Okay, This is Just Sad...

Not long ago, we lived in Salt Lake City, Utah. That means that for about 3 months out of the year for 10 years, we lived in snow. We drove our car in snow, we walked in snow, we bundled our babies for the snow, we shoveled snow-sometimes a couple of feet at a time. It was fun, but I was satisfied that I had my fill of the white stuff. Apparently, I was the only one in the family to feel that way.

Here in Tucson, snow is a rarity. Last weekend, Mt. Lemmon got some so we packed up our car and bundled the kids and headed for the mountains. 30 minutes later, we find that the road up the Mt. is closed down. I didn't care too much. The kids were a bit disappointed. My husband looked like someone shot his puppy! He planned the event under the guise that it was for the kids...'to get them out of the house.' Now I know better. I swear I am married to a 6-year-old sometimes. (He reads comic books and can't sleep on Christmas Eve as further evidence.)

But bless his heart, we received more snow this past weekend and my dear husband woke up early on Sunday morning and packed the car up with sleds and gear and began to call the road info hotline. Mt. Lemmon was closed most of the day but he was on a mission. He broke out a map and found a 'back way' to get some altitude and find some snow. Inside I was rolling my eyes but I remembered the shot puppy look from the previous weekend and decided I'd better play along for the sake of my marriage.

35 minutes into the drive the road turns to dirt/mud. We proceed up the mountain at a 45 degree angle just inches away from a sheer dropoff. I see other cars coming down the road which is comforting until I realize that they are covered in mud from top to bottom and most of them are 4 wheel drive-our Suburban is not. What on Earth are we in for??? It was an 'interesting' drive and we did find some snow. To clarify, I should explain that we found patches of snow surrounded by an abundance of cacti. I wasn't about to let the kids get out and play in THAT and the last time my husband was near a cactus, it ended with him needing his arms waxed to remove all of the needles-story for another time!

We went as far as we could and did find some cactus free snow. All in all, just plain sad. Look at the picture...my kids are sledding in straw!!! We had a pretty pitiful snow ball fight the highlight of which was my attempt to gather a snow ball that ended with a fistful of COWPIE!!! Xander got carsick on the way home so the evening was topped off with a lovely load of laundry. The only thing that made it worth it was the smile on my kids' faces-yep, all FIVE of them. (number includes husband)