Life
/ December 2017

10 Reasons to Love Winter

I have confession guys… And I am going to make you scroll down past this cute picture of me and Zander to see what it is, just to make things extra suspenseful ;).

My confession: I LOVE WINTER! Yes, it is true. Saying that feels like a betrayal of my island grown, sunshine loving family. Seeing as this is fifth real winter since I moved away from the ocean, I really thought the reality was going to set in. I’ve said to Kris throughout this fall, ‘I think this is going to be the winter I finally stop loving winter’. But the novelty hasn’t worn off. The snow is just so magical. I can see it falling in big flakes right outside my window as I type. Winter is stunning.

Who else is buried in snow? Erie is a winter wonderland right now, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Right now I am sipping a hot cup of delicious Vegan Vegetable Broth and thinking of all the things I am grateful for this time of year. The end of the year is usually always a time of appreciation for me, a time where I reflect on the last year and realize just how lucky I am! Amidst all the business of buying gifts, decorating the house, planning parties, traveling to visit family, etc., it is important to take time to just sit and take it all in. So today, instead of getting ready for Christmas, I am taking a little break and breathing in the beauty around me.

As we were driving home after shopping last night Kris and I were admiring all the Christmas lights. Kris pointed out how winter was going to be a little depressing once the Christmas season is over, since we will have all the cold weather, but none of the fun festivities to look forward too. I kind of agree, I wish that Christmas lights and decorations would stay up all season long. They are so pretty. But there are SO many things to love about winter. Here are just a few of my favorite things about the season that have nothing to do with Christmas (keep scrolling to see).

10 Things to LOVE about Winter (once the Holidays are over)

Dressing Cozy…

One of my favorite things about winter is the excuse to dress up cuddly warm. I love the feeling of cozy sweaters and leggings. My knit sweater collection is quite extensive, and it stays in my closet all year long. In the summer I have been known to blast the AC just so I can dress up in a warm sweater…
Delicious Hot Beverages 🙂

Hot cocoa or tea is the first thing you probably thought of when you read that one, but my favorite hot beverage for winter is steaming broth from The Art of Broth. It is hearty and delicious. Hot cocoa and tea are definitely up there on my favorites list, but there is just something so comforting about the taste of broth. The Art of Broth conveniently packages their broth in steeping bags, so preparing it is as simple as making a cup of tea.
Warm Fires

We have fires in the hearth almost daily around here. I love the flickering lights and crackling sound. You can often find me sitting in front of the fire on a snowy day. A fire is also the perfect way to dry all your wet winter gear after you play outside. We lay out boots and coats near the fire and they all are dry and toasty (ready for more play) in no time.
Sledding!!

I usually like to enjoy my hot sipping broth while I am out in the snow with the kids. We get out to play in the snow at least once a day and our favorite thing to do is sled! Even Zander likes sledding this year! We only have one sled right now, so we have also been using Zoey’s plastic kiddy pool as a sled. It works surprisingly well and fits at least three of us!! It looks so funny though, I will have to get pictures next time we go.
More Time to Read

One great thing about the winter is the extra time it gives you to just relax and read a book! With kids in school and no sunny weather to run to, chance are you will be staying in a lot more. Take that time to read a book that you have been eyeing forever (years if you are like me…).
Outdoor Iceskating <3

One of the most beautiful things to see in Erie during the winter season is people skating on the frozen lake! It is something I used to do all the time with my family growing up in Alberta, Canada – before we moved to Vancouver Is. where we rarely got snow. There is something so magical about skating outdoors. It is a totally different experience than visiting an indoor rink. Outdoor skating is another perfect time to bring along a thermos of sipping broth…
Ride a Horse Drawn Sleigh

What other time of year do you have the excuse to ride in a horse drawn sleigh!? Some of our friends do this every year as a family tradition, and the pictures always look so magical. I have yet to try it, but it is definitely on my winter bucket list.
Soaking in the Hot Tub

I have said this many times, and I will say it many more: a hot tub was the BEST purchase we have ever made. There is nothing more fun than putting our beanies and bathing suits on and sitting in the spa while snowflakes fall around us. The most fun part is watching all the cars get stuck going up our hill just a few yards from where we sit… Hahaha. It is just a slippery spot and 99% of cars go nose first into the snow drift before backing up and taking the hill MUCH slower. If you don’t have a spa most gyms do, take advantage of your gym membership and go soak!
Skiing or Snowboarding

This is, without competition, my husbands favorite reason for winter. We both grew up skiing every year so it is kind of a winter tradition for us. We are actually planing a ski trip right now!
Time to Relax

The best part of winter is just that extra time to relax and stay home. If you don’t want to go out, the snow is always a good excuse. I love seeing the huge flakes out my window, while I sit at my desk and work, enjoying a soothing cup of broth.