Snow!

The snow has finally come after a full week of anticipating it's arrival.  We've been preparing for the storm because people take their snow seriously here.  I used to make fun of it, I mean, what's the big deal with a little snow but on Wednesday, we had a dusting of snow and it caused 1,000 car accidents.  So, I guess that hunkering down for a few days isn't such a bad thing.  

 

It started to snow on Friday and continued on through Saturday night.  We got over two feet in just over 24 hours.  It was crazy!  Heber and I were talking about the times that we had seen this much snow at one time and they were few.  I thought of one winter in my childhood living in the yellow house on Main Street and Heb thought of one from his childhood too.  Living in Logan, we saw quite a bit of snow but usually it would build up over time and not in one big storm. 

When we were first married, we lived in a red brick bungalow house that didn't have a garage.  We had parking spots that came right off the street and the plows would blow through and block our cars right in.  This shouldn't be a huge deal but I drove a little white Saturn at the time.  Our neighbors were always out shoveling and we'd work to get the cars cleared out.  One January, they had a huge mound out front that they plopped their real Christmas tree.  There it stayed until it all thawed out.  Heber and I started dating right at the end of January too so it always brings back a lot of memories of snowball fights and snowy date nights. 

We have been digging out the snow and playing outside as much as possible.  It's been neat to see all of our neighbors come together and help each other out.  There was even a knock at the door yesterday from one of our neighbors who brought by a case of beer to thank Heber for his help in digging them out.  Heb and I had a good laugh over that one.

We've had a couple of nice sunny days to make all the snow more tolerable and fun.   The kids have loved it.  Leo digs and climbs the big mounds.  Amy likes to sled and pat the snow.  It's been a pretty relaxing few days.  Heber headed to work today, which made it feel not quite so fun and vacationy.  Now, it's just real life without the option of going to any of our normal activities.  

 

 

A Beautiful Day

It was a beautiful day yesterday.  It was one of those strange sunny warm days in between all the cold ones.  It begged to be enjoyed.  We drew with chalk, Leo rode his scooter (he's so big) and Amy loved riding the dump truck.  That girl is a new baby lately, so grown up.

Maybe February isn't going to be so bad after all. 

Look!  Do you see that little wisp of hair?  It's coming in!

February

January with its dreary weather and sickness has pushed me into a rut.  Or maybe this is just what regular life is.  I'm not sure.
 
I have been needing some adventure in my life, some fun.  When I fall into these ruts, there's not much to look forward to, so it's time for a change.  On Saturday, Heber was blowing insulation into the house and we needed to get the kids out and entertained.  Big, messy house project with kids, not a good plan.

I went out to this vintage furniture warehouse sale.  I'm not usually one for used things but it was so fun.  There's a corner in our family room that has been driving me crazy for months.  The shelf I had there was just not working.  At the sale, I found a shelf.  I think this may be the first piece of furniture I have bought on my own and that I really liked.  Heber and I usually collaborate on these things.  I'm getting to this place where I know what I like and feel confident about it.  I like the space so much better already.

 

Snow

We woke up to snow this morning.  There was a little part of me that was missing snow, especially around the holidays.  Leo, of course, was thrilled and ran around and shoveled and stamped.  Leo discovered his footprints and the sound snow makes beneath your feet.  So much of happiness is these small little moments. 

Amy is like me and not a huge fan of the snow but she stood up.  This is big news.  She has stood a time or two here and there but never very stable.  Out in the frozen snow, she stood. 

Ode to Snow

I must confess that I have never really loved snow.  I think it's because I'm not much of a skier.  If you meet someone who really loves snow, it's usually that they really love winter sports.  And where I have no athletic ability whatsoever...I've always been at a loss when it comes to the love of snow.

This winter, I've really missed it though.  It is already mid January and it doesn't even feel like winter has started.  I gauge the start of winter on when I have to pull out my winter hat - that's when it's COLD.  Not once have I pulled it out, nor my gloves and rarely do I even take a scarf.  Which is crazy because I am a devoted scarf wearer in the right weather.

Snow always makes me think of back when Heb and I were first married. I think of coming out of the library on campus or the engineering building together into the cold night air.  The world completely still and quiet and Heb and I bundled up together after having studied for hours.  It was such a relief to be heading out.  Hand in gloved hand we would find our car.  It was such a busy time that when there were moments of stillness, we would enjoy each others company and perhaps throw a snowball or two. 
 
Back then, we lived in a cute red brick house.  There were several winters where the snow just piled up outside. Often you could find us out scraping the walk, if our neighbors, Austin and Meg, hadn't done it first.  It was a happy time with good friends.  Several times this year, Heb has mentioned how he missed shoveling snow.  

From our first Christmas in the old house.

It did snow for an hour or two last week.  Looking out the window at the light puffs of snow, I think it was the first time in a long time that I smiled over the snow.  There is something really beautiful about the world being covered in a layer of white.  It just makes home feel cozier.  As of now, we have bare trees and lots of brown here. 

We'll be heading to Utah for a few days at the end of February to bless our Leo.  Let's hope there's snow!

The Great Outdoors

Last week I was at a potluck with people from my work. I made a fairly disturbing realization about myself...I am not outdoorsy. Ok, I knew I wasn't that outdoorsy but the realization was that it's ok not to be so.

I have never been a hardcore biker, hiker or runner. Put me in a yoga class or Irish and I'm a happy camper. I blame it on years of allergies.

Where I live is pretty much a recreation heaven. No matter where you are in the valley you are 5 minutes away from mountains, streams and some excellent trail systems. It really is one of the big draws for people to move here to be so close to all of the recreation. In 5 minutes I could be cross country skiing or snowshoeing.

I don't want to be misunderstood, it's not that I don't love and think the outdoors are incredibly beautiful, I just don't really want to spend every waking moment out in it. For a while there I started to think it was something wrong with me. So many people that I associate with spend as much of their time as possible doing recreation, some have even made the outdoors their life's work (I do work in the Natural Resources Department). But I could never bring myself to want to do that.

And that's ok. Perhaps I'll try to blend in some so that people aren't too shocked. Some people look at me like I'm crazy when I confess that I'd rather be shopping or making jewelry or programming a website. But then again, we need all kinds, right?

I do have to confess that I am wishing for my chacos. I can't wait for summer so that I can pull them out. Until then, I guess I'll have to enjoy the random January sunshine in my snowboots.

Down and Out, Again.

It's been a pretty quiet week around our house, mostly because I was passed out on the couch for a good portion of it. I have been sick, again. Luckily they were able to figure out what was wrong and get me on medicine but not without having to endure a shot in my bum. It was not pleasant. I've never seen a straw... er, needle so big!

It's been a rough few months for me and poor Heber who's been taking care of me. I don't ever remember a time in my life when I have been completely down for a week twice in a three month period. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel though. I'm feeling much better and actually went into work today instead of sitting in my PJs at the computer. I hope to be back to full speed by next week.

Thank you to all of you who brought meals (Tami, your soup was fantastic) and other treats. You made me feel loved.

Snow Activities and Corn dogs

To celebrate MLK Day, Hebs and I went snowshoeing with some friends. This would officially be the second time I have gone snowshoeing. But it's one of the few winter sport/activities I can really get into. First off, you are not expected to slide down a mountain wearing them, you don't have to go to a resort to practice said sport and I don't have any trouble not falling down. It's a win-win activity.

We went up the canyon all bundled up and started up the trail. I have actually been on this specific trail once before. I know you are all surprised, I am not a really outdoorsy kind of gal. The last time I went on a trail I was trying cross country skiing for the first time. I went with a friend of mine and her very outdoorsy friends. Well five miles later, I was dead. When Heber got home that evening, he opened the door to a glove and then another glove and a hat, basically a trail of clothes all the way up the stairs to our bedroom with me passed out. I was so tired that I couldn't do anything but fall into bed.

Luckily, Monday wasn't quite so bad. We hiked up and saw some of the sinks (an area in the canyon that has been recorded to have some of the coldest temperatures in North America). The trail was absolutely beautiful with untouched snow and big trees. All in all, we had a good time with friends and went home to a party with homemade corn dogs. I could never complain about homemade corn dogs.

Fair Weather.

I ran onto this on our school website. This is how cold it is right now.

What about six degrees is fair? I mean really?

Geez it's cold.

Confession

So, I have a confession to make.

I really like watching hockey. Really. Completely unexpected, I know.

Hebs and I went to our first USU hockey game of the year on Friday and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ah, the fights, grunge punk music played at full blast and primo people watching (big hair and I mean big). Hockey is one of those fast paced sports that something big could happen at any moment, whether it be a good pounding on the ice or a goal. When watching soccer, nothing really exciting could happen during the whole game or golf, don't even get me started on that. No other sport remotely compares.

I'm not sure why but when I go to a hockey game it's like this deep down aggressive person emerges that likes the loud music ringing in my ears, facial hair and players duking it out. I think it's the same person that comes out when we go to demolition derbies but we can't be sure.

We still talk about the first hockey game we went to together seven years ago. We were playing Weber and there were so many fights that multiple people got ejected from the game. It was awesome!

I think one of the best ways to spend a Friday evening is at the stinky ice rink watching hairy men in full padding chase after a small puck. Get out and see a game, I highly recommend it. What else is there to do in this frozen tundra we call home?

Is it just me or is every picture of Hebs and I just like this one. I guess we need to start hanging out with friends who won't mind snapping a picture of us.

Catching Up

I know it's been a few days since my last post. I must have hit some writers block. I guess after spending my days composing cover letters, the energy to write something creative for my blog just doesn't hit me. I'll have to do some catching up today.

Heb and I are back to life in Logan. It's been very cold and the long grey days stretch before us. It's hard not to have a bit of cabin fever. Luckily, we have planned a little getaway to California to visit my sister and go to Disneyland. I think Heber is looking forward to some sunshine and warm weather more than anything. Just a couple more weeks. It seems like most of our vacations lately have been to visit family. I can't complain though, when it's so fun to visit and when they live in beautiful locations.

I've been working away at my projects and loving having time to create things. I am even starting my own etsy site to start selling some of them, it will be opening soon.

For Human Rights Day we made our way to SLC to see an IMAX movie. I love IMAX's. I only wish that they would make another Everest one. There is something so fascinating to me about climbing that mountain (not that you'll ever see me do it).

Did any of you watch Miss America on Saturday? I hate to admit that I still love watching, thinking about, well, anything pageant related. I was excited for the person who won, what an opportunity.

Well, I think that about wraps up the randomness in the Green House. I promise that there will be more coherent and exciting posts to come soon.