Winter Wonderland

Association: Winter . . . Snow. We've been experiencing a lot of snow lately, and I mean A LOT! Why is snow so magical? I love it when I don't even look out the window until it's time to hit the road. Then, I open the door and am completely surprised! At first, I feel annoyance and fear, because I might have to drive in it, which I am deathly afraid of. But, I can't help but feel like I'm in a magical place. Especially when it's fresh snow, and not that icky, slushy, dirty stuff. Little undulating hills of fluffy snow covers everything in sight. Everything is frosted, and the trees look so pretty. It looks good enough to eat.

As a kid, we never got snow. I was so excited to experience snow when I moved to Rexburg. However, my reactions turned out to be very different from what I anticipated. It was like finding a bug in the cookie jar. I thought snow would be the best thing, and I was even bitter that I'd been deprived of it all those childhood years. But, I soon found out that heavy snow is not all fun and games, like all the movies I'd seen. Like Meet Me in St. Louis and Home Alone and even Gap commericals. Happily coat-clad people dancing around, making elaborate snowmen and enjoying snowball fights.

But, I think there are perfectly good reasons why I did not like snow in the beginning. First of all, I always expected the temperature in my coat to be around 80 degrees, which it never reached. And my feet, hands, and nose were always freezing. The only thing I could think about while I was outside was how long it would be until I was inside again. Plus, winter clothes are NOT at all fun to wear. Sweater, scarf, coat, hat, gloves, shoes, walk and freeze, off with the gloves, coat, scarf, hat, and then repeat several million times a day. A hat would also inevitably RUIN my hair no matter what. And if I didn't wear a hat, my hair was a soping mess as soon as I stepped in a well heated room as all the snow flakes instantly melt. Both things are no good for the limp, thin, fine hair I've been blessed with.

The fact of the matter was, I did not like being the slightest bit cold. Why I thought it would be so comfortable, I have NO idea. Snowball fights were absolutely HORRIBLE. Once someone told me the secret to making a good snowball (take off your gloves), I recoiled in horror! "You mean, let the snow touch my SKIN!!!! ARE YOU CRAZY!" But, then the mean boys never worried too much about actually making snowballs. It was much more fun just to throw people into snow drifts and stuff snow down their backs. Uh huh. Wow, great fun.

But after I got over the initial shock (and moved out of "Ice"-burg), I really got to see why people say snow can be fun. Sleding is absolutely lovely, I must say. Skiing can be fun, once you get the hang of it (and drag your poles so that you don't go so fast!! LOL). I finally made a snow man, in Connecticut with my sister. We named her martha, she was cute and very fun to make. Snow angels are fun. Snowball fights can be mildly entertaining as long as you don't get hit in the face. Catching and looking at snowflakes is fun. Snow really has endless possibilities for amusement.

Now, I’ve become accustomed to feeling a little bit cold. I’m used to winter clothes and enjoy wearing chunky sweaters and buying many different varieties of scarves and gloves. I’ve acclimated. Like a chameleon, or a slightly creepier Signs alien, I happily blend in with my surroundings. Winter is no longer a foreign, commercialized idea. But, I have to admit. Even now, my favorite activities involving snow require being behind a thickly-paned window, with a nice warm blanket and a big cup of hot chocolate, gazing into the wide expanse. Watching, as the world becomes covered in fluffy white.