A Calm snowy night

So tonight I  just some reflection on a snowy night.  I love the snow.  I always have.  Tonight I walked home from book club at 11:30pm because we were having too much fun like we always do.  I walked out to 5 inches of fresh unmarked snow on the ground.  All snug and warm in my down coat with my cute chenille gloves I felt so peaceful.   I loved the smell, the crunch of my feet, and the quiet that accompanies a good snow.  I used to take advantage of moments like these before I was married and I would go up the canyon and seclude myself in the moment of peace right in the middle of the storm.  There is a certain warmth of a healthy snow storm, and I love to walk, or sit, or ski, or snowmobile, or drive, or snowshoe, or slide down a snowy hill, in freshly fallen snow.  I love the snow that has collected on a small branch that will eventually be bare.  I love that you can tell if there was wind, because of where the snow has settled.  I love seeing an animals prints and wondering where it was going and what it was doing, and is it watching me now.   I love the snow at night.  I love a full moon on a snowy night.  I love waking up to a storm, and I love waking up to white.  Tonight I came home and went out on the back porch and just stood there soaking in the silence and beauty of the magic.  Snow is magic, did you know?  I always feel so comfortable when it is snowing.  I love to sit down in it and watch it build on the trees and bushes and mountains.  I love to watch it melt on me, and when it doesn't melt anymore, I know it is time to go in.    If I wasn't a scaredy cat I would go back out and wander the woods that are behind my house so I could make the first tracks.  I would soak in the beauty, smell and silence of it all.   I miss skiing, snowshoeing, driving, and sitting in the woods in the snow.  I miss hiking to the top of hill and sliding down it.  Tonight I remembered all the beauty of a snowy night and I kind of ached for it.  I know that sounds sad, but right now, this season in my life is for other things.  Later, there will more time for the snow.  For now, sitting on my back porch will have to be good enough.  And, one of my favorite things about being out in the cold is when you come in, sit on the toilet seat, and it is warm.  So you feel your bum cheeks, and they are freezing cold, and you had no idea that they were :)  Not til you sat on a toilet seat.  Then taking a nice hot shower and putting on sweats and a sweatshirt for the rest of the night.
 This is my view from the back of my house.  Now just imagine it at night.  Beautiful simple Perfection.

This is a weather vane from the Nauvoo Temple.  I love watching it out my window every day.  Thank you mom for the gift, thank you dad for the funding of the gift.  I think of your mission every time I see it.  In the summer is a grape vine from my parents house that we transplanted.

Tomorrow, for the first time this year, guess what Terry gets to do?  Get a snowmobile working for me....  Because HE can watch the kids while I go play!  ( Which he does plenty!  And is always so nice about it)

Now, I know you are all super jealous that we are the proud owners of these bad boys.  Terry got these $75 snowmobiles working and we have had a BLAST on them.  Their engines are so not what they are in newer snowmobiles.  Do you like the black garbage bag, duck taped seat?  Envious I know!  Well let me tell you something if you are laughing.  WE PAID CASH!  Yes we did.  Every penny of it.  So laugh away!

 This is in our back yard.  We can go right off the back of our hill into 5 acres.  We love it!  Do you love my pajama pants, because I do?  Throw on a coat and gloves, instruct husband to start snowmobile, walk out in the back yard and go snowmobiling!  How can I not think that is awesome!  (I think I had just had a baby a month before this picture.  6 weeks my... cold bum cheeks!

 Ugh, this is a post pardom picture.  My face looks photo shopped chubby.  But I really was chubby.

Oh, and Happy Dr Seuss day!  This is Ashlyn last year.  Elle is excited to do her hair this year!

Look how cute her outfits are.  She has such a talent for dressing.  My little stylish girl.  I even make her dress me sometimes.

This was Kindergarten and Ashlyn BAWLED until I took her to class and she saw other girls had fun do's too.   Then we hugged and she had a fun day.