winter

what is it about winter that i love so much?! come on, why? with all the cold & the lingering possibility of being frozen if your car dies in the middle of nowhere (not exactly a possibility here in cow-town-columbus, but...still!). i don't know what has brought me to this conclusion that i love winter, but! no worries, autumn is still my main squeeze.

hhmmmm, maybe it's all the snuggly clothes. you know, like fleece & sweatpants (well, yoga pants technically anymore, right? & i highly recommend these pants. not even kidding: you.will.not.take.them.off...). or maybe that warm fleece scarf i wear from morning until night most days. not just b/c my hubby is uber cheap & keeps the thermostat at significant low temp (i have him talked up to 69 on most days! 70 when i just can't get warm, but that's IT, he says.). i especially love these new slipper-boots & i am contemplating wearing them outside when the snow is gone. when i found them *on clearance* at dsw i thought i would somehow finagle a way to cut the tassels (or is it toggles?) off (wes firmly agreed) but i have grown to think of them endearingly. as in, when i sit down cross-legged & have this ginormous lump in my foot, i think 'oh those silly tassels-toggles are in the way again' *chop chop*.

or! is it the food? when summer rolls around & everyone is eating salads for dinner & i have this look of panic on my face i think to myself, 'self, what would you do for a nice hot chowder soup about now?' food that fills the belly, you know. i'm not just talking about the standard meat & potatoes stuff but the range of possibilities when the oven is involved. {for all you salad lovers out there in shock: it is important to note that i actually do like salads finally, which only came to pass when i was pregnant with amelia. but for some reason unknown to me, my gut has a hard time processing salad pieces & parts & thus giving me some serious belly aches. note taken? *smile*}. so then there's also hot puddings & soups & yes, even some casseroles...or it's probably the hot cocoa.

and maybe it could be that i don't feel guilty when we just stay at home, lounging around the house hoping to catch a movie somehow on tv (much better odds this winter with cable). during the summer, when it's light out forever, i sorta feel compelled to hang out & be sociable...but not so much in the winter. we can be homebodies & the guilt is gone in the blustery wind.

okay. snow falling. as adeline would say 'how good is that?!' & really, snow can turn nearly anything into a beautiful sight. such as our compost bin or a dead shrub. i mean, talk about turning a walk into a winter wonderland stroll. PLUS. snowflakes can be so different & that just totally mystifies me. is every snowflake really different?! *SERIOUSLY?!* & then playing in snow is just a lot of fun...skiing (even though i'm not so great, still fun), sledding, snowballs, snow forts, snow-everything!

now, i realize there are such things as frostbite (ya-ouch!) & seasonal depression & other such travesties. and just plain being cold, which i am most of the summer also so that's just not a winter problem to me. but do you see what i'm saying? i love living in a place that gives me 4 seasons...even though i don't so much *love* ohio, i really enjoy the changes. & i just really love fleece. & layered clothing, did i mention that?

does this post reek optimism or what? goal 2010; accomplished. (i really do like winter, even minus optimism goal).

a few things, again

oh baby, it's cold outside. isn't she adorable in her new hat?!

we buy our kids used coats but new hats b/c hats can make or break an outfit, right? right. & they have to be lined...i wish they made a hat this warm & soft for adults. even with the hearts on it, i would wear it. darn it.
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light pollution

so you've read about our woes with the whole new light pole situation. well, the new one is installed & working. so does the one across the street & down a bit. & then the other 2 dozen or so. BUT WHY ARE THE OLD ONES STILL ON? not only is this light pollution but it's also a waste of electricity. don't worry, i've already written the president of our subdivision & if they're both still on next week, i plan to also call the westerville electrical division to post a complaint (the subdivision president said i made good points & he would look into this situation. but if the lights aren't off soon...it will hit the fan).

i've talked to a few other annehurst resident (our subdivision) who find the *new* light poles to be a bit odd & one lady specifically was like 'it's day light in at night!' & it's true. with both lights on it sort of looks like dusk. our blinds can't even keep all the light out! it lights up our *backyard* partially. ridiculous.

in idaho we went to this star gazing event in the middle of nowhere, the place with sand dunes...what is that called?! but anyway, they had these pictures of light pollution from space. it was amazing & sad. that place in idaho, well, it didn't really have any lights on at night & the stars were breath taking. when i really allow myself to divulge in thinking about things like this, i literally feel sick. not b/c we can't see stars (except the few bright ones) from our back yard but b/c columbus isn't even the worst off city--nor was the united states. i understand the reason for lighting at night--safety--but...what are we doing to the earth as the need for light snowballs to more use of electricity & global warming (yes, i believe them).

there are things that get my feathers ruffled & i'm finding that talking politics isn't the main "ruffler" anymore (not b/c i feel more middle of the spectrum but b/c i will just tune you out, lol) but i think the desire to keep the earth enjoyable & for the human race to make less of an impact...well, that's my main ruffler. call me a hippy or whatever you will, but what we do with our waste & electricity & pollution has effects/ it's naive to think we don't have an impact.

i was telling some ladies last weekend how easy it was to feel jesus in idaho b/c every time i went outdoors, i could see the mountains looming & for an ohioan, that was *impressive*...in ohio, there's just not that WHAM of a natural beauty around us. but in autumn ohio is beautiful with the array of color next to the gray or sometimes blue sky. so this is the time in ohio when god is in the leaves & i get all sappy & think about the seasons of life & weather. & then i miss idaho even more... & to think, i was so concerned that wes would send me packing back to ohio without him (that was a near possibility) & here i am the one admitting that i wish we could still live there (but how to get all of our family & ohio friends there as well? we just can't have it all, eh?).
***
anyway.
adeline has been snuggly with me the past week. i like it, really i do. especially when amelia holds her arms out to her daddy when i'm holding her. *smile*

amelia post oreo. what is this, animal? vegetable? miracle? (miracle)

wes loves this picture b/c the sippy cup is about 1/3 the height of amelia herself. & she has on that orange ribbon that kept her occupied for nearly an hour the other day. she is does *not* have a cranky disposition, this one.

adeline dancing to the curious george opening song. it's a ritual in our house. we dance & adeline jumps & it's great fun. then i have approximately 30 minutes of time to GO GO GO, usually carrying amelia around, but still...GO GO GO.

i don't even know what we're doing this weekend; isn't that marvelous?!