Egads! This is the view from my front door two days ago! Something I expect to see in Utah, where I moved from three years ago, but not closer to the equator, where I am now.  Alas, we are not immune from snow. Fortunately, it usually melts before noon. There has only been one day when it lasted past that. And it only snows 2 to 3 times a year. Knock on wood, as we are still in February. We have a winter storm warning right now for tomorrow. It’s supposed to be so bad that the officials have already decided to close down the high school and seminary classes tomorrow. No such thing would happen in Utah. Life goes on, despite the snow. I have to give winter credit though, it does have its own beauty.

What is a non-snow person like me to do? Remember the concept of hygge, that’s what. I wrote about that over here. If you don’t want to read that, what I’m writing here is a briefer version of hygge, or how to thrive in winter. Here are the best parts of winter to enjoy:

1. Christmas. That’s over, darn.
2. Hot cocoa, especially with a drop or two of peppermint oil.
3. Flannel sheets. I never put these on the bed this year though, because I was hot flashing. Menopause, here we come! I’m too warm for flannel sheets!
4. Stories around our firepit.
5. Picture books, and studying other classic books. See my post last month for our currents. The other day I read this one to my youngest after the older kids were all at classes or work. It made for a delightful day. It makes me wonder what the libertarian side of the economic story is.
6. Reading aloud, which does cover #4 but also deserves its own entry. #4 includes reading silently on my own too. 🙂 (My latest favorite for reading to myself is this one, not for young kids, which I’m reading for Quest, a class I  mentor for homeschooled teens, including my 17 year old. For reading aloud to the kids, my latest favorite is this one.)
7. Music. I’m really digging this jazzy Mr. Rogers music.
8. Crafting. I’ve been making a rag rug which is super fun whenever I watch a movie with my husband.
9. Sleeping. ‘Nuff said. So much easier to do now that my youngest is 9. My kids actually tell me they want to go to bed. What music to a mother’s ears! I thought the day would never get here!
10. Sweaters! The best part! Yes, I can wear sweaters every day! Christmas is over, but sweater-wearing season isn’t. My capris may be tucked in my drawers, but I don’t miss them because I can wear sweaters. I can easily take them off and put back on when the hot flashes come and go. I looove, loooove, looove coming up with new combinations of my bright sweaters and contrasting tops, all found at thrift stores or inherited from my newly married daughter who left a closet of clothes.

Here a few of my combinations. I mostly wear cardigans. Pullovers aren’t so fun for some reason. It’s my inner Mr. Rogers coming out.  Each of these sweaters were $4 or less from thrift stores. Except the zip-up white sweater. That one was $7 in Boise.

Oh what do you do in the wintertime, when all the world is drear’? Please tell me in the comments below.