I'm one of those people who could never move to California (no offense to y'all out there!) because I'd miss the changing of the seasons too much. I love all the seasons, and I especially love the feeling in the air that the weather is changing. I like spring because I'm an avid gardener, and I almost feel like I have all this pent-up energy just waiting for the ground to thaw. I like the feeling of renewal and second chances. I like summer for it's carefree feeling, and being able to spend most of my time out of doors. Fall is breathtaking with the leaves turning color and I like fall chores - cleaning up the yard and planting bulbs for the coming spring. I like winter because I like snow, though I don't particularly care for the cold. My feeling is that unless there is going to be at least a foot or two of snow, the temperature should really just stay above the freezing mark. I think its utterly unfair.

I also think that it's unfair to the kids. Or at least my kid. Anna has been asking since, oh, September if it's going to snow. I told her that it would snow when it was winter time. As much as sometimes I wish that my daughter didn't have such a sharp memory, well, she does. And she now wants to know when it is going to snow. And she wants real snow, not this dusting that we get now and then.

I feel sad knowing that there are some things I just can't give her. I'm not one of those parents who must buy those annoying Elmo toys, or rush out to get the next barbie doll or whatever Anna asks for. I'm not into spoiling my kid with material things, and try to teach her the value in what we have. But I do wish I could order up a nice snowfall for us all.