The Best Way I know to Enjoy the Snow

Did you know, I don't really like the snow? Don't get me wrong, I think it is pretty, but I prefer to enjoy it from inside a cabin, snuggled up in a blanket drinking hot cocoa as I watch it softly fall to the ground. But guess what, my kids love the snow. Shocker, I know...lol...I mean, what three and six-year-old kid doesn't. Heck, I am sure I liked the snow when I was their age. In fact, I know I did. I spent every Christmas in Big Bear visiting my grandparents home on the lake, and I have very fond memories sledding and snowball fighting with my cousins. I can still picture the blue sleds and the intricate slopes & slides my older siblings and cousins carved into the snow down the sloped driveway down the side of my grandparents home. But I also have a very clear memory when I was probably about nine or ten coming in from no doubt a very intense sledding session, hating how frozen my toes felt and how wet and uncomfortable my gloves felt. It was so satisfying to take them off, grab one of my grandma's flannel blankets and warm up by the fire. I am pretty sure that was the day I realized I was not cut out for the snow.

This past winter, we went to Utah for New Years, and all Hudson wanted to do was play in the snow and make a snowman. He had been looking forward to it ever since we told him we were going to Utah for New Years. Unfortunately, there wasn't much snow in the city where we were staying, but there was some in the mountains and higher elevations, so we decided to take a drive up the canyon to find ourselves some snow.

I remember it being COLD. I want to say it was about 12 degrees in the shaded crevice of the mountainside where we decided to park our car.  The temperature didn't phase Hudson and Jayde one bit though. They occupied themselves by throwing rocks in the stream and trying to break the tiny icicles hanging off a log. As for me, my toes froze in about two seconds of getting out of the car. Despite the discomfort I was feeling, that moment wasn't about me. I could have easily retreated to the car and turned on the heater and let Nathan watch the kids, but I would have missed out on creating memories with my children. 

That day it was about fulfilling Hudson's dream to play in the snow, and it brought me so much happiness to watch my children play and laugh. But that's parenthood, right? So many times we as parents sacrifice our time, comfort (sanity) for the sake of our children because those precious, little people look to us to make life magical. 

See...magic...