Thursday Thirteen #3 Things l Love About Winter

Since I've been yearning for Spring so much and complaining about winter, I've decided, instead of griping about all the snow we've got and how cold it is, I'm going to be fair and give 13 things I love about Winter.

So here goes...hmmmm...I'm thinking...there's got to be something...give me a minute...oh, oh I know...

1...It's spectacularly beautiful right after a snowfall...BEFORE the snowplow buries your car, your driveway, your mailbox AND the person at the mailbox getting the mail...that would be ME!

2...Making snow cream. For a recipe read my previous post. And don't forget: NEVER EAT YELLOW SNOW!

3...Driving around town having to dodge every Grand Canyon-sized pothole because the plows have torn up the streets because it has snowed so much this season...whew that was a mouthful!

4...Going tubing and hitting a bump so hard that it throws me and my legs into a position that only my midwife has seen...along with the stretegically placed photographer, aka my 'former' friend, who snaps this airborne picture of me and threatens to put it up on the bulletin board at church. (Thankfully, being raised with 5 brothers and having honed my rough-housing skills I was able to tackle the culprit (in church no less) and retrieve the offending picture!) OH MY GOSH! she still has the negative...! Ok, I'm kidding about the abusive part.

5...The beautiful, sunny day after it has snowed, trying to get down the driveway to the mailbox and back without a giant clump of snow falling from the awesomely tall (80-100 ft.) Ponderosa pine trees and hitting you smack dab on top of your head. Kinda a fun game actually.

6...Watching the out-of-towner's who have never seen snow, on the side of the highway eating the snow, taking pictures in the snow etc., etc. never realizing they will soon become a part of that snow...here comes that darn snowplow! HeHe!

7...Learning the hard way when, as a child, I decided to go down the hill head-first on an inner tube not having the sense enough to lift my face up out of the snow. Needless to say my cute little face was pretty torn up. On the bright side, I didn't have to go to school for a couple days--you know, until after the swelling went down! In all fairness, winter is not to be blamed here. Only my own stupidity.

8...Hmmm...this might've also been the same day my sister blasted her nose into the snow as well and woke up the next morning with 2 giant black eyes. Wonder if State Farm has tubing insurance?

9. First (and last) Christian youth winter camp. We're at an outdoor ice skating rink. I lose my balance and, out of reflex, reach out and grab at anything to keep me from falling. Unfortunately, that anything happened to be the cute boy in front of me. That cute boy ended up with a concussion after blasting his head on the ice. Did I do that?! What a way to catch a boy.

10...Since we live on a nice hill with a sharp curve in the middle, it can be a little challenging making it up after a snowstorm, even with 4-wheel drive. At the bottom of the hill we start making a run for it. My husband usually handles it pretty well, and we can usually make it the first time. Well, the other night we got a good clip going, no cars in front or coming down, went to make the sharp turn half way up and, instead of the wheels turning, we dove right into the snow bank. Thankfully, that snow bank prevented us from flying right into the ditch, but, of course, couldn't prevent us from the little accidents we had in our britches. I may have been mistaken but, I do think I saw our guardian angels, Shirley and Goodness, bail.

11...Waking up to a huge snowstorm and being 'stranded' in the house. My 20 yr. old daughter wakes up, looks outside, goes to the fridge and says "What, no chocolate?! Two grown women stranded at home without chocolate--NOT a pretty picture!

12...Ok, I can't think of anymore sarcastic reasons to love winter. So I'll be serious. We live in an area that has been in drought for several years. I really do appreciate the extra moisture we've received. And because of it, our Spring and Summer is going to be absolutely gorgeous.

13...Lastly, my very favorite reason I like winter (like the way I changed that from love to like!): We are only 2 1/2 hours from Phoenix. So when we absolutely can not stand another day of cold, we just hop in the truck and drive down for a day of warmth and of course, an In N' Out Burger!

Go on over to the Thursday Thirteen site to join in the fun!

It's All Good!