And just like that, fall is over.  It’s definitely over, and winter is here with a vengeance.  From everything I hear, this winter is going to be even tougher than last winter – ugh – and last winter was no joke.  My usual winter survival methods involve lots and lots of fresh air and enjoying the outdoors as much as I can, but this year, even that is going to be difficult, because

Yeah, so I’m benched from a lot of my favorite winter activities.  Downhill skiing?  Dream on, mama.  Ice skating?  Don’t make me laugh.  I had wanted to try snowshoeing, but when I looked into snowshoes for my Christmas list I realized that my little passenger will be big enough to put me in the next size up.  I want to get good snowshoes, and I don’t see the point of spending that kind of money on a piece of equipment that will – I hope – be too big for me next winter.  (Rather just wait until next year and get something that will fit for a long time.  Although I could always rent snowshoes, and I may look into doing that this year.)

But I’m still determined to enjoy winter as much as I can, even though I’m expecting to be pregnant for most of it (and I’d better be – Nugget, you’re not expected until the very tail end of winter, and you’d just better stay put until then).  So here’s my winter list, in all its half-baked glory.

• Clean out and decorate Nugget’s nursery!
• Hike at Reinstein Woods – the first of our seasonal hikes for 2015.
• Have friends over for dinner.
• Build a snowman with Peanut.
• Eat lots of citrus.
• Knit a baby blanket for Nugget and a pair of cozy socks for me.
• Cook up a freezer full of meals for the first few sleep-deprived newborn weeks.
• Go cross-country skiing, pulling Peanut along on her red sled.
• Buy, assemble, and organize shelves for Peanut’s playroom.
• Visit the Botanical Gardens so Peanut can hang with her besties in the koi pond.
• Bake an olive oil citrus cake.
• Plan a garden to plant with Peanut this spring.
• Get my books unpacked, finally.
• Take a winter hike at Knox Farm in East Aurora.
• Have a date night with hubby – we’re long overdue for one, and they’re going to be even harder to come by with two kids.

There!  Fifteen things to do this winter.  Think I can do all of these?  Yeah, me neither.  But I’m going to try.

What’s on your winter to-do list?