Ryan and I had the opportunity to go to Hawaii on our honeymoon, and it was HEAVEN! We saw so many gorgeous places, and just fell in love with it to the point that we decided someday we WILL live there! We got to go to the black sand beaches on the Big Island, got a private tour of a lava tube hundreds of feet under the ground, stayed on the North Shore of Oahu and went to the Polynesian Cultural Center, went surfing, etc, etc. But my favorite part was hearing the ocean, walking on the beach, and just being in the warm air. This is what it looked like:




It was PARADISE, and I was sad to leave. When we got home, Ryan took me to live with him in Park City (or rather a place right down the road called Deer Mountain). Now, it is beautiful, and I was quite enjoying it...until winter came. Currently, instead of palm trees and ocean and blue skies...I see this when I look out the window:



Yes, all that loveliness is complements of the wonderful storm we got yesterday. Ryan and I had lunch together in Salt Lake and it was not snowing, but we knew that it was supposed to start. I told him that I will be hibernating for the rest of the winter. In my closet. If anyone is looking for me, that's where I'll be. Feel free to slide some food under the door.
Funny thing is, this IS paradise to most of the people who live here in Park City, or who are here on vacation. Nothing but smiles around here when there's a blizzard. I can say for sure that I was NOT smiling as I came up Parley's Canyon last night in the middle of the storm! Then again, that's something I have not done before-braved a snowstorm like that all on my own. I was actually very proud to have gotten myself home in one piece. I think I feel a little more confident about driving in the snow now.
Sometimes I wonder how I could have spent my whole life in Utah and never really have gotten used to the snow. I'm really not a cold weather person! I can't say that I'm an avid skiier (my numerous falls down the bunny slopes of Deer Valley last year will atest to that), or snowboarder, or even a faithful tubing hill patron. I guess our own paradises are not meant to be where we actually live. All those people from various places around the world come to Park City to find their paradises, and I migrate south to find mine. Or would if I could, anyway. At the same time, this is definitely home, and I know that as much as I dislike the cold weather, I will miss the snow if we ever leave here and move to Death Valley or the Amazon jungle or...Texas or something. I do have to admit that the snow is beautiful, and Christmas just isn't the same without it.
Ok, Ok! I DO love Utah! ...maybe I won't hibernate the WHOLE winter.