Winter Lows and Highs

I've come to realize that I really hate winter.  I actually like snow, but the winter months make me extremely blue.  When I look back in my journals, it is obvious that every winter I struggle more with depression than I do the rest of the year.  So the months of January and February were a little bleak for me this year, but in spite of that, we managed to fit in a lot of family fun and memories.

We went tubing with our little family; we went skiing with extended family, including cousin Kate who went for the first time and my dad who came to hang out with us in Sun Valley; we bundled up and went to the park with friends; we went for rainy bike rides to discover worms; we went on a couple of fun preschool fieldtrips...

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent plenty of time lounging at home and wrestling with Dad, and we had some fun Family Home Evenings based on action-figures of Book of Mormon heroes that I found at Deseret Book.  (Can I get a fist-bump for actually planning a few meaningful FHEs?)

 

 

As is our tradition, we had a fun Secret Cupid week in mid-February.  I sometimes feel like I am running out of novel ideas for this holiday, but this year Ryan and I went on a date to Target and each took thirty minutes to pick out a gift and a card for each other.  We then sat in the food court and wrote our notes and exchanged gifts.  Classy!  I picked an extra big card for my Sexy Dexy. ;)  The kids and I also surprised him by sneak-attacking his car at work.

The highlight of my winter was going to San Diego for a sisters' weekend!  The weather was perfection, and there is just nothing like spending time with my sisters.  I also LOVED seeing my nephew Luke, who is at the cutest age and is so friendly and loving.

 

So there were plenty of bright moments this winter, in the midst of the gloom.  And I cannot tell you how happy I am that spring is here.  I have been feeling so much better the past few weeks.  It's crazy what a marked emotional difference I feel once we get past February! Onward toward spring walks and backyard barbecues...hoorah!