Every so often the words, "I wish I lived in San Diego" may come out of my mouth. But they're really not true. I love living in Sandy, Utah. Mostly for the same reasons I occasionally wish I didn't. Top reason being the weather. I hate the cold. And the really hot. And the dreary. But then again I love the variety. I seriously get bored quite easily and love new things--clothes, food, activities, seasons. I absolutely love when spring time comes. Trees get new leaves and blossoms, flowers start blooming, grass begins turning green, birds are chirping, and the weather is warm enough to go to parks and play outside without coats on. Then summer comes. School is out, it's warm enough to go outside barefoot, we have picnics outside, the garden is producing fresh vegetables, every day is a fun day, we go swimming and play in the sprinklers, and I have to admit I love the feeling of the sun burning my skin so long as I'm able to just sit around and feel it. I don't like sweating and burning as I'm trying to walk around or accomplish something. Then by the time I am getting sick of the sweltering 100 degree weather and the crazy water bill to try to keep the grass green, Fall comes. The weather cools down, school and schedules and order come back into our lives, the mountains are spotted with bright colors as the leaves are turning yellow, orange, and red, we cherish the last of the garden season and can applesauce and peaches, and then we wait for the snow. I don't particularly like the cold, or driving in the snow. And I don't like to look at the bare trees or the dead grass. But when the first magical snow flakes start falling from the sky I think it is the most wonderful thing! And when there's enough to play outside with the kids, it beats any sandbox or beach! But then the winter drags on too long and I'm ready for spring again. And each change of season leaves me marvelling God and his wonders at creating such amazing beauty and variety.
So where's the snow this winter? That's the question my kids keep asking. As I have no control over the weather and the forecast wasn't predicting ANY snow, I decided we'd make our own snow day. I put up the new illuminated snow man I bought on clearance after Christmas before packing him away for the next 11 months. I then dressed up all the kids in their snow gear and threw a pack of jumbo cottonballs on the trampoline. I also crumpled up a bunch of white tissue paper and threw these "snow balls" on the trampoline as well. We jumped around throwing snow and snowballs at each other and had a great evening in the snow.
We then came in for hot chocolate with marshmallows. After dinner I had the kids help me make snowflake decorations for their rooms. We've done the traditional fold the paper a lot and cut little shapes to make a snowflake but this time I bought fishing line from the store (dental floss will work but I like the less visible fishing line) and some white sticker dots. Wal-Mart only had colored dots so I had to go to Office Max to find the white ones. I put glue on the dots and sprinkled glitter on them just to add the "sparkle" that real snow has. Then I cut out a bunch of fishing line strips just longer than the kids' windows. I then had the kids stick two dots together, sandwiching the fishing line. We did this every so often down. I then taped these strands in front of their windows, creating the illusion of snow falling. This project was finished right as they were going to bed. Then the next morning we all woke up to actual snow falling outside! Even if I were a betting person I don't see myself every betting for the weather man. In any case, here are pictures of the snow falling in their windows.
So again we bundled up in our snow clothes and spent the day out in the snow. There wasn't enough to build a snowman but Spencer was a great big brother and pulled each of the girls around the yard in the sled and they made a bunch of snow angels. And then came in for hot chocolate again.
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