Monday, January 30, 2012

minor adjustments

aaaahhhh the weekend. 

Gone again too quickly.
This weekend was funny.
You see, Robby and I had a Super Date planned.
We were to hit up my bi-annual doctors appointment in San Francisco (par-tay!), and then spend the night/day exploring Big Basin State Park, while the kids were busy at Grandma's.
I had been dreaming of wandering though the Redwoods for months....and just TWO days before we were supposed to leave, the medical roller coaster that I have been riding derailed and we had to postpone my Dr's appointment for a few more months.
(sidenote: if you ever find yourself in line for a medical roller coaster, EXIT TO YOUR RIGHT IMMEDIATELY. 
While thrilling around every bend, they are no fun, and waaaaaaaaaaaay overpriced. )


So I'd had my sights set on a weekend adventure.....what should we do now?
There would definitely be no misty walks through giants, but we made a few adjustments to our plans and decided......
.....we should go snowshoeing. Yep, that's what we would do.
snow2snow1snow4snow3
Backstory:
Ever since I have been a mother, I have LOATHED winter. 
Hated it.
Spat upon it.
I mean, what good is winter after Christmas?
CURSE YOU WINTER!
With little ones, it takes exactly 1000 times longer to bundle up and get anywhere.
You just can't get out. No escape!!
Last year though, I decided to change my attitude.
I forced myself to like winter.
Extra layers, extra baking, extra fires and snuggling.
Finding more indoor things to love so I could ignore winter knocking at my door....and it turned out to be ok.
(You can see all my faking it in last year's winter wednesday posts)

But this year, I didn't want to fake it anymore.
I didn't want to just get through winter....I wanted to actually enjoy it.
So I had to adjust more than my attitude.
I had to adjust my actions.
Pick myself up off the warm couch.
Pry myself away from the oven.
Get out those 1217 layers that we wear when it's frosty,
and head for the hills.

And it was the BEST.
Sunshine and sparkly snow.
Heading off the beaten path and making our own trail.
"new tracks!!" we would yell as we ran across our blank canvas, leaving our tiny marks.
Climbing up a hill so steep I actually had to pull my girl up with the dog's leash....and then
laughing hysterically as we all slid-and-slided our way down.
snowshoe4 copysnowshoe5 copyshowshoe3 copysnowshoe9 copy
Bless you winter.
I think I may be falling for you.
snowhoe1 copy
all photos taken up Millcreek Canyon. 
trail: our own.


ps. please note that my child is simply "resting in the sun" as she put it, and not injured or deceased as it may look in a few photos up.


What do YOU do to enjoy winter?

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Winters in Utah pretty much rock in comparison to winters in Boston. My husband and I miss them so much!!

Thanks for the gorgeous photos of Millcreek. :)

Jecka said...

I love untouched snow. Once it gets driven through, tossed around, and shoveled it turns that gross shade of grey and goes from a soft fluffy beauty to a hard grey mass. When I lived in Boston, it would happen so quickly! One moment it was beautifully white, then it was grey and gross in what felt like a heartbeat!

Now that I live in the midwest, I have a new winter beauty that I enjoy (to a point): ice. It looks so pretty on the trees, engulfing the leaves and branches in a crystalline shell. The ivy on our building looks almost magical! That's my new winter favorite!

...except for driving in it!

Faith said...

such beautiful pictures! kinda makes me want to play in the snow :)

Marina Lind Schmitt said...

I've always wanted to go snowshoeing and now even more! The pictures are so lovely.

kassidi bridge said...

You're my hero. Wish I could help you leap off that medical roller coaster. I'm quite positive you have the cutest little outdoor family ever. Wish we could join you!!

Unknown said...

hopefully soon you'll be able to get things figured out medically wise! other than that looks like your doing amazing. im back in az so winter has been pretty much amazing. i think it was 75 yesterday? okay okay i am one of those winter loathers BUT i enjoyed a little bit of winter while i was in colorado for my year. now its back to sunshine and heat.

Hayley said...

i think it was those rexburg winters that made me have winter animosity. walking up the hill to campus with the wind chill practically blasting the skin off my nose. ugh.

i love that your littles are big enough to take along. how fun!

after all that i sure wish it would snow here.

California Girl said...

looks so much fun!! those redwoods will be waiting for you...they aren't going anywhere but up! lol x

whitneyingram said...

Hows about I just continue to not like this winter. Cool? Thanks.

Katie said...

we are going snow shoeing for our anniversary in TWO weeks! i can't wait!

Claire said...

I LOVE that you took your whole family snowshoeing. Even the littles! I will be an adventurous mom like you are :)

Courtney said...

I've never been snowshoeing it looks like so much fun though I will have to try. Me and my husband LOVE LOVE LOVE to go sledding, big long laughs are always sure to follow.

mummydinosaur said...

When I've had enough of the grey and rain of the PNW, we head up to the hills and go sledding. At least the kids do and we trudge up and down pulling sleds or cheering on the sled racers. Sun, snow, and red cheeks and hot chocolate before we head home. We'll try snowshoeing soon though - looks like fun! A bit like the cross country skiing of my youth.

Lula. said...

I love the picture of Charlie. And snowshoeing, I'm convinced, is the ONLY way to love winter around here. But it hasn't worked so well this year being 8 months pregnant unless I'm asking for an early delivery! So, winter this year is poop. Can I live vicariously through you?