Melting snow

Well, after 4 long months of dreary gray skies, sub-zero temperatures, and more snow than I've probably ever seen in all my years combined (seriously!), the SUN is starting to shine! It is magnificent and brings me more pleasure than I ever would have imagined. I realize now how I've taken the sun for granted - I suddenly feel invigorated by it's presence (though, ironically, in the summer heat my energy is zapped! But that's another story...)

Anyhow, when you mix warm sun with snow, the result is - you guessed it - water. Lots of water.
This is the parking lot through which we walk twice a day taking Angel to and from school. The monstrosity of the puddles is hard to capture in photographs - it covers the kids boots in some parts! But, we don our boots (aka puddle jumpers) and raincoats, and the children never tire of splashing / jumping / stamping / running through the puddles, despite the consistently resulting SOAKING WET socks, pants and feet. Ah, the simple pleasures in life. (Of course, I'm dreading when the ground below is no longer frozen and all this water mixes with the soil - MUD splashing is far less enjoyable to clean up than water! So I will enjoy the puddles of melted snow while they last!!)

Humid

I have a love-hate relationship with the humidity here. I hate that it makes a warm day seem unbearably hot and sticky. But love that it makes Wiggles' hair do this:

So somehow, it's worth the mugginess. :)

First Snow of the Season

Autumn seemed much too short this year. It seems the leaves scarcely had time to change colors and begin falling when, suddenly, the temperature dropped and I could almost taste the impending snow. The children were, of course, delighted when the first flakes of snow started to appear. Before you could say "look outside!" they were donning hats, gloves, boots and snowpants, and taking a stool to the door to unlock the chain (my latest attempt at keeping them from leaving without my knowledge) and free themselves from the warm confines of our apartment to the blistery cold outside. I begrudingly dressed Wiggles and myself (no small feat, since she lives up to her name, especially while being dressed!) and headed out the door. I must admit that, despite my wistfull longing for a longer autumn, watching the children gleefully run around scooping up snow, making snowmen and snow angels, and screaming "THANK YOU JESUS" while looking heavenward did manage to lift my spirits. And it was beautiful; The snowflakes falling, the white blanket covering the earth, and, most of all, my children dancing.


**Later that day, once we were back inside, Angel asked if we could send a Thank You card to Jesus and Heavenly Father for the "beautiful gift of snow". I smiled and told her that was so thoughtful, but asked how she thought we might deliver it, since no mailman I know of ventures quite that far. She paused for a moment, and then said "We could send it up in a balloon." She was so sincere that, though I'm opposed to the sending up of balloons due to environmental reasons, at that moment I nearly considered it! I think I managed to talk her into "praying" the Thank You message instead...

First Snow of the Season!

This morning we woke up to several inches of snow on the ground. The kids arose while it was still dark, as usual, but as soon as they looked outside they started BEGGING to go out and play in it! I insisted that they absolutely HAD to wait until the sun came up, at least, so they stood for the next hour or so with their noses pressed to the window. I couldn't resist the photo-op with their delightful morning hair! :)

OVERHEARD at the window:

Angel: "It's so beautiful!"
Grins: "Coming down! Snow coming down! WOT (a lot) of snow coming down!"

(In response to my question "What do you want to do when you go outside?"
Angel: "Make snow angels!!"
Grins: "Throw snow balls! Snowball fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" (is he a boy???)
Angel: "Make snow cones and eat them!"
Grins: "Catch snowflakes in our mouths, AHHHHHH!" (he proceeds to tilt his head back and demonstrate his snowball catching techniques, then both children break out in Barney's rendition of "If All the Snowflakes were candy bars and milkshakes..."
Angel: "We could build a snowman!"
Grins: "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" (Just remember, this is a child who would - and often DOES - throw ANYTHING he can get his hands on - and snowballs are just about the ONLY parent-approved item he can throw at people, so snowball fights are pretty much HEAVEN to him.)

Fortunately for me, despite the fact that he was up all night with Angel, the Mr. offered to take them outside. Not that I didn't want to leave the warmth of my robe and slippers and try to stuff my gargantuan belly into some snow pants, but....needless to say, the Mr. is my hero. I then proceeded to gather up all the coats, snow pants, gloves, hats, socks, boots, etc. and get to work. After what seemed an ETERNITY (and not without a LOT of whining because they were MUCH too anxious to get outside to bother with bundling up) I got both kids bundled. The whole while, I was thinking "How am I EVER going to get THREE kids ready to play in the snow! Good grief!"



They finally made it outside, which is where they are as I write this. I helped myself to a nice, hot shower, and then made some hot cocoa and tea, hot cinnamon bread french toast and fresh fruit...but they have yet to come in from the cold. I keep getting glimpses of the flying snowballs, the snow angels being made and the snowmen being built, and wondering if I shouldn't break down and go join them. But then I remember my fuzzy robe and my warm, dry slippers and I am content for them to enjoy it with their Daddy. Does that make me a bad Mom? After all, we do live in Utah, so there will be plenty more snow days to come!...

WELCOME SPRING!!!

Hooray! The weather here has finally made it higher than 30 degrees and I couldn't be happier. I don't know which feeling is stronger: my excitement to go running and take the kids to the park/zoo/long walks/etc and banish the "cabin fever" they've been having, or relief that I no longer have to wear out my back shoveling the parking lot and sidewalks in front and back of our building (ah, the joys of property management...). Needless to say, I couldn't be happier! I now realize why people institute "spring cleaning" - I just have so much energy and excitement about spring!!! woohoo!!

So, without further ado, I bid you, WINTER, adieu with these final snowy pictures...stay tuned for some pictures of SPRING to come soon!