Usually in March I am dreaming of Spring. This is because I have just endured a few long months of winter. Heavy snow. Gray skies. Bone-chilling cold. Intense amounts of laundry because of all the bundling. Piles of drying boots, coats, hats, gloves, snow pants, and anything else my kids use to sled and build snowmen. I think the part I don't like as much about winter is that I miss the sunshine and the warmth on my skin. Being in Utah we have some pretty cold winters. But not this year! In fact, I keep thinking winter is going to show up any day. February was 50's and sunny most of the time. We had like 3 snowstorms (which quickly melted away) this whole winter. Other than that. Unseasonably warm and sunny. It has been so nice out! Too nice actually. At church they are asking us to pray for snow. I think I could say the words but not sure I could mean them. :) Because here is what you get to do in March when the weather is so nice... Be outside! As in, not cramped inside! Have your husband ask where the shorts are stored. Go to the park with family and friends. Enjoy the beauty all around us.
I should probably pray for snow, and will be sad when summer comes and there are forest fires every which way...but for now, I am going to enjoy an early spring. Then I can just pray for rain when the times comes, right?! :)
I grew up in Colorado, which is famous for it's winters and winter sports. I live in Utah, which is famous for IT'S winters and winter sports. Famous enough that the Winter Olympics was even hosted here the year we got married. But over the years, I have not done a whole lot of enjoying winter or winter sports.
Mostly because A) I really, really dislike being cold, and growing up I always felt cold, and B) Since moving to Utah I have had little babies who would get sick during the winter and we would be homebound. It got to the point where I would literally shiver thinking about the long, dreary winter ahead, and feeling I would be resigned to the inside of my house during those months. But this year, I realized perhaps I wouldn't dislike winter as much if I would just get out and enjoy the fun to be had during it. After all, there is sledding, snowman-making, hot cocoa, and for heaven's sake, we live 20 minutes from a bunch of ski resorts! So many fun, active things for our family to enjoy. Trev and I decided it was time to start making enjoying (as opposed to enduring) winter a priority. So we started out sledding and playing in the snow A LOT.
We tried lots of different sledding hills and there became a constant pile of wet snow gear constantly drying by my fireplace. Hot cocoa mugs were in constant rotation through my dishwasher.
Morgan even decided to go here to ice skate for her birthday party: (more on that later)
But the biggest leap we took to enjoy winter this year was to get our kids learning how to ski! We haven't done this in the past because it was so expensive, but in Utah, January is Learn to Ski month. So all the resorts have great deals for kids to come and learn. We signed up, took M&J out of school, and Trev took the day off of work to stay home with our little girls. It was seriously the best day ever! I took a snowboarding class and the M&J did ski school up at the Canyons Resort in Park City.
It was super sunny and warm out that day...just the way I like it! For a girl who hates the cold, this was excellent. M&J picked up skiing so fast I was amazed! I already knew how to snowboard but gleaned a bunch of helpful tips that made me so much better. Maybe now I can actually keep up with Trev when we go. Which we plan to do a lot more of. :)
I even made a few new friends in my class!
I got to check in with Morgan and Jake at lunch and make sure they were having as much fun as I was. They were. :)
After lunch, I decided to split from my class and go put my new found knowledge to good use. Plus I was able to get a bird's eye view of my kids really hitting the slopes.
After we were through, we all met back up at the main lodge area. I sat in the sun and waited for them to return. How uplifted I felt being in the beautiful mountains, on a bright, sunny day, enjoy the famous Utah winter and winter sports. This winter has been much, much better. I haven't even begged Trev to move me to Phoenix this year. Maybe, just maybe winter is growing on me. I guess embracing it, and enjoying it was the answer.
