Winter Wonderland?

I live in Michigan. I've always lived here; with the exception of a couple years in Florida which I would qualify as an aberration (long story, don't go there). Being a life long Michigan resident you would think I would have made my peace with Michigan Winter. I have not. In fact, this snowy season has really gotten to me and it's just the beginning of January...we have a couple/few more months to go.

I do not ski, snowmobile, snowshoe, build snowmen (ok, sometimes if my kids are here and the snow is the correct consistency), make snow angels, wonder at the uniqueness of the individual snowflake, marvel at the beauty of a fresh blanket of snow (ok, that's a lie, I can appreciate it..from inside where it's warm). I shovel.

I shovel, shovel, shovel. I salt and shovel. I don't salt and then I chip away at the ice and shovel. I try and avoid shoveling by making my kids shovel. I disregard shoveling and just plow my way through it into the garage and barrel through the drift at the end of the driveway when they dien to plow the streets around here (few and far between this heavy season).

I make a trail through it dragging the garbage can to sit, tilted like a drunken sailor, waiting for the Thursday morning pick-up. I drag the can back through the snow to the garage, with the snow crusted around the top of it. I am thankful I have no dogs to bring in snowballs clinging to their furry bellies and leaving little snow puddles all around the house.

However, I do have boys and they do go outside (yes, sometimes that actually leave the video game system and venture out into fresh air). Kinda like dogs they bring snow back into the house on their boots, gloves, clothes, jackets, and hats.

I try and ambush them when they come into the garage and get them to "stomp" off any excess, then into the laundry room to strip out of their snowy gear. Pull off snowy pants (turned inside out now), soggy socks (yes, also inside out), soaking gloves (inside out), dripping boots (liners pulled out), soaked hat (flung on the floor creating a puddle), jackets hung (right side out, but usually with one sleeve pulled in to guarantee it will be wet when they go to put it back on so they can gripe about it), and the long sleeve shirt I make them wear, soaked around the cuffs making their wrists as red as a fire engine!

After they shed everything, and I trail behind turning everything right side out (or is that right side in??), mopping up little snow puddles, placing boots by the heater, spreading hats and gloves out to dry. I emerge from the laundry room, back aching, muttering under my breath about how it would be easier with a PACK of dogs and clinging belly-snowballs.

I am greeted with rosy cheeked boys, big grins on their faces, hair standing on end with static electricity, runny noses, frozen feet and hands, streaking for the nearest blanket and video game controller with the plea of "Mo-o-o-o-o-o-m, what are we having for lunch, we're starving!".

I love my boys, but I just really detest winter!!