As the temperatures dip and skies envelope our days with gloom, I’m trying to be positive and remember all the good things about living in this state. I seriously was not sure last year that I could get through another one of these Winters. I’m still not sure.

1. Ashish has a good job that he likes.
2. He’s gone from 7:45AM until 6PM. LONG, but as the season weighs on my nerves and dampers my mood, this may be a good thing as I’m less apt to pick arguments with him. This may save our marriage.
3. Our kids are able to go to a great Montessori school- in which we’ve met some wonderful people at.
4. Our house. We have a great house. Albeit, sometimes the location is a pain as we’d like to live closer to the city, but nothing to complain about.
5. Ashish gets to travel from work- so the kids and I get extra bonding time. It’s fun to live vicariously through Daddy’s adventures. I’m not even going to get into this being his 2nd time in SFO in a year. We all know the California girl…I was suppose to be.
6. One income. I can be the full time Mommy of our kids. Of course, I wish this also didn’t come with the additional titles of Maid, Chef, Ref. Surely one day these adventures will spark my creativity. If I can recall where I left it.
7. Cost of living- pretty decent…and no tax on clothes (not that I’m a fashionista, so that doesn’t matter for much being that I live in t-shirts and crop pants- even in the winter- again, my denial that I live here.)
8. Somewhat safe. It’s no gated community, but I do feel safe here…though the city could light the streets better (that’s another story!)
9. I’m going back to school. Whoo–hoo.
10. The summer is really nice.
11. COSTCO. They sell good wine- at reasonable prices. Yeah, I know they are “national” but there is nothing like a good wine to go with a good whine.
12. Elm Creek and Saint Paul Park Districts. The Best.
13. Special Minnesota friends: AD, LC & JH. XO.
14. If I ever really want to run away, I can hitch a flight to Chicago- a major hub ($59 on Southwest!). Or, 5 hours north to Oooooo Canada! Which is even colder, so if I am MIA, you know not to start your search there. However, if another republican was in office, I’d consider it.
15. Healthier lifestyle. Well, let’s face it…there is no Lalo’s, Gino’s East or Veseky’s here.
16. Nature. How neat is it to see an eagle, hawk, loon, crane and pelicans…? We pretty much have every kind of bird possible in our very own backyard (it backs up to a protected wetland area).

See, I’m feeling better already! I’ll turn up the temps, make some hot-chocolate and get back to penguin birthday party planning. Yes, I said Penguin. See, unlike us adults that get set in our ways, children embrace most things. My boys requested a penguin party for their birthday. There are two special people that obviously don’t think we have enough winter in Minneosta!