It's that time of year again...

Hooray! It's time for cocoa and extra blankies, mittens and mufflers, bundled children and brisk wintery days........and SNOW!

I love snow. I grew up in Northwestern Montana in a little town at the foot of a glorious ski mountian surrounded, covered, sometimes nearly buried...in snow, so when I moved to Oregon 11 years ago I was glad to say "good riddance" to the wicked white stuff. I was tired of shoveling my way from the front door to the car and from the back of the car to the end of the *l o n g* driveway. Tired of snow getting into the space between my coat sleeve and my glove cuff. Tired of strapping on chains to drive to the store...and freezing in 40 below 0 weather....(ok, maybe only 15 below)

But after about 3 years of living in a more temperate climate where winter= rain.....and more rain, I must confess, I began to miss that snow. There's a quiet hush over the world when it snows. I love to watch the flakes fall delicately over the landscape. It changes everything...softens everything. It covers everything in a peace that is so beautiful. Even people are changed sometimes. Their outward guardedness gives way to smiles and "Merry Christmas" greetings.

We don't get very much snow here, though it has snowed a little for the last couple of years. (I hope it does again this year)

Our family makes an hour long drive up to one of the passes nearby for our annual "Snow Day" sledding trip. We try to coax as many of our friends into joining us as we can, pack up a bunch of food and lots of hot cocoa, load all the snow gear into the back of the truck and drive up to the snow. The air is thick with anticipation and excitement as the kids plan their snow forts and strategize about the inevitable snowball war. The camera is at the ready and my husband and I exchange knowing glances and secret coded expressions that tell the kids we are planning on "getting them" somehow. I love it all.

As I sit here typing, my mind is lingering on memories of last year's "Snow Day" trip and I am planning our next one........now where is that bin of snow boots?