Little Pink Houses

If you don't live in Utah, here's what you're missing.

We have had a very snowy December and January. November was depressingly gray and brown. No snow. The ski resorts had to open late and make fake snow for quite a while. But then in December it got very cold. Colder than I can remember it being here (with highs in the teens a few days). And it began to snow, finally. And since then it has snowed once or twice a week. It even was so cold a few weeks ago that the same snow stayed on the ground for a couple of weeks. That hardly ever happens here where it's quite warm for a winter location and very sunny.

I love the snow. I hate the cold, but if it's cold I want it to be snowy. It's so quiet and peaceful and still. I love it when the flakes are big and fat and heavy and fall slowly in zigzag patterns. I love it when the trees are heavy with fresh snow and even the littlest branches are holding an inch or two on them. I even love driving in the snow. It gets your adrenaline going and you are hyper alert. It's like a mini rush. It's my version of bungee jumping, I guess.

The kids (well, Daphne) really like the snow too. I bought them snow suits this year, and the first big snow I got them bundled up to go out and make a snowman. Beck just sat there, unable to move from the thickness of his coat and snow pants. Eventually he fell over and couldn't get up. It was kind of funny. Daphne set right to work on the snowman. Ever since, she's called snow "snowman" as in "Look Mommy! Snowman outside!"