The Thursday Three

It's a cold and blustery day here, giving the feeling that you couldn't get warm if you tried. And believe me, I'm trying. Fuzzy sweater, thick socks, big cup of chai tea, sleeping dog keeping my feet warm - but I still feel cold every time I look out the window. So how about talking about


Fun things about Winter


I'm quite sure this will be followed in about February with a Things I can't stand about Winter list, if past history holds up. But for now, while it's still new and fresh, lets look at the positives, okay?















#1. Homemade hot chocolate. Every Fall I whip up a huge batch of homemade hot chocolate mix from scratch. I make so much that I mix it in a trash bag. (Clean, of course. This isn't that kind of recipe). The recipe I use is the one that's been around the block a million times, with the dry coffee creamer and nonfat milk powder base, but I doctor it up to within an inch of its life and it is seriously yummy. We always have mini-marshmallows in the baking cupboard as an extra nice touch, although my kids tend to used the hot chocolate as (in the FG's words) a marshmallow delivery device. Sometimes there's even whipped cream for the top. I have a pretty good variety of extracts too, so you can have mint or orange or even coconut flavoring in your cocoa. This alone makes winter worth it.




#2. The first snowfall. As I write this we have still not really seen snow this year. Oh, it flirted with us last week, but it was just a tease and not the real thing. I love snow. I just don't like driving in it, shoveling it or when it gets all brown and slushy. I love watching it fall and seeing how gorgeous everything looks blanketed in white, and especially coming in from it and having a cup of List item #1. (I would've said plain old #1 but then some literal person looking to stir up trouble - you know who you are - would've asked why I was drinking pee when I have perfectly good hot chocolate mix all made up. I'm getting good about heading these things off).


But there are some really fun things that come out of snow. My kids built some great snow forts last year and we had a neighborhood snow brawl. Sasquatch and I had a snowball fight that left me absolutely exhilarated with the sanctioned ability (all in the name of fun, no less) to pound him as hard as I wanted to with no ramifications. He kept telling me what a good shot I was and all I could think was Oh, kid. If you only knew...



#3. Candles. I really love candles, but don't usually light them in the warmer months. But about this time of year I seriously start feeling the lack of light and candles help a lot. Of course so does my newly usable fireplace, although I think I need to work on my fire starting skills. Candles also have the extra advantage of smelling really good, and who doesn't like the scent of vanilla or cinnamon or caramel?

Being a worrywart, I'm pretty careful with candles, but I think it's very peaceful to watch a bunch of tealight or votives burn. I just have to keep them higher than the dogs. The kids, thank
goodness, are at the point where I'd like to think they had some sense. (Sure do hope I'm right on this). During the warmer months I like incense (and still burn it in winter), but there's something mesmerizing about a flickering flame. Especially when it smells good too.