So you know winter is approaching when you go out to water and feed the animals, and the water bowl has frozen water inside.

You know it's the onset of winter when you and your husband decide to go for a walk and you are both fighting for the warmest sweatshirt in the house.

You know winter is upon you when you and hubby drive in to town to drop off videos, and you both decide to go inside the grocery store to research what hot drink would be yummy to make at home that night.

You're sure winter is beckoning when your last load of clothes stayed on the clothesline all day, all night, and were still wet the next morning.

You know that winter is creeping in when your five year old and eleven year old are both hovered over the heat vent with a blanket made as a tent.

You know winter is on your doorstep when your children have dragged out the old snow pants, themselves, to see which ones will still fit for the new year.

You know winter has pounced when you longer want to sit in the stands at your son's football game, so you overlook it from your suburban.

Winter has truly claimed this house, when cold icy feet are strategically shoved under some warm body part of another. I'll admit it, I am merciless.

How do we know it's winter at your house (or summer for some of you other country dwellers)?