December 7, 2008

Four Seasons

It’s Winter here in Wisconsin, despite what the calendar says.  December 21st may be the official first day, but we’ve got snow and cold and wind, and temperatures in the almost negative degrees.

Gone are the Fall days of sweaters and turning leaves.  Instead we don hats, mittens, boots and heavy coats. The days are short, the nights are long, and I am stir crazy.  Already I’m dreaming of Spring, glorious Spring!  Visions of budded branches and tulips are dancing in my head.

Little Dawson is losing his mind, too.  He desperately wants to play outside.  If the conditions were fair, and not so frigid, I’d let him.

Yesterday morning he asked me, “Mumma, ‘member when it was sunny and hot and I could go swimming?”

“Yes, buddy, I remember those days.”

“I miss sunny time, Mumma.” he said sadly.  “I miss swimming.”

Later in the day we took a trip to the store to buy a sled.  If we’re cooped up in the house too long we’ll be at each other’s throats.  I can only handle so many episodes of the Nick, Jr. line-up.  When we pulled into the driveway after buying a neon orange sled, Dawson noticed our swing set was covered in snow.

“Oh, Mumma!  The red swings are all full of snow.  I want the sun to melt it.”

It nearly broke my heart.  Dawson loves to swing.  It was just two weeks ago that we took a walk with Murphy to the Little Plover River park.  I pushed Dawson on the swing, he went down the slide a few times and climbed the monkey bars.  There wasn’t any snow on the ground then.  Now the ground is covered with it.

I loved snow as a kid.  Making snowmen, snow angels and snowballs were my favorite winter activities.  One time my brothers, sister and I made a fort in the front yard.  Good times.

In high school I hated snow (probably because my dad made me shovel).  I hated it for a long time.  Or maybe I just hate cold weather.

Now, as a mother, I’m starting to love snow again. The first time it snowed a week ago, Dawson was so excited.  He cheered with glee as he watched the snowflakes falling from our living room window.

Last night we went to the Pointer hockey game and on the way home it was snowing.  As tired as my little boy was (he nearly fell asleep in the car), he still admired the fluffy white stuff.

“Mumma, it’s so pretty!” he said.  “I love the snow!”

It really was beautiful to watch the snow and the expression on Dawson’s face.  That all changed this morning when he couldn’t go outside to play.

This is the first year he really understands what snow is.  He can’t wait to make “snow fings.”  That’s what he calls snow angels.  Seeing things through my son’s eyes is so amazing.  He appreciates all the seasons and I’m starting to love winter again.

Tomorrow, we go sledding.  More pictures will be taken.  I don’t want to forget the fun time we’ll have in the magical snow.

November 12, 2008

I’ll Do My Whining in the Rain*

It’s Wednesday morning, kids.  I looked outside my living room window and thankfully I did not see snow, even though it snowed again yesterday.  Actually, it was a mix of snow and freezing rain.  I nearly fell on my ass at the grocery store.  Well, in the parking lot, really.

This morning it’s raining, raining.  I can live with that.  It’s the cold weather that I’m not in the mood for.  Although, I am prepared for it.  Sort of.  Yesterday, we got our 35+, original-with-the-house-furnace replaced.  It runs like a dream.  On natural gas!  No more freakin’ oil tank to refill.  No more $1,000 heating bills.  We’ll be saving about $375 dollars this year.  I’m psyched.

I’m not so happy that I haven’t found a new winter jacket yet.  I just can’t see paying two arms and a leg for a nice winter coat.  When did I become so frugal?  Oh, yeah.  I remember now.  When the economy took a big shit and left American tax payers a $700 billion mess to clean up.  Thanks, Wall Street.  Thanks, Bankers.  Thanks a freakin’ lot.

I’ve been searching the ads, Kohl’s, Penney’s and Younkers, waiting for a Fabulous Coat Sale but nothing reasonably priced has been found.  I’m sure I’ll find something soon.  I hope.

Otherwise I’ll be one frozen mama when the dump trucks of snow fall in a few weeks.

Thankfully, Dawson is all decked out for winter.  He hasn’t grown much.  Last year’s coat and snow pants still fit.  He’ll need a new hat, though.  His head must have gotten bigger.   This might be why he’s so smart.  Big brain.  Haha.

Anyway, I’m off to do various things that need to get done.  Enjoy your Wednesday.

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* A $15 Amazon gift certificate is up for grabs!  In the comments, name the song my blog title is similar to and you’ll be entered into the drawing.  Must give me the following information:  Song title and who sings it, your name and an e-mail address I can reach you at if you win.  I’ll give you a hint.  The singers of this song are related.  Contest ends midnight CST on Friday, November 28th.  Good luck!

November 11, 2008

What I Woke Up to Saturday Morning

Last Friday at work, my co-worker said the naughty ‘S’ word.  It seems our local television meteorologist forecasted a misting of that fluffy white stuff.

That’s right.  Snow.

I’m not ready for winter yet.  I miss summer very much.  Hell, I miss fall very much.  I didn’t get to take as many fall foliage photos as I wanted because I was so busy with all my commitments at work and at home.

Anyway, I had this clever idea to use “Reverse Snowology.”  Don’t steal that phrase my friends, I’m trade-marking it.

Reverse Snowology is when you say aloud, “Oh, gee!  I’d really love it if it would SNOW!”  The idea is that  saying those words will trick Mother Nature and then it will not snow.

It seems that whenever I say I DO NOT want snow, it always manages to cover my front lawn.  I thought my Reverse Snowolgy thing was clever, and that it would, you know, WORK.

But alas, it snowed.  Thankfully it melted less than an hour later.