Rising to the Occasion

I really, really don't like winter in Minnesota.  You would think that after living here for nearly a decade, I would have acclimated somewhat by now. But, my formative years as a California girl seem to have instilled in me a lifelong intolerance for cold.  I do enjoy watching the snow fall through the window as I sip on something warm and tromping around in a newly fallen snow, but the day to day ice and mess really get me down.  My feelings have only intensified as, with the addition of children to my life,  I must now wrangle little wriggling extremities into various fleeced items each and every time we leave the house.

Fortunately, we have had a really mild winter so far this year, which I am viewing as a sign from God that it is possible for me to continue living here.  Or, it could just be global warming...  Anyway, as I write, it is a balmy 46 degrees up here in MN.  This morning, I could not deprive my kids of the much needed time outside, so I bundled them up and sent them out into the backyard this morning.  I wasn't really planning to stay and play - I can watch them from the kitchen, so I thought I would just get some stuff done inside while they ran around.  The dirty patches of ice and snow that cover the shaded parts of our yard don't hold the same allure for me as for little boys I guess.  So, I headed out with wet hair to just to open the garage so they could get toys out.  But, after they were well-equipped and I turned to head inside, I saw that they needed just a little help getting started.

So, I ran inside to get a hat to cover my cold head...

Then I stood around a took a few pics with my iphone so that Daddy could see them out in the yard.  But, the kids seemed to need help filling their buckets with snow.

So, I ran inside to get a pair of light gloves.  No need for the heavy ones since I'd just be there a few minutes.

Then, we decided to make snow castles and I noticed my gloves were getting wet and my fingers were cold.

So, I ran inside to put my put my thicker fleece gloves on.

Then, our castles turned into towers and in order to get enough snow, I had to tromp around all over the yard and my shoes were getting wet.

So, I ran inside to put my boots on.

Then, I had the brilliant idea of making a snow pile at the bottom of our little slide so the kids could land in it.  This of course necessitated lots of snow scooping and collecting, and my fleece gloves were getting wet.

So, I ran inside to get my serious, waterproof snow gloves.

Then, we played snow soccer and little Emory couldn't run or kick in his bulky pants and boots, so I picked him up and used him like a foosball guy.  Our fun ended in a snow ball fight, initiated by me - I don't generally like these, but the snow was such a perfect consistency that I couldn't resist.

Before I knew it, 45 minutes were gone, and the kitchen was still a mess.  But, my boys were pink-cheeked and smiling, and Oliver said "see Mom, I told you playing in the snow was fun" and I knew I had made the right choice.

I am amazed at how my kids encourage me to get out of my comfort zone and do stuff I don't really think I want to do.  In the end, it turned out to be exactly what I needed.