home actually clean by then, and oh!  to be functioning at the mental capacity of a normal thinking adult.  That would be great.  It's ridiculous how much a wimp I am for this!  I do feel like this, but I know it's really not this bad....

(The link to this photo's post ... all beautiful pics of vanishing tribes. HT: AV)

When we were in N Dakota last winter, one of Matt's groomsmen and his sweet wife and son visited us and inspired us with their committed outdoors-ness that we simply need to invest in the right winter gear to make getting outside in winters more doable.  And now that we know we'll be living in the land of 5 months of snow/ year... where much more of life- grocery stores and transportation time is on foot outdoors- it's really going to need to happen!  (As is a little buck-up-ness and bravery for this chicken mama.  Lord help me!)  

I just hate spending crazy time to search for stuff online in 汉字 or in markets here where usually, if it's in our price range, it's super poor quality.  I would be able to get all that we need for a quarter the price, probably easily accessible, at Once Upon A Child or Goodwill in the states.  And yes, there's an unabashed hint in here for our North Dakotan friends.  Anyone of you with hand-me-downs piling up in your garage, how 'bout we could be your designated hand-me-down recipients!?  I'm thinking kids' boots, jackets, hats... any and all down gear.   It would all be well used, well worn, well loved....

Truth be told, you may have to arm wrestle Grandma.  She is one committed gift giver, as is Grandpa.  But even Santa needs helpers, right?  We sure are excited for Grandma and Grandpa's arrival and their sleigh luggage full of winter warmth coming next week!