snow at last!

I love where I live, I love everything about it.

I cannot pick a favorite season, because I love things about each and every one.

but, really, to be completely honest, winter is my favorite.

I am not sure if it is because I have such fond memories of my childhood that are associated with winter, if it is because Christmas is in the winter season, or if it is just because the usually white  landscape is just so quiet and peaceful.  I really tend to believe that I love it, because the cold and the snow puts us all at home together, inside, sharing time together.  whether we are all cozied up watching a movie, reading books, or just being together, it is my favorite place to be.  maybe it’s the cocoa….

(yeah, stick with me, there’s a rocking awesome recipe coming up.)

this year has not been a typical (and disappointing) year in the way of snowfall.

we got a little bit, and it stayed around for a minute, then slowly melted only to reveal all the dead and ugly foliage that lay beneath the surface.

(and let me be honest again, for just a minute, maybe two.)

we love the snow, for many reasons, one of the top being that it directly affects our summertime recreating.  not a lot of snow = less water in our lakes.  especially our beloved lake powell.  low water levels there just aren’t fun.

but I should add, that there are a bunch of weirdos that I am related to, that don’t like the snow(?!?).

so as we were watching the weather friday night, watching the channel we trust most when it comes to meteorologists, we were warned that we might get a “skiff” or light “dusting” of snow.

well, we were disappointed to say the least.  we were hoping that the storm would turn into a monster and dump on us.  so we went to bed, expecting to see our “skiff” the next morning.

before I go on, thanks must first be given to my younger brother (the intelligent brute), he is quickly approaching 30 and decided to get himself an early birthday gift.  a motorcycle.  that was on friday.  (tempt those weather gods!!!)

saturday morning, very early, obscenely early, I was wakened to most of the feeling in the right side of my body gone.  whatever wasn’t numb was cramping, and the reason, there was a little extra body in my bed.  I got up to put ashley in her bed and glanced at the clock: 5:12.  as I was glancing at that clock, I was distracted by how bright it was outside.  uncharacteristically light for 5 am.

I looked out the front glass, and…

we had much, much more than a “skiff” of “dusting” of snow.  my guess was about 3 inches at that time.

once we were really up for the day, when all was said and done, we had six lovely inches:

and I would have gladly taken more.

I shoveled, and my neighbor, being incredible, cleared out our mailbox and driveway entry with his atv, and the girls played in the snow.  they even got to use their new sleds that they got for christmas!! 

ashley was slightly emotional, either because she is a girl, because she was so overcome with our snow, because she was cold, or maybe just because she is a girl, and cried about nearly everything.  she cried mostly because she kept crashing into the small tree in the front yard. 

“I wish this tree were never invented!!”  (sob.)

so to ease the emotions, and the obviously cold limbs and such, we went inside and made the best cocoa EVER.

so basically, we are very happy to have the snow we have, and will be hoping for obscene amounts to follow in the coming weeks.